Data protection can lower the chance of cyber-attacks which could negatively impact your business and your reputation. It’s important to understand the best practices for protecting your sensitive data and to follow these guidelines. Any breach of your private information could result in legal action or fines. This could have long-term repercussions for you or your business.
Password protection for all devices and files – This simple measure can prevent hackers from gaining access information. Use passwords that are complex and combine numbers, letters and symbols. Change default passwords supplied by vendors to strong ones as soon as possible. Make sure to use the most current anti-virus software and frequently run a full security scan of your PC and servers.
Don’t share confidential or personally identifiable information via email. This includes Social Security numbers, bank account information passwords, passwords, etc. Email is not secure and it could be accessed.
Be sure that your network and data are safe – Ensure your computers, laptops, and portable storage devices are protected by using strong encryption when sending data to third parties as well as to safeguard the information stored on these devices. It’s also essential to have a plan in place for responding to cyber attacks, including who to notify and how to respond (e.g. employees customers, credit institutions, and employees).
You should make sure you have backups of all your data – Keep offline copies of your important data in different locations from the ones where your primary copies are stored. This can stop attackers from gaining access to your primary copies or deleting them.