It's critical to make sure your company is protecting consumer data because customers want to feel like their personal information is secure when doing business with you.
Businesses these days are going digital from small independent start-ups to large multi-national conglomerates. As the recent Target data breach showed, there is also a big risk in keeping confidential customer records on computer databases, and those who don't have the necessary security measures in place to prevent a breach are almost asking to get hacked.
So what steps can you take to further protect your customer data from cyber theft? Here’s the further protection to your customer data:
1. Use Strong Passwords
Weak passwords are a hacker’s dream, and consequently there’s little you can do to protect against a breach. Instead, use strong passwords that are unique and change them every 45-60 days
2. Restrict Computer Access
Limiting the amount of people who can access customer information and on what devices helps you retain control over where it goes
3. Block Potential Intruders
All company devices should have updated anti-virus and spyware protection. Full scans for viruses and spam should be run at least one a week
4. Appropriately Manage Your Data
The company needs to have safeguards in place in case human error, device malfunction or a data breach prevents you from accessing data. Ideally, store backups in a secure location that is independent from your main operating system
5. Be Cautious When Sharing
Never transmit sensitive data via email unless it is encrypted. Encryption makes it impossible for unauthorized users to read the message. For other web data sharing, use secure connection such as SSL technology