In a world in which personal data is an extremely valuable commodity, safeguarding that data is a major concern for individuals and businesses of all sizes. One breach could expose clients to identity theft, financial harm or even lawsuits. There are a variety of ways to safeguard personal data as well as prevent hacking or theft.
Review the amount of sensitive information your company holds in files and on computers and come up with a plan to only keep it for until it is absolutely necessary. This could include taking inventory of devices that collect personal information, including PIN pads and security cameras and also the identification of computer connections to external sources like the internet and computers that are used by service providers to support your network, or digital copiers.
Limit access to sensitive information only to those who need access to it. This minimizes the chance of an insider attack or loss to hackers. Pro tip: Apply the principle of least privilege, which means granting new accounts the smallest level of access to sensitive data. They can increase the privilege only when they advance in seniority or work-related necessity.
Make sure that passwords are secure, complex and unique. Passwords that are easy to guess could be hacked, and used for an unauthorised access within a matter of minutes. Don’t send passwords in plain text websites through email. Also, be certain to secure any document that contains private or confidential information.
