When you think about your business, what comes to your mind besides your office equipment and employees? If you haven’t thought about how to protect company data, then you have just passed through the first stages of corporate destruction. Corporate data is one of the most valuable resources of any organization. It can be used for decision-making, and it can also be used to ensure that no unauthorized entry takes place. It is therefore very important that the right protocols are put into place for data protection.
Establish data loss prevention policy
The first step towards ensuring proper data security is first having an established data loss prevention policy. Your company’s data security policy will give your employees the guidelines and instruction they need on how they must handle sensitive data during the entire lifecycle of it, starting from storage to disposal. While this policy must be constantly reviewed, updating should be made if ever there are changes in the organization’s infrastructure.
Use the cloud
Today, most companies use the cloud in order to protect company data. This is mainly because of the benefits the cloud provides, such as reduced IT costs, convenience, and ease of access. The cloud however can also be a potential source of risk for your company, especially if you don’t choose the right cloud platform for your needs. Most of the companies today who have opted for the cloud are not fully aware of the consequences they may be faced with. For instance, storing sensitive information in the cloud is very risky since the risk of data loss through breaches in encryption is very high.
There are several reasons why data breaches in the cloud are common among large companies. The most obvious reason is the lack of expertise in IT divisions within the organization. The people who manage IT departments might be trained for a specific task but not so familiar with managing the overall security requirements of a cloud environment. Companies that have hired the services of a third-party expert might be able to address these issues before they come to light.
Consider other practices
In some cases, some organizations employ practices that do not adhere to the data security best practices. This practice might include the use of weak passwords, easy logins, and even the creation of fake email addresses. These practices might be acceptable for a small, basic network setup. However, for a large-scale company, this kind of data breach could be disastrous since it will allow an unauthorized party to access critical information. In this case, the data protection best practices that were followed may not be enough.
Hire an external expert and educate employees
In addition to hiring an external expert, the best ways to protect company data would include educating and training employees. Employees who lack IT knowledge are not able to follow the best ways to protect company data, especially considering the amount of sensitive data stored in the workplace. Some companies have also been found to not implement data protection regulations since it would affect their profits.
Secure Wi-Fi
One of the best ways to protect company data would be through the implementation of secure networks like Wi-Fi. Through this method, sensitive data can be protected even if employees are on the move. The most common wireless device that is used in many businesses today is the laptop or tablet, which can easily fall into the hands of employees who lack the appropriate passwords.
However
Even when employees use the right tools and systems, data breaches can occur. For this reason, it is important to adopt a data protection strategy that involves proactive measures and constant monitoring of the situation. In addition to hiring a third-party expert, taking preventive measures such as setting up an alarm system and regularly monitoring the security situation in the office is also necessary to ensure that confidential information does not get into the wrong hands.
