How to Respond to Insider Threats to Your Business’s Data
While having your company’s data compromised is not something that happens every day, it has happened to some truly gigantic brands such as Target and Apple – showing that it could happen to anybody if they haven’t taken the correct precautions.
What Target and Apple do have over the average business is an almost infallible reputation, and the budget to spend on maintaining it. If your business’ data is compromised, you may not be able to shake off the fallout quite as easily.
Breaches can have terrible consequences for your bottom line, as customer’s trust in your services can be irrevocably broken – especially if it’s their sensitive information that gets leaked. You can expect law-suits to be coming out of your ears, and the eventual payouts could cause serious damage or even cripple your company.
While it’s great being aware of the dangers that hackers and malicious software can pose to your business, you won’t be best protected unless everyone at your business is onboard, and aware of the exact practices needed to be taken to avoid breaches.This is why sitting down with colleagues and developing a strategy will leave you in the safest position, as you take collective action.
It could take a while and could be boring, but having comprehensive and extensive documentation on all aspects of IT security can only benefit your business in the long run.
Part of making sure that the wrong information isn’t exposed is making sure that the data held by your company is of absolute relevance and necessity.
Not only is it best to be organised and streamlined, but it could look terrible if it was found that your business was holding data, particularly personal data, without real need or warrant.
In order to keep track of the data your company holds, log it in an inventory. This makes it easy to delete any data where your right to hold it has expired.
As security systems evolve, so do the methods and software used by hackers – it’s an endless game of cat and mouse, which means you need to make sure you stay vigilant and at the front of the queue.
Malware can cause huge data leaks by praying on unsecured IT systems, with your data able to be exposed, deleted or even ransomed without you noticing.
Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to minimise the risk, including router firewalls, specialist PC anti-malware protection, as well as making sure your wireless connections are password protected and your PC isn’t leaving itself vulnerable through the wireless network.
Anti-spam software on your company email system will help to ensure malicious bots don’t gain access through unsolicited emails.
In a modern workplace, there isn’t a member of your team that can get away with not knowing about cyber threats and their potentially huge consequences.
Book time in to teach employees about the potential risk when you are onboarding, or if this isn’t possible, point your staff towards the various educational services that exist online and ensure they complete some lessons.
Feeling like your internet security could do with some updating? You’re not alone! We provide bespoke IT security systems to businesses across the South, and are wholly trusted by our clients to keep their data safe.
To discuss your unique requirements with us, pick up the phone and give the friendly team a call on 01202 514444.
