Data Loss Prevention Tips for Business Owners
There were a number of high profile organizations from banks to online dating services that were hacked in 2015. It was a poor year in terms of data security and privacy.
Data volume has grown quite exponentially in the last few years and data loss prevention is now more important than it ever was. Data loss can lead to heavy financial losses as well as damage to a company’s reputation. While companies are now aware of the dangers of data loss, there are still many who choose to ignore how importance and relevant it is. Here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t follow suit:
Data storage
Data security will check network actions against any security policies in an organization and allow for the protection and control of sensitive data including personally identifiable information and customer information. With an understanding of how data works, organizations can better setup policies for its protection and make decisions regarding what needs to be protected first – set priorities.
Internal threats
Not all data loss is caused by malicious attacks. Sometimes, it is the mishandling or inadvertent disclosure of confidential data by employees which is the cause. Data security will protect confidential files and prevent leakages through the network. It can also block sensitive data transfers to removable media. They can even encrypt or quarantine data in real time.
Costs
Data breaches can wreak havoc on an organization not only in terms of bad publicity, but also in terms of lost revenue, liability, etc. Technology controls are more than necessary when it comes to achieving compliance in certain areas. These controls are provided by data protection technology.
Proprietary information
All proprietary information regarding your business needs to be protected from security threats. Employees use social networking and other trends to keep update with what’s happening around them. The accidental exposure of confidential information through one of these unsecure communication lines is a major risk. Corporate data is increasingly at risk of theft but with the proper security measures, the risk can be significantly reduced.
Inappropriate conduct
Insiders represent significant risks for security of data. Employees who email work documents to personal accounts in order to work on the weekend may just have stellar intentions but they are unnecessarily opening up the information to a huge threat. Hillary Clinton, much to the dismay of her supporters, knows all about this. Security measures can be put in place to monitor keystrokes, instant messages, emails, etc. but if someone does not care or is derelict, these measures can only go so far. You have to employ honest and smart people. It even allows evidence to be archived or captured for forensic analysis later on.
Cloud storage and applications
A large volume of data are now being moved through the cloud. This is an environment where the physical location of storage for the data isn’t apparent. Protecting sensitive information in these virtual servers is crucial. Security software will help encrypt confidential data and prevent its transmission to any third party infrastructure.
Data endpoint misuse
Organizations can actively work to monitor end point activity on smartphones, desktops, laptops, and so forth and can even block attachments or emails which contain confidential data. They can prevent certain activities like copying and printing too.
Developing comprehensive data loss prevention strategies should never be an afterthought. It can help transform your sensitive data into operational assets and can prevent organizations from being in the headlines for the wrong reasons. The State Department knows all about this as well.
