Data Safety Instructions
Data protection can reduce the risk of cyber-attacks which can affect your business or personal reputation. It is essential to know the best practices for protecting your sensitive information and follow them. A breach of personal information could lead to lawsuits or fines, which could have long-term repercussions for your business or you personally.
Passwords protect all your devices and files This simple action can deter hackers from accessing your information. Create passwords that are complex, combining letters, numbers, and symbols. Change default passwords provided by vendors to more secure ones immediately. Make sure to use the most current anti-virus software and periodically conduct a thorough security scan of your PC and servers.
Do not send any confidential or personally identifiable information via email. This includes Social Security Numbers, bank account numbers, passwords, etc. Email is not secure, and it is susceptible to being accessed.
Secure your network and data – Use strong encryption to protect your laptops, computers and portable storage devices. This will allow you send information to third-party organizations securely and also protect the information stored on the devices. It is also essential to create a plan for how you will react to a cyber-attack and include who you will notify and what you’ll do (e.g. employees, customers, credit bureaus).
Make sure you have a backup of all your data. Save the offline copies in an area separate from where your primary copies are kept. This can prevent attackers from getting access to your primary copies or deleting them.
