Data Security in Business
It is becoming increasingly important to safeguard sensitive data as businesses collect more information. If data isn’t secure companies are at risk of a number of issues that could result in reputational damage, financial loss and legal issues. A robust data protection plan can mitigate these risks and allow businesses to achieve a competitive edge.
The most successful companies focus on security and make protection of data the top priority. They also make use of automated software to make best practices easier to implement and scale.
Subkeyword: Security Risks
A security risk assessment for a company should concentrate on the most valuable assets it has and the most dangerous threats it is exposed to. This will enable it to pinpoint the vulnerabilities that are most likely to be exploited.
Educate and train employees to guard against human error which could result in a data breach, such as clicking on malicious email attachments or destroying a device containing confidential information. Limit the amount of information that each employee has access to. Also ensure that systems are logged to display the information they’ve visited. Divide responsibilities in order to prevent employees from taking on too much. For example do not let one person be in charge of both purchase reports and expense reports.
Conduct periodic vulnerability assessments and security audits. These should be carried out by an independent third party who can provide objective insight. Companies should also consider the use of a document destruction service that can safely destroy old documents and equipment containing unneeded information. They can also secure electronic data. This is especially important for international businesses, as different countries have different privacy laws.