In a business, every day is a battle to secure networks, files, documents, plans, strategies, and customer information. A lot can happen in 24 hours. One minute, you are meeting with clients and closing a deal. Then, the next, you’re in a room with your IT specialists, hovering over a computer and watching as hackers take control of your system. Hacking of networks and corporate espionage always leave business owners weak in the knees. There is nothing more catastrophic to a business than admitting that sensitive information has fallen on the hands of cybercriminals. Who knows what they can do with the data they gathered from your network?
Never before has technology surpassed your wildest dreams and imagination. Never before has it also scared you to the core. Cybercrimes are mutating. They are becoming more sophisticated almost to the point that even your best computer engineer cannot comprehend. So, how can you stall these attacks? You stop these attacks on your company by being one step ahead in the game. You can use a combination of traditional and modern methods to eliminate the dangers of data leaks and breaches.
Business-grade Systems
Chances are that you’ve invested a good amount of money in your business, so why would you use consumer-grade services that can leave you susceptible to leaks and breaches? Invest enough in your business to pay for a business-grade system. This type of premium service will give you access to more and better security features that most systems don’t offer to consumer-grade subscriptions.
Network Partitioning
Another thing that will protect your system from data leaks is network micro segmentation and partition. This means dividing your computer network into smaller chunks. It will improve the performance of your network, which means less lag time. Plus, it will also provide more levels of security. By segmenting the network, you will create zones where workloads can be isolated. This will secure them individually. It would be easier to identify where a breach happens when it does because the network is divided into smaller parts.
Username and Passwords
Any employee with access to sensitive business data should have a separate username and password. Individual credentials will intimidate and discourage employees from accessing information and moving them to an unsecured location in the network. Make sure that the system will warn you if someone tries to get into the network or move files without authority.
Encryption
Think about the way you share files with one another even if you’re in the same network. Consider the practicality of encryption services or the use of virtual networks to protect the files and documents you send out and receive. Many businesses fail to protect their privacy for the simple reason that they didn’t encrypt their networks and the methods by which they share their files with their colleagues, clients, and suppliers.
Disposing of Documents
Are you still printing documents? Do you still store hard copies of your contracts, receipts, invoices, and inventory reports? But how do you dispose of them when you don’t need them anymore? You need to use a paper shredder to ensure that nobody will figure out what the documents are after you dispose of them. Even past contracts can be a serious breach of security, especially if it contains information about your clients.
Protecting Documents from Prying Eyes
If you have printed copies of your business documents, do you leave them lying around your office? What happens when someone enters the room and was tempted to pour over these documents? With smartphones on hand, it becomes way too easy to scan or take a photo of these documents. Anyone can have a copy of the documents in no time. Make sure you have a secure location where you can file these.
Training and Educating Users, Building Internal Policies
Finally, the protection of your business depends on the knowledge of your employees. Train and educate them on how to handle sensitive office documents. Make sure they follow internal policies that seek, above all, to secure information that should not get past the halls of your office. Put in place protocols that will identify, investigate, and penalize anyone who doesn’t adhere to these rules.
Your main responsibility is to ensure the protection of your business, employees, and clients. Technology alone provides many options and opportunities to ensure that your business is free from scams, phishing, malware, and cyberattacks. Then, the traditional method of securing corporate files still works. The combination of these methods will ensure the continuation of your business because they will put it a step ahead of any hacking attempt.