Protecting Your Small Business Data

Protecting Your Small Business Data is a must as data breaches and data loss have a significant impact on small businesses – it can land them huge fines (that may see the company unable to recover). As a small business, you are in a position to implement a strategy that will keep your business protected. 

So what steps can you take to make sure that no matter what, your business data is secure? 

Protecting Your Small Business Data With Encryption

Encryption is the first step to making sure that only the people who need to know have access to certain information. It scrambles the data until it arrives at its final destination – so even if it was intercepted, it is unreadable. 

Wherever you have the opportunity to encrypt, make sure that you take it. 

Updates and Patches

Updates and patches might feel like something that eats into your work time rather than something essential. However, they are vital. When software needs to run patches and updates, it's not just giving you the latest versions. 

Instead, those updates are often fixing bugs and vulnerabilities in your system. Any time that you push these back, your network is open to attacks. 

Protecting Your Small Business Data With Vulnerability Protection

Cybercriminals get more intelligent and more ferocious every year, and they will look for any and all vulnerabilities in your system. It is often to your benefit to outsource some or all levels of protection (depending on your industry) to companies that ensure you are compliant and fully protected; find out more about what that might look like for your small business. 

Antivirus software can run regular scans to make sure that anything immediate can be dealt with, and you should be sure to follow the instructions given by companies like two-factor protection, extra passwords, and more. 

WiFi

While remote work has been amazing, and millions of companies have been able to grow rapidly because it is – it does leave a lot of information exposed. When using public unsecured WiFi, the data transferred can be intercepted and stolen. It's not just via the WiFi, though; it can be as simple as someone looking over your shoulder as you are working. 

File Sharing 

Not every employee will need access to all of the files – so make a list of who really needs access. Whitelist specific access for individual staff, and limit how much file sharing takes place. If 100 team members are accessing one file, it only takes 1 to make a mistake that will cost the company. 

Any time a file is no longer used, lock it and disable access. 

Old Data 

Old data is just as lucrative to criminals; with the amount of information available on the internet, combined with that data – it can be a goldmine. Transfer any old data to an HDD, or delete anything that is no longer needed. 

Run a yearly audit to check what should stay, when should go, and that everything is compliant with the laws in your sector and country. 

Data protection is one way to keep your brand intact; here are some other tips to help: How To Protect Your Luxury Brand • Resident Magazine.