What is PII and how should it be handled in daily operations?

• A. Publicly Identifiable Information; shared broadly
• B. Personally Identifiable Information; safeguarded, minimized, and shared only on a need-to-know basis.
• C. Personalized Information Index; used in all tasks
• D. Privacy Information Inquiry; stored indefinitely

Answer: (B)

PII stands for Personally Identifiable Information. It includes data that can identify an individual, such as names, addresses, Social Security numbers, account credentials, and other sensitive details. In daily operations, treat PII as sensitive: limit access to those who need it, use strong authentication and encryption where appropriate, and follow secure handling practices. Collect only what you truly need (data minimization) and keep it only as long as necessary. Share PII only on a need-to-know basis with authorized people or systems, and dispose of it securely when it’s no longer required. This approach reduces the risk of misuse or breaches and aligns with privacy requirements and organizational policies. The other options either use incorrect terminology or suggest broad public sharing, which isn’t how PII should be managed.