Whether you’re a small startup or a multinational company, the task of keeping your data safe is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Web threats and data theft can have the ability to cause huge disruptions to your day-to-day operations and can even lead to data leaks that compromise both your company and your customers’ safety. If you’re looking to upgrade your data security, this is the article for you. Today, we look at six incredibly effective ways to keep your business’ data secure, so read on to find out more!
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Stay Up To Date With Cyber Security
By far, one of the best and most effective ways of keeping your business’ data secure is to always make sure that you are up to date with your cybersecurity system. There are a wide variety of programs on the market that are able to protect your business from issues such as malware, viruses, cyber hacking, and other threats to your security. It is important that all your IT managed services are kept secure at all times and periodically updated in order to protect your business from new threats. While keeping up to date may be slightly costly, we assure you that the money you spend is well worth it as a security breach may end up costing you much more and destroying your business.
2. Keep Your Wireless Network Secure
Another easy way to ensure that your business data is shielded from external threats is to keep your wireless network secure. Hackers are often waiting in line to pounce on wireless networks that aren’t protected, so beware. You should always use the strongest encryption settings on your router and also turn off broadcasting functions to ensure that your network is invisible. A hacker can’t hack what they can’t see, so it’s better to be safe than sorry!
3. Never Use Personal Credit Cards
As a general rule, all business expenses should be made on a designated business credit card. Aside from assisting with business expenses come tax time, doing so is also one of the safest ways to protect your business from fraud. Most business credit cards come with zero-liability fraud protection, and although all payment methods have their risks, credit cards are equipped with the most number of safeguards and security features.
4. Only Collect What You Need
The more valuable information you have, the bigger the target you put on your business. With this in mind, it is important that you only collect the data and information that you need. Avoid using things such as ABN/TFN numbers or other personal customer information for customer identification. Instead, you can always opt for login usernames and passwords. By adding a few extra layers of identification, you will be able to deter hackers and attackers from being able to target your customers. Additionally, you could also consider deleting personal data and information that you don’t need in order to reduce the risk of being attacked at any point in time.
5. An Information Bank Is Key
Although devices such as tablets, smartphones and laptops have made life and business so much more convenient in recent years, having so many different avenues for information to be passed on opens your business up to secure data landing in the wrong hands. To avoid this, we recommend creating an information bank that keeps track of what information you’re storing, where it is being stored and who has access to it. PS: You should include both physical documents and electronic files in your information bank, as many physical documents may also contain sensitive information.
6. Conduct Extensive Background Checks
Last but not least, all the security systems and strategies in the world are pointless if your company has been infiltrated by an internal threat. This is why we always recommend that employers remain vigilant when hiring new employees and conduct extensive background checks before giving new staff access to sensitive information. Safeguarding against internal threats is a key factor when it comes to strengthening your cybersecurity, and keeping note of any character changes in existing employees is also always highly recommended.
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Although it is impossible to entirely eliminate the possibility of fraud or data breaches, with the right security practices in place, you will be able to greatly reduce the likelihood of your business’ sensitive data landing in the wrong hands.