Ten Ways to Keep Your Business Secure

Ten Ways to Keep Your Business Secure

Here are 10 steps that can help protect and prevent employee, client, and other confidential information from fraudulent activity.

1.    Security: Certain confidential information needs to be preserved by any business. The era of cyber hacking is unavoidable if there is no security. Hackers won’t be able to steal information if it isn’t there to begin with, so if there is no reason to collect certain information, don’t do it!

2.      Access to Data: Not all employee’s need access to confidential information. Being able to limit access to this, will reduce the risk of disclosing data.

3.      Secure Passwords and Authentication: This is a free to low cost method of protecting information. Employees should use strong passwords and defend against programs that can thoroughly guess passwords, by locking people out after several unsuccessful attempts.

4.      Protect Personal Information During Communication: When sending information elsewhere, you may want to consider encryption. This essentially encoding a message in a way that only authorized personnel can access it.

5.      Monitor your Network: The use of firewalls can divide your network and limit access between computers on your network and the internet. This can reduce the outcome if a hacker passes preliminary defenses.

6.      Secure Remote Access to Network: If employees, clients, or service providers have remote access to your network, you can protect your system by backing up the entry points. Ensure the security standards remain high if an employee is working from home etc.

7.      Employ Sound Security Practices: When developing or introducing new products that are internet-connected, making sure the manufacturers also practice safe security from the start.

8.      Service Providers Should Execute Security Measures: Keep an eye out for service providers to make sure they are living up to your security expectations listed in your contracts and make sure they are meeting the requirements.

9.      Keep Security Updated: Address vulnerabilities on a regular basis and update software as needed.

10.  Secure paper, Physical Media, and Devices: Continue with high security standards for devices, flash drives and regular paper. Even though cyber hacking is the most common, some hackers will try the old-fashioned way. In this case, locking filing cabinets, using a shredder and organization can help keep data secure.

Fair, Lesley. “Raise Your Defenses.” PPAI Magazine. Pg. 62-63.