Security concerns are all around us, particularly with the proliferation of the internet. Data breaches should be a top concern for all major companies, but theyre surprisingly not very high on the list for many. According to research from the Cisco 2016 Annual Security Report, only 29 percent of small to mid-size businesses used standard tools to prevent security breaches in 2015. Whats more surprising is that this percentage is 10 percent less than those who used it in 2014.
With 80 percent of companies expected to experience a cyberattack in the course of a year and the average cost of stolen records being $154, this is a cost that businesses should be better equipped to handle.
1. You dont use tools properly
When considering the ways that businesses could better handle their IT concerns, its useful to compare the security of a business to that of a parent with a child. Because of social media, parents must be more careful in their dealings with child security. For example, its a common practice to put creative labels on kids belongings to keep track of their items, but allowing a stranger to see your childs name can also put them in danger. Parents must use their tools, but they must use them correctly.
The same goes for businesses. They have plenty of tools available to track data, ease the user experience, and monitor customers, but they must do so with care. If there isnt proper control over these tools and how theyre used, there could be serious problems. For example, failing to offer secure checkout for your customers may lead to lost credit card numbers and potential lawsuits.
2. You view cybersecurity exclusively as an IT problem
Many medium sized businesses with IT departments or consultants view any concerns regarding security as a threat that solely affects the IT department. However, there are many workplace security problems that could have been resolved if team members and employees had been more careful.
Research shows that employees are responsible for the majority of lost data and security mistakes. Theyll send information to the wrong customer or let secret information slip that could be exploited. There must be proper training and care to prevent cybersecurity mistakes from becoming common around the office.
3. Theres no plan in place for disaster recovery
Research from the Boston Computing Network shows that 60 percent of companies that lose data will shut down within six months of the disaster. The 40 percent who survive will have a clear plan in place for disaster recovery. Its like a plan that helps you go back in time and salvage some of the dead ends.
This is particularly important if you store your information in a data center. There are numerous disasters that could affect your data center, causing you to lose invaluable information. The facility should have a recovery plan in place, but it wont be foolproof. Youll walk away with far less damage if you have plans to backup your most important data on your own.
4. Sufficient encryption is not a regular part of your communications
In reality, you should be encrypting pretty much everything. The Internet of Things connects devices, making it much easier for hackers to access photos and files you want to keep safe. Through encryption, you can make the data unreadable to anyone who gets past your firewalls.
Start by encrypting your communications. Emails containing sensitive information should be equipped with encryption services to facilitate uninterrupted transit. Files stored in the cloud should also use encryption.
Your business doesnt have to be at high risk for security threats. Protection measures are in your hands, and you have a responsibility to your business and your clients to keep sensitive information safe.
