Women's Life Link Be Well, Be Happy, Be YOU!
It’s no secret that we live and work in a digital age. These days, you can do just about anything with nothing more than a smartphone or computer. Furthermore, handy apps make everything from ordering a pizza to hiring staff easier than ever before. It makes you wonder how we ever got along without all the technology, right?
However, the unfortunate downside to today’s digital age is there are rogue elements of society ready and waiting to steal from unsuspecting individuals and businesses. Digital predators take money, information, or both just about as easily as ordering that pizza for dinner. As a business owner, this type of theft is just one type of digital disaster you could experience
The good news is you can take several steps to reduce the likelihood of your business falling victim to a digital violation. Take a look at these five ways to protect your business, whether you’re a freelancer or run a large corporation,
Security
The first thing you want to do is make your IT systems as hacker-proof as possible. To achieve that goal, you’ll need to increase your internal and external digital security. For example, ensure that all staff members have complex passwords that they must change regularly.
You should also scrutinize the security on your website and online systems to prevent “man in the middle” hacking attacks. Another area you could improve is your network’s wireless security. Are you using the best encryption and complex passphrases? Check these systems often as things can change quickly and become vulnerable.
Backup and Recovery
When you’ve got your business security sorted out, the next area of concern is backup and security. Have you got backup systems in place should your servers or other IT systems fail? And do the recovery processes for those backups work?
Regardless of your company’s size, backup and disaster recovery should be a crucial area of concern for your business. If you lose data, especially customer information, you could find yourself in a whole heap of trouble.
Cloud Data
There was once a time when companies would only store company data and applications on in-house servers. Nowadays, it’s more cost-effective and secure to store information in the cloud.
For instance, Dropbox makes it easy to store and share data with colleagues and customers over the Internet. And you can even create customized server solutions in the cloud using virtual “appliances” such as Amazon’s storage technology.
Insurance
What happens if you lose customer data? In most circumstances, you could just restore the most recent backup of that information. However, if that data gets lost by malicious means (i.e., someone hacked your company), your customers could sue your business.
You can invest in insurance products that protect your business against those events and ensure business continuity. You already have insurance to protect your physical possessions and your employees. Don’t forget about your data, too.
Data Compliance
One final area of concern that can be a source of breakdown is data compliance. Depending on where you are in the world, you’ll likely need to store and manage customer data in certain ways. Research how to make your data legally compliant in your area, and ensure you take all steps to achieve that goal.
