As a small business owner, it can be difficult to keep your data secure. You simply don’t have the funds to hire giant security agencies to safeguard your information. However, that doesn’t mean you don’t have options for keeping your confidential data secure. Consider the following data security options that will fit your small business budget.
Switch to a Secure Platform
Not all web service platforms are created equal, so make sure you choose one, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), that has guaranteed security included with every package. Companies in all industries use this popular platform to store databases of information. Amazon Web Services provides a shared responsibility model for security, meaning it automatically provides protection for storage, databases, networking, and computing on its end. However, it is still up to the customer to prevent breaches on their side of things.
Unfortunately, that shared responsibility model has led to some unfortunate hacking incidents in the past. One such example is when attackers gained access to data from a company called Code Spaces. They demanded money in exchange for control of the account, and when Code Spaces refused, the attacker deleted all the company’s information. To prevent this from happening to you, learn how to use AWS and set up the best security practices.
Train Your Employees
Employees are to blame for many of the biggest and worst data breaches in history. In fact, a 2016 survey notes that 55 percent of employers said their company had a serious security breach because of a negligent employee. Therefore, training your employees is one of the best steps you can take to prevent unwanted data leaks.
Do this by creating policies to govern employee internet use. Make sure every employee is using a strong password for their account. You can also instruct them not to access company data on public networks or in view of other people. Send out security tips on a regular basis to keep them updated with the latest information.
Back up Your Data
Experts estimate that 62 percent of small businesses forget to back up their data on a regular basis. If you are one of these businesses and suffer a hacking incident, you could be in big trouble, as you’ll have no extra copies of the information.
One way to correct this issue is to set up a system that automates backing up data. In addition to any cloud storage you might use, consider adding the data to a physical hard drive in your office or an off-site location so you’ll always be able to access it. Schedule your data to back up at least once a day, and include everything from human resources processing documents to files from accounts receivable.
If you want your company to succeed in the long run, you have to make data security a priority. Even one small data breach could be enough to topple your business. Protect yourself and your customers with affordable data security options.
