Data loss is an impending threat looming over unsuspecting businesses nationwide. Should the grim reaper of data loss pay a visit, business owners can expect their company finances to take a beating. Along with bruised bottom lines, data loss can interfere with employee productivity and burn bridges binding loyal customers to your brand.
With a wealth of data stored in the cloud and online, insulating your team from data disasters is a vital precaution. Without thoughtfully devised strategies, replication, and regular backups, data loss can cripple a business.
Fortunately, businesses can eliminate unexpected downtime from data loss with realistic and fine-tuned strategies in place and high-availability extensions like these at their disposal. Ready to protect your business’s most valuable asset? Rest assured that entrepreneurial superpowers can also avoid problems due to system failures and corruption from virtually anywhere in the world.
How to prevent data loss
Businesses need to use security measures and other preventive strategies to prevent data loss from errors, hackers, and other potential problems that can cripple their operations.
Replicate your data
A tried-and-true tool for data protection is replication. Businesses can continually replicate data and store it in the cloud or data centers around the globe. Data breaches no longer cripple organizations because they can access their copied information quickly and securely.
Focus on security
Businesses that focus on cybersecurity tend to sidestep data-loss-related complications. Although, these cybersecurity best practices won’t always come as second nature. Employees need training to understand how to prevent data loss while at work and while working remotely. Security is everyone’s responsibility, so businesses need to prioritize training accordingly.
Overall, your team needs to understand how the business organizes data security throughout the organization. Employees should also be familiar with the procedures for communicating data-security issues and collaborating to protect private information.
With a security-first culture, businesses and their employees can work together to keep data safe. For optimal results, enroll employees in cybersecurity training upon onboarding and schedule subsequent training sessions following updates.
Use encryption
One of the most valuable protective measures is encryption. Businesses that do not use end-to-end encryption set themselves up for failure. It’s only a matter of time before someone realizes that the data is available.
With powerful encryption, businesses can protect themselves from data loss. The encryption process should become a part of a constant data protection protocol. Because employees and other users will need to use authentication and authorization services to access data, safeguarding this sensitive data from unauthorized users will be a breeze.
Harden your databases
Securing your database will prevent data loss that can cripple your business. But where to begin? Hardening access to your data prevents unwanted access. The first step to hardening your data is removing obsolete features so that users don’t accidentally stumble across confidential information.
Additionally, businesses should only allow minimal numbers of users to access sensitive data. Employees who do not need to access data should not be able to get to it. Those who can access data should only get to the levels that they need to do their jobs.
Only users who need to modify data should have access to that power. With tight control, businesses can stay in control of their data users and know if an unauthorized team member gains access.
Businesses also need to run regular security checks to ensure that minor kinks in the system won’t endanger their data and elevate the risk of data loss. When single users or minute flaws comprise your data, you need a plan to recover it before more significant problems arise.
Use digital identity for added protection
With digital identity solutions, businesses can determine if a user is authentic or if a hacker has compromised a username and password. The digital identity credentials use fingerprints, voice recognition, or other biometrics.
If protecting data matters, businesses should do all they can, including implementing identity tools, making it that much more difficult for hackers to access protected files.
Update your software
To keep your data hardened, regularly update and patch your software. Attackers sniff out vulnerabilities, which happen when businesses miss their updates and patches. Software updates add protection and remove vulnerabilities which can strengthen security.
What to do in case of a data breach
If a data breach occurs, businesses should take steps to protect themselves and their clients.
Organize your security team
Businesses need a security team that can go to work if a breach happens. The team should consist of information security, human resources, legal, communications, and management professionals working together to resolve the issue at hand.
If a breach occurs, the team should gather in a secure place and implement a resolution. Businesses that have replication data should take a closer look and assess whether or not the replicated data has been comprised. Then, they should investigate the problem and prepare for remediation.
Businesses should also work closely with legal professionals to figure out when they need to contact their customers, the media, and other parties. In some instances, a security team might need to get in touch with federal agencies like the FBI, Secret Service, or FTC.
Learn about the weaknesses
Data breaches happen when a weakness exists. Businesses should look for holes, either in the system or in user management. As a next step, pinpoint breached information. That way, you can inform customers if hackers accessed their data.
The security team should interview the employees who discovered the problem. These whistleblowers may be privy to information that can help the team remedy the security breach and prevent it from happening again.
Change passwords and add authentication steps
Once a breach happens, all users should change their passwords. Employers should have password standards and regularly enforce them. If businesses do not already use authentication protocols, now’s the time to implement them.
Check user access
With employees coming and going, businesses should delete unused employee accounts. When former employees can still access company accounts, businesses have weaknesses that are easy to control. Delete users who are no longer involved in the organization. Then, look for unauthorized user access from hackers who create new accounts in the organization.
Wrap up
With proper protection, authentication, and hardened security, businesses can protect themselves and their data from hackers. Replicating data and storing it at data centers around the globe can help organizations keep secure data safe and secure.
Along with hardening security, businesses need realistic plans that will help them get back to working if a breach occurs. With prior preparation, companies can shake off concerns of data losses crippling their operations.
