Headlines about private business files being hacked and used for criminal purposes have affected a growing number of organizations, ranging from small local businesses to large multinational industries, in 2017. And the next year will only get worse according to analysts predictions.
How do data breaches happen?
The hackers penetrate your security, get into the server, and use existing loopholes that may be unknown to you to unlock confidential information.
How do I prevent a data breach from happening to me in 2018?
The following tips will guide you on how to keep your customer’s information safe from hackers in the coming year:
1. Restrict server access
Certain individuals (including employees) who use your system by accessing your computer, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other gadgets, may inadvertently open up a threat to your customer’s information. As a result, restricting access by reducing the number of persons using the system will provide an extra inch in protection.
Those who access the information on company computers or networks should remain restricted to other sensitive information via enabling a hierarchy of passwords with differing accesses.
2. Limit sharing
Passing your information from one source to another through Bluetooth, e-mails or your network may pose a risk in the exposure of sensitive information. Some of these channels are open or easily accessed by hackers. Instead, using encrypted routes as a secure way to share data may contribute to a reduction in hacking vulnerability.
3. Create strong passwords
A password should not be just a few figures, a favorite pet, or names of things you like. In no situation should your password be password. Avoid anything a hacker may easily figure out. Strong passwords with unique characters should be used at all time and changed at least monthly or bi-monthly.
That said, the passwords used must stay with you, only shared with a small group of employees who must have access or a trusted individual.
4. Seek professional help
While you may enhance your server and encrypt your information, some data may still be stolen. Hence, to guarantee total safety, consult with a trusted IT consulting company about how to install or adjust few details to enhance the security of your information.
5. Update regularly
Some of the protective measures you install may require newer settings or advanced software to perform their functions. Notably, hackers constantly check for easy ways of breaching weak firewalls that cannot prevent intruders. With updated protections, spyware and antiviruses will be better able to protect the system.
On the same note, make sure that your firewall properties stay renewed by installing efficacy secure software with additional features such as encryption protection policy.
6. Govern your documents
To err is human, and system failures or breakdowns can occur from any position of an organization. Backing up your system and storing your files in secure locations may improve cases of stolen information.
Also, there may be email addresses, financial records, or other unnecessary information on your work computer, which may be dangerous to the security of the whole system. Such unwanted details should be deleted as they might be pathways for hackers.
7. Use private search engines and browsing techniques
Search engines trace your search histories, and these may build up your profiles and make your system more susceptible to data breaches or hacking if their work device were to get stolen. To keep your server protected, ask your employees to use search engines that don’t track browsing details. On the same note, use browsing that is secure and private.
8. Wireless services
Hackers sometimes use Wi-Fi and other related wireless service networks to find their way into your system and access sensitive information. These wireless networks can act as routes for cyberthieves and ackers to penetrate your firewall measures. Protect these wireless networks with a secure password or seek other means of security from qualified IT consultants.
Overall, there is no organization that wishes to risk their customer’s or employee’s information to the public or expose it to hackers who may use it for malicious activities. Safely avoiding bad people on the Internet can only happen by enhancing your system with extra safekeeping.