Securing Your Company Data

Modern businesses need data to thrive and ensure that they make the right decisions. Even in smaller businesses where many decisions are made on years of practice or on a gut feeling, data can lie at the heart of what the company does or offers. There are so many different types of data for a business to hold, maintain, and utilize, and it is vital that all of these aspects are kept safe. Because of these, there is a rise in the number of companies that analyze big data and improve the storage of important business information.

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Examples of the wide range of data held by a company include:

  • Personal data about employees.
  • Product sales figures.
  • Customer personal details, including financial data.

Businesses need to remember that the importance of keeping company data secure is not only a matter of finances or cost, but it will also impact on their reputation. Many businesses have a reputation of trust and reliability, but if they cannot keep data secure, then this reputation can be damaged.

Customers will not want to do business with a firm that cannot hold their data securely. Any firm that is known for data leaks will soon find that it struggles to attract or appeal to customers.

What threats are there to a company’s data? 

It is important for modern businesses to be aware that there are many threats to a company’s data. This means that there is no point in focusing on one or two aspects but leaving potential trouble spots wide open. The following threats all need to be considered by a company:

  • Disgruntled or uninformed employees.
  • Employees using their own devices.
  • The cloud.
  • Devices that have not had software updates or have been patched.
  • A failure to back up data often enough.
  • Businesses not using passwords or user privileges enough.

Ways in which a business can secure its data

It is vital that businesses secure their data as best as they can. Here are some valuable tips.

  • Review your data and classify it accordingly

A good way to start the process of improving your data handling is to review your data. Not all data carries the same level of importance or utility. This doesn’t mean that you can afford to be blasé or relaxed with certain data, but it does mean that data that needs to be classified as restricted and receive greater attention will receive the respect it deserves.

  • Use a comms room

A comms room is a single location that hosts a company’s databases, network, infrastructure, and servers, and is responsible for its security. Hiring a specialist professional to protect these elements for you is a good way for companies of all sizes to develop a tailored and secure service. Calling on a specialist firm to build, maintain, and repair a comms room for your business means that you have one less thing to worry about.

  • Encrypt sensitive data

Encrypting your data ensures that even if your company is breached, the information you hold should be safe. This additional layer of protection provides a great degree of return and confidence for modern business.

  • Carry out sufficient checks on all employees

With many data breaches occurring from inside the company, firms should place a greater level of importance on employing trusted staff members. This begins at the recruitment stage, and security-conscious firms undertake a more strenuous vetting process.

Securing data is essential, and it is achievable for all firms.