A interesting read for young entrepreneurs. View the original article by clicking on the title below:
By Natalie David
According to Privacy Rights Clearinghouse’s “Chronology of
Data Breaches”, more than a half a billion breaching cases of sensitive records
have been witnessed since 2005. 20% of the breaches have been summoned courtesy
of merchants, retailers, and other kinds of businesses that are non-financial
and not related to insurance, with most of them falling between the small and mid-sized businesses range. Here’s another petrifying stat for you: nearly
four-fifths of small businesses that have to go through the breach of data go
bankrupt or face prodigious financial losses within 24 months of the breach in
security. Moral of the horror tale, beefing up your business is absolutely
pivotal.
You might not realize it as things stand, but protecting
businesses from security breaches is not as difficult as it may sound.
Furthermore, it is also considerably cheaper as compared to the cost –
financial, physical and emotional – of the repair work.
Top 7 Security Breach
Causes
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse claims security breaches
normally are caused by one of the 7 following causes:
1. Malware or Hack
Attacks: Individuals that aren’t authorized can access your devices
and servers, more often than not courtesy of weak firewalls or inadequate
passwords, and corrupt data through malicious software like computer monitoring
software or cell phone spy software.
2. Disclosing
Unintentionally: A person affiliated with your firm, can
unintentionally share sensitive information on a website or social media, via
email, letter, or fax.
3. Fraud in Payment
Card: Information is dug out through a payment terminal or credit
card.
4. Discarded, lost,
or stolen devices
5. Discarded, lost,
or stolen paper documents
6. Bad Employees: One
of your employees intentionally leaks or steals sensitive data.
7. Stolen Servers or
Computers
The 15 Data Protect
Tips
Securing businesses from security breaches isn’t merely
about the practice of safe tech. It has got a lot to do with recruitment of the
right policy, formulating a robust security policy, and using common sense,
from time to time. Confidential and sensitive data can be safeguarded through
these 15 steps.
1. Figure out what sensitive data you possess, what its
utility is, and where is it located. Make sure you inventory your
company’s sensitive data and get documents on which serves and devices the data
is stored.
2. Segregate the important data. You need to keep the
sensitive data on as few devices as possible, and ensure that those devices are
isolated from the network and the rest of the data. As few copies as there are
of the data, the easier it will be to maintain its security.
3. Encrypt important data, it becomes especially important
if the data is mobile. There is a multitude of data encryption options
through databases, applications, or even through security suits. Encryption
ensures that even in case of data breach, the actual information would be
protected from ultimate compromise.
4. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) can be used to receive or
transmit information via credit cards or other such financial data. A secure,
encrypted, SSL connection will protect sensitive data, when transactions are
undergone via the internet.
5. Make sure you have background checks and two or more
references for any employees that you hire. Any criminal record or credit history
problem should mean that you should steer clear.
6. Formulate a robust privacy policy and ensure that
sensitive data protection becomes an integral component of your company’s
culture. Security policies are pivotal and if you’re allowing your employees
to use social media sites at work, make sure that their systems are monitored
and that they learn to keep their personal life separated from used related to
work.
7. Use a strong firewall and a wireless connection that is
secure. Make sure you aren’t still using WEP.
8. Make sure your anti-spyware and anti-virus software are
updated regularly to counter the threat of computer monitoring
software and cell phone spy software. Not keeping your software
up to data opens up your data to all kinds of security breaches.
9. Ensure that you beef up your data’s security though
strong passwords that are changed on a regular basis. Furthermore, make
sure that your devices return to their login screens if there is five minutes
of inactivity.
10. Ensure that your company devices only download reliable
apps. Applications could easily have spyware, viruses, or even Trojan
horses, hence it is absolutely important that you know and trust the
application’s source before you download it.
11. Make sure you and your employees only download
applications that come from reliable sources. Because applications (e.g.,
games, mobile apps) may contain viruses, spy ware or Trojan horses, it’s
important to know and trust the source of an application before downloading it.
12. it’s a good idea to look the rooms and filing cabinets
where the sensitive data is kept, and the keys should only be given to the
employees that you trust.
13. Paper shredders can be placed in strategic locations
inside the office. One of the biggest cases of the theft of security
numbers and credit card information is trash cans.
14. Make sure the devices are properly protected, through
password-protection. If any sensitive data is present on the devices,
ensure that it is encrypted. Furthermore, every time you take your laptop for
an away trip, make sure it is tethered to your smart phone as well.
15. Make sure you vet the security practices of the third
party whenever any critical function is outsourced. Don’t be complacent
and think that since the critical application is outsourced or information is
stored offsite at an ostensibly safer ISP, data centre, or cloud provider it is
safe and that no precaution is needed.
16. Hiring consultants or outsourcing security could help
you ensure that your business is secure.
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