How To Protect Your Business From Data Loss
In today's data-driven world, businesses need to prioritize data security. Every application, software tool, and solution that people and organizations utilize generates data. Many information and cloud technologies used by enterprises rely heavily on data.
The Internet of Things continues to expand. While this brings benefits, cyber threats have increased as well. As a result, you cannot afford to have inadequate data loss prevention (DLP) systems in place. Without these systems or procedures, perpetrators have easy access to sensitive data.
Creating a DLP plan is advisable. You can contact TechAdvisory for Providence IT support to help you develop a robust DLP plan.
This article offers some suggestions to protect your business from data loss. But first, what causes data loss?
Causes Of Data Loss
There are various ways in which data are lost:
Phishing—This is one of the most pertinent security threats you should guard against. If you mistakenly install a malicious program on your computer or device, it can grant hackers access to valuable information.
Fire Damage—In the rare case that a fire breaks out, it may lead to data loss since your storage may be damaged or destroyed.
Theft—if someone steals your computer containing sensitive files, security may be compromised. You may be on the safe side if the device is encrypted. But in the wrong hands, this could spell a lot of trouble.
Water Damage—If you spill water on your computer and damage the hard drive, you may never recover your data.
Power Failure—If your computers don't have a backup power supply, an interruption in power could result in you losing all your data.
Accidental Deletion—You may never recover important records or documents if you accidentally delete them. This is especially true if you delete them from physical storage sources without any cloud backup.
The above list isn't comprehensive; several other things may cause data loss. But the above ones are among the most common.
Tips To Protect Your Business From Data Loss
Every business has a unique approach to DLP. Ideally, your business should first focus on identifying the most important threats and then devising systems to prevent data breaches.
1. Backup Regularly
To minimize the impact of a data disaster, back up your data regularly. Backups ensure you don't lose your data during a power outage, data breach, or even accidental deletion. Offsite data backup or a cloud-based backup solution is preferable. Cloud-based solutions are more adaptable and easily available. Plus, there are several options to choose from online.
2. Train Employees
Employees play a critical part in successfully implementing your DLP plan. Remember that it is your staff who manage your systems daily. Insider threats are one of the most pertinent. As a result, you must evaluate how your employees interact with your systems. They are also the ones who hackers target with malware, spyware, or ransomware.
Therefore, make sure your employees are educated to recognize fraudulent emails and unsecured websites. It may also be prudent to provide cybersecurity awareness training to your employees so that they realize the relevance of DLP to your company.
3. Update Systems
Your systems and software should be up to date because they contain new security patches. Most vendors or service providers regularly update their products to patch the firmware. It allows them to fix vulnerabilities. Keeping your systems updated helps protect you against the most recent security threats.
4. Encrypt Data
Your teams communicate regularly over various mediums. It could be via email, text, project management software, or videoconferencing software. Regardless of the media, encrypt your messages to prevent unauthorized parties from intercepting data at rest or in transit.
Encrypting your files and emails protects your internal data from illegal access. Only those who have the appropriate encryption keys will be able to view the encrypted data. So if you're serious about DLP, invest in a robust encryption mechanism.
5. Install Antivirus
The methods used by bad actors to launch cyberattacks have become sophisticated. There is also an increase in organized criminal groups that frequently deploy malware or ransomware. These bad actors frequently target private intellectual property on consumers, finances, and confidential company information.
You do not want such people to have access to this information. Therefore, you need to install antivirus software on your devices. Antivirus software aids in the detection and prevention of malicious attacks. Investing in a solid web application firewall may also be wise to protect your networks and prevent any unauthorized actors from infiltrating.
6. Invest In A Password Manager
Your employees need passwords to access their profiles. Passwords are an indispensable access control mechanism. However, poor password management policies can expose your business to cyberattacks. Some people create weak passwords out of fear of forgetting them. Setting simple passwords, however, makes it easier for hackers to guess them.
Password manipulation is one of the most popular ways for hackers to infiltrate your business. So, you must implement strong password management procedures. Invest in a reliable password manager that employees may use to generate and save strong passwords.
Conclusion
A robust DLP plan is important in modern society because cyberattacks are rising. Therefore, you should invest in the proper tools and processes to help you execute such a plan. Fraudsters constantly devise new tactics to exploit vulnerabilities in data systems. Remember to train your employees on the importance of data protection and password management. Furthermore, ensure your messages are encrypted and maintain cloud backups for all important files.