Running a successful business means keeping your data safe. This goes for the customer, employee, and operational data alike. In 2019, Forbes reports that there were 4.1 billion compromised records in just six months.
With more people online than ever, this is not just something that we can ignore. Read here to find out five essential data protection tips that every company needs to follow!
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1. Increase Staff Training
When someone is untrained and handling sensitive data, that makes your entire system vulnerable. Your IT team needs to be well trained, but it goes much further than that. Each and every employee needs the proper training when it comes to data security.
You’ll also want to be sure to limit access to those who absolutely need it.
2. Limit Data Storage
If you don’t need the data, get rid of it. There is no point in letting sensitive information linger if you no longer plan to use it. Allowing this info to sit around only opens you up to additional losses.
That means if you have a client who has not purchased from you in several years, you should ditch their billing information. Harboring this type of information is a major risk.
In addition, if an employee has not worked for your business for several years it may be time to toss their personal information.
3. Securely Manage Passwords
Securely managing your passwords should be one of the first things to come to mind when you want to prevent a data leak. This should be something that you inform all your employees about. Remind them that using weak and repetitive passwords puts information at risk.
For shared passwords, create a contact person who controls the sharing of these. Also, set and enforce policies for anyone who changes a password. Keep track of who you share passwords with.
4. Data Encryption
Data encryption is the process that takes your information and codes it so that it becomes inaccessible to those who should not have access. This means that even if they gain access to your info, they will not be able to read it.
This helps protect your sensitive and personal data stored about your company, employees, and your clients.
5. Backup Data
You should always backup your data. This does not mean moving it to an external hard drive. That is an incredibly unsecured way to store data.
Securely backing up your data protects you from valuable lost information, financial loss, and a dip in productivity. If the situation were to occur where you lost all of your data, you should have a disaster recovery plan in place.
Why Data Protection Should Be Prioritized
These simple steps can take your data protection leaps and bounds. You should be concerned with keeping your data secure. Not only does your company depend on it but the integrity of your customers and employees do as well.
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