Building new custom data sets from scratch is challenging and tedious. Thanks to off-the-shelf data, it offers a quick and effective solution for developers to embed the data into their AI products and make them functional. Off-the-shelf data is pre-built data collected, cleaned, labeled, and kept ready for use.
However, searching for the right off-the-shelf data is a challenge in itself. Besides the data quality, data privacy & security are two crucial aspects needed to be kept in mind while leveraging off-the-shelf data sets. If the dataset you deploy to your code lacks adequate security, it could lead to severe business outcomes.
Therefore, let us uncover the risks of using off-the-shelf data and how to prevent yourself from those risks. Let us begin!
The Risks of Using Off-the-Shelf Training Data
Off-the-Shelf data privacy is an important security aspect of datasets to be considered. Several risks are linked to data security when utilizing off-the-shelf data for your AI models or programs. Some of the risks are:
Unauthorized Data Access
Another potential risk of using off-the-shelf data security is unauthorized access. Being an outsourced data, you cannot be certain about the accessibility of the dataset. A developer may have left a loose end from where they can later access your AI program and steal valuable information.
Data Misuse
A potential risk associated with off-the-shelf data is the wrong usage of the data in your AI program. As many APIs leverage off-the-shelf data, the cryptographic principles for the data remain the same if not modified. This allows hackers to misuse the data and gain access to your programs.
Data Quality Issues
The quality of your off-the-shelf data can be a big risk for your AI programs. Often, the data is not sourced from diversified demographics, may have duplicates, faulty labeling, lack of user consent, etc.
Steps to Ensure Data Privacy and Security When Using Off-the-Shelf Data
Despite some risks in using off-the-shelf data, many ways can mitigate the risk factor. Here are a few ways to consider enhanced off-the-shelf data security:
Choose a Reputable Provider
The best way to get safe and secure off-the-shelf data is by purchasing it from a trusted and reliable data provider. A genuine data provider will always provide you with an agreement and assurance of data being robust, accurate, and high-quality.
Review Data Privacy and Security Policies
Reviewing the vendor’s data privacy and security policies before buying the datasets is very important. You must ensure that the data you purchase will entirely belong to you. If any other person gains access to it, it will be considered an accessibility breach, and appropriate action will be taken.
Encrypt Sensitive Data
Despite several security clauses in your agreement, you can never know your off-the-shelf data privacy issues. Hence, it is a good practice to encrypt the sensitive data of your project so that it remains secure during any cyber attack.
Regularly Monitor Data Access
Another security practice you must follow to secure your data is regularly monitoring the data access list. You should check who has recently accessed the data and filter out any suspicious activity in the system.
Train Employees on Data Privacy and Security Best Practices
Training your employees on data security methods and measures is crucial to keep your organization’s data safe and secure. All your employees must work diligently and ensure they follow the right data practices, which can significantly minimize the risk of data stealing.
Explore our collection of off-the-shelf Medical, Speech, and Computer Vision Data Catalog.
The Benefits of Using Off-the-Shelf Data Safely
Once you leverage the right methods to obtain and use your off-the-shelf data, you can get significantly improved outcomes from your projects. Here are a few advantages listed below:
Improved Data Quality
Utilizing the right off-the-shelf dataset for your project can improve the data quality of your projects. As the data quality enhances, your projects can deliver optimized results and better overall outcomes.
Increased Data Availability
The biggest advantage of using off-the-shelf data sets is the enlarged scope of data availability. You can source many data sets as required and increase the functionality and scope of the project.
Better Data Privacy and Security
If you find a reputed vendor for your data needs, you may get more refined data privacy and security. Not all data providers are frauds. Some develop their data with extreme diligence and ensure its optimal security for reliable results.
Reduced Costs
One of the most significant advantages of using off-the-shelf data is its cost efficiency. Unlike regular data collection and cleaning processes, purchasing off-the-shelf data is fairly inexpensive and quick. You can simply buy the data at a reasonable price and ensure the functioning of your projects at a much lower price.
[ Also Read: The Benefits of Using Off-the-shelf Training Datasets ]
Conclusion
Data privacy and security are concerning aspects when data is involved. However, handling off-the-shelf data security can impact your AI projects. So instead of worrying about your data security, finding a reliable data provider is better; Shaip is one of the industry’s most trusted data providers that you can rely on. You may contact Shaip for your dataset needs to know more.
