The world is filled with hackers. While many cyberattacks are aimed at stealing information, they can be just as detrimental as the information they are after. When your business’s data is involved, the consequences can be even worse. Hackers can expose sensitive information like financial data, personally identifiable information (PII), and personally identifiable customer (PPC) data. They can also take action against your company before it even happens. If you’ve been wondering how Barnes & Noble lost their entire customer database last year, the answer is simple: hackers got into the company’s database. To make matters worse, the hackers were able to get into the database without even leaving a trace. This is why you need to take action now to protect your company’s data. You can do that by implementing several security measures to make sure hackers cannot get into your data.
Secure Networking
If someone can get into your computer network and/or access your company’s computer systems, they can also get into your data network. To protect your data, you need to secure it at every possible angle. If someone can get into your data network, they are also able to get into your computer networks. To secure the data and computer networks, you need to use stronger passwords and strong encryption. The same goes for your computer networks — make sure you are using strong passwords for everything, not just for your work computer. Get yourself educated on the various types of data breaches and how to protect yourself from them.
Implement Advanced Security
While basic security protocols like using strong passwords and encrypting your data are always a good idea, there is an even better way to go. These are the security protocols that will make your business’s data less susceptible to attacks — and hackers — in the first place. IT/ Securityspecs When you’re dealing with sensitive data like financial data, you must take extra precautions to protect it. That’s why we recommend using IT/ security specs. These can help you understand how advanced your current security is and how much more you could protect against attacks. Make sure you are using the right security level for the right reason. If you are using an enterprise-level security solution, it is unlikely that you are using it the right way. Make sure you understand how your software is working and why you need it set up that way.
Secure Data Exfiltration
The last way to protect your data is to keep it from getting into the wrong hands in the first place. This is the primary reason you need to implement security measures in the first place. If someone can get into your computer network and/or access your company’s computer systems, they are also able to get into your data network. To secure the data and computer networks, you need to use stronger passwords and stronger encryption. Make sure you are using a password that is easy to remember and has special encryption software that you can access on a computer or laptop. Make sure the encryption software you are using is properly securing your data. The same goes for your computer networks — make sure you are using strong passwords for everything, not just for your work computer.
Avoid Common Mistakes
To protect your data, you have to be careful about what you are doing. That means looking both ways before you cross the street and making sure that no one is following you. You also have to take extra precautions when handling sensitive data like financial data. That’s why it’s crucial to know the difference between an encrypted file and a link to a file that can be easily decompiled and read. Another common mistake is using the same password for everything. This not only allows hackers to guess your password but also means that they are more likely to get into your digital world. Let’s say you have an email account with a work email account. You may use the password for both accounts and leave your work email account unsecured. This means someone can get into your work email account and view your sensitive data — which could lead to embarrassing situations for you or your company.
Final Words
Do you remember the popular movie “The Social Network”? The one about the college students who hacked Facebook and got famous for it? But in the real world, the hackers were trying to steal money and they succeeded. That’s why you have to protect your data the same way you would protect your identity. To secure the data and computer networks, you need to use stronger passwords and stronger encryption. And last but not least, make sure you know how to spot a hack and take countermeasures before it happens.