Not all data breaches are on the scale of Target and Home Depot. As a matter of fact, most of them are with much smaller companies. The reason is simple: many smaller companies do not invest much time or money in IT security, so they are a relatively easy target for hackers.
Far too many organizations put their business, employees, and customers at risk when they do not take data security seriously. If financial, HR, and customer data are on an open network, it is not secure. Whether due to hacking or improper internal access, the release of internal financials, pay, bonuses, and employee agreements can cause lots of internal problems.
If your customer data is hacked, you risk liability with the credit card networks, and it can lead to bad publicity which impacts customer confidence and sales.
Securing Your Data
There is no magic bullet for securing data. Both technological solutions and effective policies are important:
- First, secure your network using perimeter, platform and access security to protect from external and internal threats.
- Next, develop and employ strict data policies to ensure sensitive data is stored where it can be protected.
- Finally, educate users on risks and best practices to reduce the risk of a user error leading to a breach.
A security audit can help you understand where you are most vulnerable and what measures can be taken to secure your network. Most companies find it to be a worthwhile investment. The important thing is to ensure that your company data and customer data is secure. If it is not, you are putting your organization at risk.
Want Help with a IT Security?
If you would like some guidance and support securing your data, we would be happy to help. We can help you develop a plan that minimizes your vulnerabilities and scales with your company growth. Contact us to schedule a time to talk.
