Why Data Security Matters:
The Cost of a Data Breach
$4.88 million - the global average cost of a data breach in 2024.
That’s a 10% rise from the previous year and the highest figure ever recorded. In the telecommunications sector, the stakes are even higher: major U.S. wireless carriers were fined nearly $200 million by the FCC for illegally sharing location data, underscoring the immense financial consequences of failing to safeguard customer sensitive data.
The true cost of data breaches extends far beyond immediate financial loss. Telecommunications companies operate at the center of digital life, managing millions of customer identities, sensitive personal data, and vast infrastructure. A single breach can lead to operational disruptions, severe regulatory consequences, and fracture the trust that customers place in their service providers.
While post-incident response remains important, the focus must shift to prevention. As data moves across multiple environments, third-party platforms, and a growing network of connected devices, the vulnerabilities multiply. In such a complex environment, the question is no longer if a breach will happen, it’s when, and more importantly, how prepared your organization will be when it does.
Data Protection: The Critical Need for Robust Security in Telecom OSS/BSS
As the number of interconnected devices grows, so do the complexities of data security. Telecommunications companies handle a wide array of sensitive data, including call detail records, network data, and customer information.
At the core of telecom operations are Operational and Business Support Systems (OSS/BSS), which integrate with both internal systems and external partner networks to perform essential functions like billing, customer relationship management, fraud detection, and revenue assurance. This interconnectedness introduces additional risks — a breach in one system can expose vulnerabilities across the entire network.
The security of customer data within OSS/BSS systems is critical, as these systems store vast amounts of sensitive information. This includes personally identifiable information (PII) such as names, addresses, and IDs, as well as financial details like credit card numbers and billing histories. Additionally, usage data—such as call logs, browsing history, location data, and app activity—is also stored in these systems. A breach of any of this data can have severe consequences for customers, making strong security measures within OSS/BSS systems an absolute necessity.
With the growing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), the stakes have never been higher. AI systems depend heavily on vast amounts of data, and without robust security measures, they can become both targets and vulnerabilities. Malicious actors may exploit AI systems to access sensitive data, manipulate information, or trigger unintended outcomes. To mitigate these risks, the solution lies in building AI on a secure foundation—ensuring protected data pipelines, enforcing transparency in data handling, and using AI responsibly. This approach can enhance threat detection and automate containment strategies, enabling telecom companies to swiftly and effectively respond to emerging security challenges in real time.
Multi-Layered Data Security: Strengthening Customer PII Protection
At Neural Technologies, we prioritize data security in every solution we deliver, safeguarding sensitive customer information at every stage of its lifecycle. Our comprehensive framework is designed to protect customer rights and privacy, ensure regulatory compliance, and enhance operational resilience across the telecommunications ecosystem.
Customer Data Protection
We emphasize the confidentiality and integrity of customers’ sensitive data, such as personally identifiable information (PII) across all touchpoints. By implementing strict data governance policies and continuous monitoring, we ensure that customer data remains secure from acquisition and storage to processing and transmission. Our solutions are built to minimize data exposure and align with global privacy regulations such as GDPR and local telecom-specific mandates.
- Export/Print/Copy Restriction: Prevent unauthorized data extraction by restricting the export, printing, and copying of customer PII data and personal information to maintain control over sensitive data breaches.
- Single Item Copy: Extra layer of protection by limiting the ability to copy individual items of customer personal information to reduce data misuse or unauthorized distribution.
Role-Based Data Access
To enforce the principle of least privilege, we implement strict role-based access controls (RBAC). Only authorized personnel can access specific data sets, based on their job functions. This minimizes insider risk, limits data exposure, and ensures that sensitive data is only available to those who truly need it, supporting both security and operational efficiency.
Multi-Tenant Access Control
For telecom operators offering services across multiple business units or partners, our multi-tenant architecture enables secure, segregated access. Each tenant’s data environment is isolated, with independent access policies and controls. This design prevents data leakage between tenants and supports scalable service delivery without compromising security.
Data Redaction
To reduce unnecessary exposure of sensitive information, we apply intelligent data redaction techniques. This ensures that only the minimum required data is visible during transactions, troubleshooting, or reporting, protecting customer privacy without hindering operational needs.
Encryption Protocols
Our encryption protocols protect data wherever it resides or travels. All sensitive data is encrypted using industry-standard algorithms, both at rest (stored in databases or servers) and in transit (moving across networks). This ensures that even in the event of unauthorized access, the data remains unreadable and secure.
Clear Audit Trail and User Activity Tracking
Transparency and accountability are critical for both compliance and trust. Our solutions maintain a complete, traceable audit trail of user activity, whether who accessed what data, when, and from where. This enables quick forensic analysis during incidents and supports regulatory reporting requirements, ensuring that nothing goes unnoticed.
