Menu
Scaling a business today requires a progressive and agile mindset. For many businesses, this is achieved through the adoption of digitized tools and cloud technologies used to support customers’ growing needs.
However, while these digital solutions provide more opportunities that businesses can leverage, they also create new challenges that must be addressed. One of the primary considerations that small businesses should consider as they expand their digital footprint is the implications this growth can have on customer data security.
As cybersecurity threats continue to escalate in frequency and severity each year, it’s important to put in place the right strategies for mitigating risks associated with data theft. Below are some best practices you can use to help manage this risk.
When you collect customer information – whether over the phone, through email correspondences, or when leveraging third-party cloud tools and services – you take on an important responsibility regarding how it is used and stored. Making sure this data remains protected when being transferred between networks (in transit) or when stored for later use (at rest) is critical.
To make sure you’re achieving this, you’ll need to be very careful about the types of solutions you use both in and outside of your organization. This means being very selective regarding the types of outside partners you work with and implementing adequate security measures when using on-site data storage solutions.
Data encryption is another critical security measure that converts collected data into unreadable formats when not being accessed through secure company portals. This renders the information essentially useless to anyone who tries to access it through malicious means.
There are various encryption methods, each with its own strengths and complexities, and many cloud providers and data security partners actively use one form or another. Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)-256 is a widely recognized and incredibly reliable encryption algorithm used by many organizations to protect sensitive data, so this should be a good reference point when looking into data encryption options for your business.
By implementing data encryption, your business adds a critical layer of protection that helps to ensure that even if a breach occurs, the stolen data remains inaccessible to outside parties.
As many businesses grow, there is a tendency to want to lean on workflows and processes that offer the least amount of resistance. However, data protection can be a dangerous approach, especially when it comes to the level of default access that’s provided to employees or outside partners.
Businesses should always keep in mind that not everyone in a company needs access to all data at all times. Even though it might create certain inconveniences, the principle of “least privilege” should be something that a business utilizes to reduce its data risk exposure. This means that employees are only granted the access levels they need for their specific roles – and nothing more.
Role-based access control (RBAC) tools are an effective way to ensure this stays the case and makes it easier to manage company-wide permission levels across all internal and external users.
One of the best steps businesses can take when improving their data security is to prepare for the worst-case scenario. In the event of a major cybersecurity incident or other issues that can compromise the integrity of customer data, it’s important to be able to have reliable data backups that can be used for recovery.
Businesses should follow the “3-2-1 rule” when preparing their data backup initiatives. This rule references a framework that stipulates keeping three copies of your data stored on two different media types, with one of those copies being stored offsite. This helps to ensure redundancy and covers a wide range of data loss scenarios that businesses may encounter.
Employees are your business’s first line of defense when it comes to preventing cyber threats and strengthening your data security efforts. Building comprehensive security awareness training programs is crucial to help ensure your business maintains a strong security-conscious culture and minimizes the likelihood of attacks happening in the first place.
The training topics you can cover can include proper password security protocols, knowing how to identify and avoid phishing scams, and implementing reliable data handling procedures. By prioritizing security awareness across the entire organization, you empower your employees to become active participants when helping the business harden its defenses.
Paying attention to new software updates isn’t just about helping your systems perform better – it also often plays an important role in strengthening your cybersecurity measures. Outdated software often contains vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit to gain unauthorized access to customer data.
Regularly updating your operating systems, applications, and security software ensures that you have the latest security patches and fixes in place. These updates address known vulnerabilities and can greatly strengthen your defenses against new, more advanced security threats. Make sure you have a regular schedule in place to audit systems for new potential updates or automate the process whenever possible to ensure quick patching as soon as updates are available.
While it’s critical for smaller businesses to make data security one of their top priorities, the reality is that many lack the security expertise necessary to implement and configure data security policies, encryption solutions, and other important protective measures. This is where the guidance of experienced outside experts can be invaluable.
LDD Consulting is a managed service provider that specializes in bringing comprehensive IT services and solutions to Albuquerque businesses. With years of experience in cybersecurity and working work businesses of all sizes when helping them develop and execute their data security strategies, LDD Consulting can help you assess your current security posture and implement the right solutions to keep your customer’s data safe.
Contact us today for a free consultation.