Industry cybersecurity experts estimate that more than 800,000 people experience data breaches, phishing, and ransomware attacks every year. Another study by Comparitech showed that approximately 88.5 million people fall victim to these cybercrimes. This could be when they lose money or data via their companies. With cyber criminals getting craftier with their tactics, you must also ensure your business remains resilient against the growing threat. Read on to know how your company can protect itself from data security risks and breaches.
Use a Reputable Security Software System for Your Devices
While there are many cyberattacks, phishing is the most common one. Research shows that it makes up one-third of all reported data breaches. Once a cybercriminal has access to your login information and passwords, they can manipulate it causing you huge financial and reputational losses.
For this reason, you need to safeguard your devices by installing a cybersecurity system such as Norton. The Norton security plan provides real-time threat protection against malware, ransomware, phishing attacks, and spyware among other complex threats in the modern world. Even better, it comes with multiple layers of advanced security technology including the Norton Secure VPN for Windows 10. Use it on all your business devices and protect your data.
Keep All Your Software Updated
Updating your software is fundamental for all businesses. Digital technologies have continuously advanced and transformed societies. In the past two decades, experts have stated that the rate within two decades will equal at least 20,000 years of progress.
All this means that your software version could be relevant today and be outdated within a month. Obsolete software including operating systems and applications is an easy target for hackers looking to exploit your weaknesses. To avoid this, constantly update the software to close potential cyber threat entry points.
Regularly Backup Your Data
How often do you back up your data? While large organisations may have automatic backup plans, small businesses may lag on this. With cyber threats and data breaches becoming unpredictable, it is now a necessity to back up your data. Besides the reputational damage, data loss can also cause expensive financial situations. Let’s not even look at the amount it costs to recover or retrieve lost client records and proprietary content.
Whether you are a startup or a large business, ensure you have a reliable backup for your data. It could be on the cloud or even in a physical location.
Regularly Conduct Data Security Audits
After doing all the above, you must conduct cybersecurity audits to identify and address potential data risks and security vulnerabilities. During the audit, check your website’s underlying codes, security measures set by your hosting provider, and the current security protocols and features.
When performed professionally, the audits will give you insights into the current issues and the necessary improvements to prevent data breaches. It is among the most proactive strategies you can employ to maintain your data security’s integrity.
What Your Employees Can Do to Protect Their Devices
One of the biggest contributors to data breaches and loss is undertrained employees. A recent report showed that employees are more susceptible to social engineering and phishing attacks. For this reason, you must train your employees and equip them with the right tools and systems.
Start by securing all your endpoint devices with Norton. All laptops, smartphones, and IoT devices used at work must be protected. Don’t forget to also extend this to your remote workers.
Let them know that clicking on suspicious links and using weak passwords is risky for themselves and the business. It is everyone’s responsibility to maintain the data and system security.
Conclusion
As you can see, data security has become an important element in business. This can be hugely attributed to the expanding cyber-attack surface and evolving AI threats. By following the above tips, you can keep your company safe from data threats. Begin by using a cybersecurity protection software such as Norton on all your devices. You must also keep all the software and systems in use updated. This helps you seal all the loopholes cybercriminals may use. Backups and audits will also come in handy keeping your data constantly safe. Above everything else, train your employees and protect their devices!
