Data protection can reduce the risk of cyber-attacks that could negatively impact your business and reputation. It is essential to understand and adhere to the best practices when it comes to protecting sensitive information. A breach of your personal information can result in fines and lawsuits that may have long-term consequences for you or your business.
Passwords protect all your devices and files This simple step can stop hackers from gaining access to your information. Use strong passwords that are complex combinations of letters, numbers and symbols. Change default passwords supplied by the vendor to stronger passwords as soon as you can. Make sure to use the most current anti-virus software and frequently run a full security scan of your system and servers.
Do not send any personal information that is confidential or personally identifiable via email. This includes Social Security Numbers, bank account numbers passwords, etc. Email is not secure and can be intercepted by hostile parties.
Secure your network and data Make sure you use strong encryption to protect your laptops, computers and portable storage devices. This will allow you send information to third parties safely and protect data on the devices. It is also crucial to develop a plan to react to a cyber-attack which includes who you’ll notify and what you’ll do (e.g. employees customers, credit bureaus, etc.).
Make sure you have a backup of all your data – Keep offline copies of your most important data in different locations from where your primary copies are stored. This will stop hackers from gaining unauthorised access to your primary copy blog or delete it.
