This guide outlines several strategies for any business to protect data properly.
One of the most important components of a business is its data, making it crucial to take cyber security seriously. Protecting your business data involves a financial commitment, skill, proactiveness, and other requirements. Statistics indicate that many of many victims are small businesses. And unfortunately, 60% of these establishments shut down within six months of the attack. The attackers may be criminals or your competitors looking to get you out of business.
Companies that know how to use data to their advantage certainly have great potential to win more customers and preserve them. However, the more the digital transformation advances, the more the issue of privacy and data protection grows in relevance in the strategies of decision-makers.
Much is said about the power of analytics in different departments of the organization, but the discussion of how to protect data and keep this information secure is not yet mature. To help companies on this journey, in this guide, we are going to talk about fundamental methods, processes and tools to protect data.
Within an organization, any matter that involves information from third parties – customers, employees, suppliers, partners or prospects – must pass through the sieve of privacy and data protection. The objective is to avoid as much as possible the harsh penalties of the law. In this context, it is recommended that companies consider including good practices, stronger IT security and appropriate technology tools to protect data in their actions related to the collection, storage and treatment of information.
Strategies to protect data
Fortunately, these strategies can protect data, securing both you and your clients.
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Consent of data subjects
What is your data capture strategy? When structuring yours, prefer to collect only the data that will really be important to the business, based on the concept “less is more”. At this point, it is worth noting that the law guarantees some rights to information holders, including:
- Only have your data used with explicit and written authorization;
- Have clear, objective and complete information about the use of the information;
- Receive updates on any changes in the organization’s processes regarding data processing;
- Be promptly responded to when you express a desire to have your data changed or deleted from the organization’s files
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Training and awareness of the internal team
Within the organization, the ideal is for employees at all hierarchical levels to position themselves as “guardians of information”. Not just because of the law, but because privacy and data protection is part of the company’s DNA and everyone understands that, in a short time, the company that shows genuine concern for citizens’ data will have the privacy policy as a competitive differentiator. against the competition”.
In this way, our recommendation is that the company promotes a series of training and awareness actions so that everyone understands the relevance of the moment, the seriousness of the current regulations and the rights and duties of the company and the holders of the information in relation to the data.
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Protect against malware
Malicious software can cause unimaginable havoc to any business. Malware usually comes in emails, and its primary purpose is to invade systems. They are designed to target financial details and other crucial corporate information. The people behind the malware are often highly-skilled I.T. individuals who know how to siphon information via online methods. Your business can take action against this type of infiltration by securing computers and networks.
These preemptive measures include activating firewalls – the first line of defense against malware. You may also consider acquiring antispam software to automatically manage unwanted emails. While at it, your employees would require training to identify potential malware. Admittedly, you cannot eliminate the existence of malware. However, the timely actions taken can save your business data from getting into the wrong hands.
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Set up robust online payment platforms
One type of attack called Formjacking involves using malicious JavaScript codes to illegally capture financial information entered on websites. This is usually characteristic of online payment platforms. Therefore, when you enter your personal or financial details on a payment site, hackers ‘hijack’ the web form. Unfortunately, Formjacking isn’t easily identifiable. However, when your business enables automatic monitoring of malicious codes, you can intercept data-stealing activities. The activation begins with your business website and the type of plugins used.
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Automatic software updates
Did you know that hackers often scan vulnerable websites using older software versions? Fortunately, an automatic software update on all corporate devices can protect your business data. This way, you and your staff don’t have to conduct manual software on machines. The software updates do more than correct glitches in older software versions.
Instead, they possess enhanced security tools which offer extra and improved protection for your computers and other devices. Additionally, they provide a safety net to police your online activities. So, if you and your employees have a habit of ignoring updates, maybe you should rethink that stance. It helps to bear in mind that the exploitation of system vulnerabilities is on the rise. Therefore, you owe your business, customers, clients, etc., the responsibility to secure their data.
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Commit to proper data disposal
Improper data disposal can lead to a security breach. And when confidential company data falls into the wrong hands, it could spell doom for both the organization and clients. This is why businesses must ensure that retired devices are completely rid of any content. In this case, your I.T. department needs to intensify its data overwriting skills. It will help if your business has a data destruction policy to guide all staff. Computers, external hard drives, business phones, etc., all come under this policy.
Conclusion
Your business data is the lifeblood of your operations. Therefore, make it a point to protect it to the best of your abilities.
