Certified Application Counselor Practice Test

What defines a privacy incident?

1. An event involving data processing updates

2. A breach where unauthorized individuals access PII

3. A routine audit of data management

4. Internal reports on data usage

The correct answer is: A breach where unauthorized individuals access PII

A privacy incident is defined specifically by situations where personal identifiable information (PII) is accessed by unauthorized individuals. This can include any scenario in which sensitive information is compromised, potentially leading to risks such as identity theft, misuse of data, and violations of individuals’ privacy rights. The key element is the unauthorized access itself, which is a clear violation of privacy laws and regulations designed to protect individuals' data. In contrast, events involving data processing updates generally relate to administrative changes rather than breaches or unauthorized access to sensitive information. Routine audits of data management are preventative measures to ensure data integrity and compliance, and they do not inherently indicate a breach or incident. Internal reports on data usage focus on tracking and managing how data is utilized within an organization, again lacking the characteristic of unauthorized access that defines a privacy incident.