Tips for safeguarding business data

Posted on Monday June 10, 2019

You can't afford to lose business data. It takes away the trust of your clients, leading to loss of revenue. Cybercriminals are here to stay, so it's more important than ever to utilize tight security measures to keep your business data safe. Still, some hackers may have advanced cracking skills, or are really determined to break into your network, so it's a good idea to use the following methods for safeguarding your corporate data.

Use Two-Factor Authentication

Using a complicated password to secure your system is no longer an effective way to solve the issue of cybersecurity. We tend to use that same complex password in our email accounts or bank accounts, and if one of your logins is compromised, this can result in grave consequences.

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security for your systems and accounts. It can be biometric verification for devices that you own, or a time-sensitive auto-generated code that is sent to your mobile phone. This security feature works in the same way websites would require you to confirm your email address. They want to make sure that you're not a bot or anything else.

Encrypt all data

Encryption is a great obstruction to hackers, since it scrambles and descrambles data every time someone tries to read it. Encryption also causes compatibility issues if the data is not being accessed via the company's own network systems. While applying encryption can be costly, it is certainly well worth the money if it can protect your business data from falling into the wrong hands.

Keep systems up to date

Technology is moving at a fast pace. Hackers are always upgrading their tools to take advantage of outdated security systems, so companies should do likewise to protect their valuable resources. Yet many companies don't install software updates immediately. If the update closes existing security loopholes, delaying an update exposes you to external attacks. So install software updates as soon as they are released.

Back up frequently

Although you've implemented several layers to your security, sometimes hackers can still find their way in. This is why you need to back up data frequently, whether it's on-site, off-site, or by way of cloud backups. In the worst-case scenario where your systems do get infiltrated, you can restore lost data from those backups.

Monitor connectivity

Many businesses have no idea how many computers they have, so it's very hard to keep track of which computers are online. Sometimes a company's computers and servers are online when they don't need to be, making them tempting targets for attackers. It's advisable to configure business servers properly, ensuring that only necessary machines are online and that they're well-protected.

It's much more expensive to recover from a data breach than to prevent one. If you're looking to protect your business IT systems for potential threats, contact us today so we can help.