5 Common Data Security Mistakes Your Business Should Avoid

Cyber-attacks are on the rise in the United States. Businesses that fail to adequately safeguard their networks and notify their personnel are putting themselves at risk. In 2015 alone, 430 million distinct pieces of malware were developed, according to Symantec’s 2016 Internet Security Threat Report. (Source).

You’ll have peace of mind about your technology if you can avoid some of the most prevalent cybersecurity business blunders. Whether you are looking at new popular birthday places in Bangalore or old conglomerates, every business spends a lot of their manpower on data security, and for a good reason.

Because of the expanded attack surfaces produced by more complex IT infrastructures, broad usage of cloud services, and the more skilled character of cybercriminals, the frequency of successful data breaches is rising.

The fact that most security breaches are avoidable has stayed constant throughout this tale. Although every organization’s security issues and objectives are unique, many businesses make the same errors when it comes to data security. Worse, these errors are often accepted as the usual, hidden in plain sight under the pretense of standard procedure.

Common data security mistakes

1. Believing it won’t happen to you

Don’t believe that just because you’re a little business, you’re immune to cyber-attacks. Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting small firms with more sophisticated threats.

Planning for an assault is one of the safest things you can do. Your system’s shortcomings and vulnerabilities will become apparent. Have a strategy in place in the event of an attack. Choose trustworthy data backup management before any issues develop to safeguard your technology and data protection.

Enterprise breaches have often come from known vulnerabilities that remained unpatched even after fixes were released. Because fraudsters constantly seek these simple avenues of access, failing to patch known vulnerabilities rapidly puts your organization’s data in danger.

2. Forgetting the fundamentals

It’s tempting to believe that the little elements pounded into technology safety discussions are unimportant. Is it really necessary to create a unique password for each secure login and update it on a regular basis, never repeating it? Isn’t it possible to simply have one and write it down, so you don’t forget it?

Internal and external dangers will be kept to a minimum using password protection and as-needed access. Make sure that all work devices are encrypted. Also, make sure that resigned personnel have no access.

Even when they recognize the need for data security, many businesses lack a designated data security officer. This circumstance often manifests itself after a data security or audit event, when the company is under pressure to determine who is to blame.

Also Read: The Future of Data Management

3. Untrained employees

It may seem superfluous to teach every employee how to prevent cyber dangers such as phishing schemes and insecure websites. However, it might save your organization a lot of money.

Both remote and in-house staff should be re-trained on a regular basis to utilize safe protocols. They must think before they click and respond quickly if an attack occurs. Infiltration has advanced to the point that it might seem authentic, making it easy to fool the inexperienced or inquisitive eye.

4. Attempting to handle everything by yourself

It’s not enough to purchase the most costly antivirus software on the market. You can’t put together a full cybersecurity strategy on your own. It’s a good idea to engage IT service providers.

Hire employees that have the specialized expertise, resources, and ability to assist you in developing a comprehensive data security strategy and staff awareness plan. This is not the time to save money.

5. Not investing in effective monitoring services

Smaller organizations are more likely to employ outdated systems with unpatched flaws. Cybercriminals have discovered easy targets since they still have incredibly valuable data.

Many small businesses have paid the price for trusting technology rather than investing in round-the-clock monitoring systems. You must safeguard your data by keeping an eye out for risks.

Any data security policy must include monitoring data access and usage. Organizations must be aware of who, how, and when data is accessed. This monitoring should include determining if these individuals should have access. It should also ensure whether their access level is accurate and whether they pose a serious danger to the company.

Make sure to update your system on a regular basis. Understand how to respond to any security breaches that occur.

Conclusion

While safeguarding sensitive data to battle today’s threat environment is not straightforward, businesses should take measures to ensure that they are allocating the appropriate resources to their data security plan.

To appropriately handle the needs and threats, you must scale and scope your monitoring efforts while embarking on a data security journey. This activity often entails using a staged approach to allow for the creation and growth of best practices throughout your organization. Furthermore, having early talks with key business and IT stakeholders to understand short- and long-term business goals is crucial.