Keeping Your Data Secure: A Guide

If you are a business owner, no matter whether that business is large or small, whether it’s your main or only job, or it’s a simple side hustle, you’re probably going to be collecting a lot of data. That includes data about your customers and their personal information, plus payment information, as well as information about your business in general, such as your bank details. This is inevitable, and is just a part of being in business. 

However, when you have this sensitive information, it’s crucial that you do all you can to keep it safe. If a criminal were to have access to it, they would be able to steal people’s identities for one thing, and potentially steal money from them too, as well as your business. Keeping your data secure is vital, and here are some of the best ways to do it. 

What Data Needs To Be Kept Safe?

Before you can do anything or work out how to manage your risk and keep data secure, you need to know just what data your business is collecting.  Not everything has to be protected, so you should take some time to determine what is important and what isn’t. In that way, you can focus on the right information and ensure that it is kept safe. 

• Protect Your Network

One of the biggest reasons that cybercriminals are able to steal sensitive data is because of unsecured networks. If you have an unsecured network, it means that it’s easier for a hacker to break through your defenses (there may be none at all). Not only is it easier, but it’s more tempting too; if there is a choice between hacking into a secured network and an unsecured one, it’s the unsecured one that will win out. Make sure you secure your network and put firewalls and virus protection in place too. 

• Use Secure Services

It’s highly likely that at some point, you’ll need to share some of your business documents with someone else. It could be an accountant, it could be a partner, it could be employees or customers. Who it is doesn’t matter; the point is that when you share this information, it becomes vulnerable. The best thing to do is to use secure services to ensure that any file transfer you have to undertake is a safe one. GoAnywhere offers secure file transfer for your organization meaning that you can send data where it needs to go without worrying about it being intercepted and stolen by cybercriminals. 

• Change Passwords Regularly

When was the last time you changed your passwords? Most people would answer that they never have. They might also say that all their passwords are the same, or at least very similar. These are not great ideas if you want to keep your data safe. To begin with, if your password has been the same for months or even years, it’s easier for a hacker to discover it. Plus, if your password is the same for everything, then just by working out one password, the cybercriminal has access to everything else as well. Don’t make things easy for them. Change your password every three months or so to ensure it remains as secure as possible. On top of that, make sure that all your passwords are distinct from one another. If you know you’ll have trouble remembering them, you can utilize online password wallets to keep everything safe.