How Do I Protect My Company From A Data Breach?
Data breaches have become increasingly common. In 2019, there were around 1,500 data breaches exposing over 160 million sensitive records. As more information is stored online, the risk of being hacked becomes greater. Many business owners struggle with ways to keep their company’s data safe from attacks. However, a constant fear of cyber-attacks can be avoided by taking a few precautionary steps. Here are a few tips that will help you protect your company from a data breach.
Keep Only What’s Necessary
Too many companies hold onto information that is outdated or irrelevant. Keep your data organized and maintained to help identify what is needed and what is not. Regularly update your information to keep it current with business policies and procedures. This will eliminate the risk of some forgotten data getting into the hands of the wrong party.
Once you’ve organized your information, dispose of whatever information is deemed unnecessary.
Destroy and Dispose of Unnecessary Data
Disposing of data isn’t enough to keep you safe. You need to destroy information before disposal. Shred papers and documents you no longer need. Virtual data should be corrupted or wiped before disposing of any USBs or CDs. Simply deleting files off of these devices doesn’t fully erase their data.
There is software specifically designed to wipe hard drives and other memory devices. Another thing to remember is that even copiers will scan and store a document before making a copy. Be aware of every place that data is recorded.
Educate Employees On Data Safety
One of the biggest security concerns for a company is the employees. While they may not have malicious intent, they often are unaware of how their handling of data could endanger the whole company.
Be sure to educate your employees on their important role in protecting sensitive company data. Teach employees which information is sensitive or confidential. Make them lock up their cabinets and offices at the end of the day. Put together a written policy describing how they are to share information with another. Employees should play a major role in protecting a company from a data breach. Be sure you teach them how to fulfill that role with excellence. This way, each department can do its part to keep your business safe from threats.
Keep Security Software Up To Date
While this may seem obvious, not all software updates automatically. Assign your software engineer the job of ensuring that your website, security software, etc is up to date. Among other things, software updates help protect your information against newly identified threats. Neglecting these updates leaves your data exposed to hackers.
Monitor Computer Usage
Restrict computer usage to business only. Allowing employees to freely peruse the internet opens your company up to viruses. Don’t allow your employees to share information via peer-to-peer websites or other software applications. Be sure to block access to any websites deemed inappropriate or dangerous.
If possible, provide all employees with work emails and work devices. If employees use their personal devices for work, they may accidentally bring a virus from home to the workplace, thus compromising your information.
There are many ways for your information to get into the wrong hands. But thankfully, there are also many ways to protect your information from these threats. While it may take a little work, you can easily protect your company from data breaches by taking these few precautions.
How Can Techbridge Help?
At TechBridge, our goal is to bridge the gap between business and employee, matching qualified workers with the companies who need them. If you have any further questions or you’re interested in our staffing and recruiting process, contact us today!
