A Privacy Assessment Framework for Data Tiers in Multilayered Ecosystem Architectures

Data-centric operational systems, machine learning (ML), and other analytical and artificial intelligence (AI) pipelines are becoming increasingly imperative for organizations seeking to increase the protection of sensitive data while satisfying customer expectations. This paper proposes a novel methodology to assess the level of vulnerability assigned to each of the data storage components in complex multilayered data ecosystems through a nuanced assessment of data persistence and content metrics. The suggested methodology introduces a new and effective way to address the issues of determining perceived privacy risk across data storage layers and informing necessary security measures for an ecosystem by calculating an ecosystem vulnerability score. This offers a comprehensive overview of data vulnerability, aiding in the identification of high-risk components and guiding strategic decisions for enhancing data privacy and security measures. With consistent and generalized assessment of risk, the methodology can properly pinpoint the most vulnerable storage systems and assist in directing efforts to mitigate them.