In an age where personal data has become an invaluable commodity security is a top concern for individuals and businesses of all sizes. A single breach could expose customers to financial loss, identity theft, or even lawsuits. There are a variety of ways to protect personal data and stop hackers from gaining access to it.

TAKE STOCK

Take stock of the amount of sensitive data your company stores in files and on computers and come up with a plan to keep it only until it is absolutely necessary. This could include a review of devices that store personal data, such as PIN pads and security cameras and identifying connections to external sources, such as the internet or the computers used by service providers to help support your network or digital copiers.

SCALE DOWN

Limit access to sensitive information only to those who need it. This reduces the risk of an insider attack or loss to hackers. Pro tip: Apply the principle of least privilege. This means that you grant new accounts access to the lowest level to sensitive data, and increasing this privilege only as they gain seniority or are required to do so by their job.

THEN like it LOCK IT

Passwords must be secure and complex. Simple passwords can be hacked and used for unauthorised access in a matter of seconds. Also, don’t transmit passwords in plain text via email and be certain to secure any data that contains sensitive or private information.