Cyber threats present a challenging threat to most businesses. An increase in data breaches has cost numerous industries millions of dollars. Being proactive and effective when securing your enterprise’s IT ecosystem protects sensitive information, and your reputation, and ensures customer trust. Cybersecurity professionals emphasize the following five best practices to assist in protecting business data.
Implement a Data Usage Policy
Employee error is responsible for an astounding number of all data breaches most companies encounter. A clear purpose for which the data use is intended, accompanied by a policy on data usage, ensures adherence to requirements and, above all, keeps the data safe within the organization.
First, identify and organize sensitive data according to their importance for your company. Second, create a data usage policy that clarifies the procedures for granting access, use, storage, sharing, retention, and disposal of data.
Grant limited access to some users for specific information, making sure it is always deactivated once the job is done. You should also monitor compliance with the data usage policy and strictly reprimand those who breach the rules.
Set Ip Robust Endpoint Security Systems
In today’s remote work landscape, employees require access to a business network to undertake their daily duties, and endpoint devices allow them to do just that. Unfortunately, your network’s endpoints have become one of the biggest attack vectors for cybercriminals because they are easy targets.
It is important to implement a solid endpoint security infrastructure to eliminate the risks of data breaches. Old software systems are an easy target for cybercriminals, therefore, application modernization services are essential when it comes to upgrading your software systems. Here are some of the measures to get you started:
- Install antivirus software on all servers and workstations.
- Install anti-spyware and anti-adware tools to get insights into user behavior.
- Install firewalls to act as a barrier between your data and cybercriminals.
Enforce Strong Authentication Measures
It is considered one of the biggest gateways to unauthorized entry when authentication is weak. Strong authentication measures would definitely protect your business from soaring data breaches. Techniques such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) introduce an added security layer that minimizes the risks of unauthorized intrusion and fraud.
Back Up Your Data Regularly
Backing up your data will ensure that the data provides an effective defense for your business in the presence of security threats such as Ransomware. With data backup, in the scenario where your system has been attacked and hacked, a well-thought plan for data backup will save you from paying the ransom to acquire the decryption key.
It also protects your business from hardware failure, and accidental deletion of data, and makes device upgrades easier. Use automated backup solutions to ease the process and automate restoration for testing the restoration process, so that in case of an incident, quick recovery of data is possible.
Train Employees Regularly to Enhance Awareness
Cyber threats are always changing within the dynamic digital space. Changing trends and practices bring forth the need for employee education through training on the new trends and best practices in cybersecurity to avoid data breaches. General areas of cybersecurity aspects that training sessions can deal with are the new emerging cyber threats, the know-how to identify potential security threats, and the response to potential security risks. Building cybersecurity awareness will empower a culture to boost employees to always be vigilant in identifying and reporting potential security issues.
Conclusion
These days, all organizations are expected to embrace robust practices in data protection to build resilient capabilities against sophisticated cyber threats. Safeguarding your business data needs an all-inclusive, proactive approach. When you ensure security for your business, customers also trust you with their personal and financial information. In this case, reputation is built enabling customer retention.
