What is the difference between data security and data privacy?

• A. They are the same concept.
• B. Security protects data from unauthorized access; privacy governs how data is collected, used, and shared.
• C. Privacy protects data from unauthorized access; security governs collection and sharing.
• D. Privacy is about hardware security.

Answer: (B)

The main idea being tested is the distinction between how data is protected versus how data is governed in terms of its use. Data security is about protecting data from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or loss through technical and organizational safeguards—think encryption, access controls, strong authentication, monitoring, and backups. Data privacy, by contrast, is about the rules and practices that govern how data is collected, used, stored, and shared, including user consent, purpose limitation, data minimization, retention limits, and individuals’ rights.

So the best choice reflects this separation: security is about preventing unauthorized access, while privacy concerns how data is collected, used, and shared. The other ideas mix these concepts or assign the wrong focus (privacy isn’t about hardware security; it isn’t about collection being guarded by security, and they aren’t the same concept).