E-wallet: personal data security top priority

SEREMBAN, Feb 2  -- With the introduction of e-wallet gaining popularity among adults, one of the most important issues that users are constantly concerned about is the security and confidentiality of personal data.

Senior Lecturer of Records Management Studies, Faculty of Information Management, University of Technology Mara (UiTM) Puncak Perdana Campus, Shah Alam, Selangor, Dr Mohd Nizam Yunus, however, said that for every system or application developed, it must take into account data security issues to avoid being misused or stolen.

"Any system or application is certainly vulnerable to intrusion, but I believe that system supervisors are ready for all these possibilities and they are always working together to provide personal data protection from cyber criminals.

“Generally, people do not have to worry about e-wallet as its security is always well taken care of by the supervisors,” he said when contacted by Bernama here recently.

The use of e-wallet is seen as a new trend in the country in all aspects including in small and big businesses in the future, creating a cashless society.

Some users expressed concern regarding the possibility of money in the application disappearing just like that, but he said this should not happen because the system has a log system that records every transaction, and the user can also access the transactions, he said, adding that users should read all the terms and conditions before registering.

Meanwhile, another senior lecturer at the same faculty, Dr Irni Eliana Khairuddin said every system created today, especially the financial system, was built with high security technology and was constantly updated from time to time.

“This also includes the e-wallet system. Many are concerned about their personal data being used and retrieved by certain parties, but they need to be reminded that not only e-wallets, but there are many other services that require them to register and provide their personal data, which can be misused.

“These includes subscribing to the internet or registering for supermarket membership cards, in which case when they sign the subscription form, they have also indirectly agreed to allow the parties to use their personal data.

"But keep in mind that these parties cannot arbitrarily use their data as it is protected by the Personal Data Protection Act 2010,” she said, adding that the act was introduced specifically for the purpose of preventing the misuse of people’s personal data for commercial purposes.

Irni Eliana said the data could also be used by the parties involved to make projections about the use of certain products or services that people often use.

“As an example, from the personal data, e-wallet usage statistics for low-income households (B40) can be generated to find out which products or service transactions they use most. Thus, relevant parties can make projections to meet the needs of these people in the future,” she said.

-- BERNAMA