In an age where personal information has become a valuable commodity and is now an essential concern for all businesses of all sizes. A single breach could put customers at risk of identity theft and other financial harm, and it can expose businesses to penalties, reputational harm and even lawsuits. There are a variety of ways to safeguard personal information get more and avoid hacking.

TAKE STOCK

Make a list of the amount of sensitive data your company holds in files and on computers, and make a plan to keep it only as long as is necessary. This could include taking inventory of devices that gather personal information, including PIN pads and security cameras as well as identifying connections to external sources such as the internet, computers employed by service providers to help support your network or digital copiers.

SCALE DOWN

Limit access to sensitive information to only those who need it. This reduces the potential of insider threats or losses from hackers. Pro tip: Apply a principle called least privilege. Provide new accounts with the lowest level of access to sensitive information and then increase this privilege as the account gains seniority or the requirement for employment increases.

LOCK IT

Be sure that your passwords are secure, complex, and unique. Passwords that are easy to guess could be hacked within a matter of seconds and used to gain unauthorised access. Don’t send passwords by email in plain text. Also, encrypt all files that contain confidential or private information.