Between info leaks, freak glitches, and bad actors, threats to confidentiality and data security in a business have never been more feared than now. You might be thinking right now, “there’s nothing I can do. I can only hope I’m lucky.”
We have great news for you – you couldn’t be more wrong. We’ve got five steps you can start taking right now to make sure nothing about your firm is seen by eyes you disapprove of.
1. Database Security
Any online information has the potential to be exploited. While the other protective measures we’ll mention later are important, they can only go so far in the defense against those who want to exploit your info and know how to gain access to things like that.
One thing you cannot go on this journey without is database security and access management software. These apps are fully dedicated to keeping your company secure in ways that no others can, covering every possible avenue of data protection – as well as warnings about any potential threats.
2. Use Extreme Discernment about Who Knows What
Company information isn’t something you give out lightly. You have to create a whole new mindset – this is why so many business owners even go by different aliases while in business mode to help create that duality.
You can’t afford to think in terms of “best friend” or “friend of the family” when it comes to this. You might think nothing can go wrong, but too many horror stories people have experienced prove otherwise – and it costs them their life’s work.
Trust only those who have earned it in terms of the business world.
3. The Art of the Password
The most common mistake people make when creating passwords is to make them a coherent thought. Even if it’s not personal, which is the biggest no-no, it still creates a thread that can be pulled to reveal data that should only be seen by your eyes.
The more nonsensical, the better. Mix capital and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Memorize the final product so there will be no trace of it for anyone to see. However, you’ll need to remember a new one every three months.
4. Watch Who You Hire
The strength of a company’s security relies on those in it. Mistakes are made in the world of business ownership, but who you hire cannot be one of them.
Before you give anyone a position, especially someone you don’t know, do some digging into their past. Ask for references and contact them. Find out exactly who this person is before you give them responsibilities that impact your firm.
Finally, you need to think it through before giving an employee a higher position. And remember, trust comes in increments, not in a rush.
5. Don’t Retain Data on Devices
As tempting as it is to have that password automatically saved, don’t. It may save a little bit of time in the short run, but the risk outweighs the reward because you’re handing potential bad actors a means of gaining entry.
Your info needs to be extremely limited in where it’s stored. Many business owners opt for a single hard drive or cloud service. In addition, you also need to keep the network connection with which you access this data hidden. The most reliable way to do this is to establish a VPN.
Protecting What Matters
Your company is everything you’ve worked for. It’s what you spent your past on and what you’re relying on to create your future.
This places an importance on it that cannot be stressed enough. Let this be your incentive to safeguard your project at all costs.
