In today’s rapidly evolving precision electronics manufacturing industry, PCBA processing companies must not only pursue product quality and production efficiency but also address an increasingly critical issue: the security and privacy protection of test data. With the widespread adoption of intelligent devices, the collection, storage, and transmission of test data during the production process have significantly increased, leading to heightened risks of data leakage or tampering. How to establish a secure and trustworthy data management system has become a key factor for companies to enhance their competitiveness and gain customer trust.
1、Why is data protection necessary?
During the PCBA manufacturing process, test data not only records product performance and quality information but may also involve commercially sensitive content such as customer patent structures, circuit design secrets, and functional logic. If such data is leaked without authorisation, it may lead to:
- Exposure of customer core technologies, resulting in legal and commercial risks;
- Competitors using test data to reverse-engineer product designs;
- Data tampering affecting product shipments and compliance certifications;
- Damage to corporate reputation and customer loss.
Therefore, test data security not only concerns internal management but also directly impacts customer relationships and industry reputation.
2、Establish a tiered permission control system
The first step is to establish a comprehensive permission control mechanism at the system level. Test data should be managed according to its sensitivity level, with different personnel, positions, and departments only able to access data within their scope of responsibility:
- Operators can view the results of the current batch of tests but cannot export historical data;
- Engineers can analyse data trends but cannot modify the original records;
- Management can only export complete data reports after obtaining authorisation.
Combined with real-name account registration, operation log recording, and permission approval processes, this can effectively prevent internal data misuse and unauthorised access.
3、Data storage and transmission encryption is indispensable
Whether on local servers or cloud platforms, test data storage and transmission must be encrypted. Common security measures include:
- Using SSL/TLS protocols to encrypt network transmission channels;
- Storing databases using AES-256-bit encryption;
- Deploying firewalls and intrusion detection systems to prevent malicious attacks;
- Implementing data backup and disaster recovery strategies to ensure data integrity in emergency situations.
For platforms provided by external testing equipment vendors, their data security systems should also be reviewed to ensure compliance with information security management standards such as ISO/IEC 27001.
4、Preventing security vulnerabilities caused by external devices and USB drives
In actual PCBA manufacturing environments, many devices still support copying programs or exporting test data via USB drives. While convenient, this also poses a significant risk of data leakage. The following measures are recommended:
- Disable USB ports on unauthorised devices;
- Establish a whitelist mechanism for test data transmission, allowing only specific terminals to connect;
- All data export activities must be approved and recorded, leaving a trail of operations;
- Conduct regular employee data security awareness training to reinforce responsibility awareness.
By combining ‘technology + policy’ measures, address potential data vulnerabilities at their source.
5、Establish data protection agreements with clients
For projects with high confidentiality requirements, it is recommended to sign a dedicated Data Protection Agreement (DPA) at the outset of the collaboration, clearly defining both parties’ responsibilities and obligations regarding test data access, storage periods, deletion methods, and third-party sharing. This not only demonstrates the PCBA manufacturing company’s commitment to data security but also helps build customer confidence in the long-term stability of the partnership.
As PCBA manufacturing increasingly moves toward digitalisation and intelligence, test data has become an indispensable strategic resource. Protecting this data is not only a legal and compliance requirement but also a reflection of the company’s brand, customer trust, and core competitiveness. Establishing a scientific, systematic, and closed-loop data security management system will give the company a greater competitive edge in future market competition.
TORTAI Electronics has deployed the IP-Guard internal network security monitoring system to strictly safeguard the security of customer product data and files, meeting the highest confidentiality standards. All document outputs require authorised approval to prevent information leakage.