5 Steps To Safeguard Corporate Data

 

The rate of cybercrime has been increasing at an alarming rate. According to the 2021 Cybersecurity Statistics, over 4,000 cyber-attacks occur daily, and over 4 billion records were exposed due to data breaches. This trend will likely continue, and businesses must take the necessary steps to keep their corporate data safe against potential threats. 

This article provides companies with five actionable steps to protect their data. 

  • Bring In Professional Support  

The first step toward safeguarding corporate data is to bring in professional help. You may wonder why you should outsource IT services when you can have an in-house team. The answer is simple: hiring and maintaining an in-house IT team can be costly and time-consuming. Outsourcing IT services to a dedicated managed services provider (MSP) can help ensure your data is secure and your business runs efficiently.  

These services provide businesses with proactive monitoring and maintenance of their IT systems, helping to prevent any potential security issues. Therefore, by hiring managed IT services in Grand Rapids, one of Michigan’s largest cities, businesses can benefit from the expertise and resources of experienced IT professionals and ensure their data is kept secure.  

Furthermore, MSPs can provide businesses with many other services, such as cloud computing, data backup, disaster recovery, and IT consulting. This can help companies save time and money in the long run, as they no longer have to worry about the technical aspects of their IT systems and can focus on their core operations. 

  • Educate Your Team   

While hiring a managed IT service provider can save the daily hassle of securing corporate data, educating your team is just as important. Unfortunately, some businesses tend to forget this part of security protocols. As a result, their data and IT systems become susceptible to cyberattacks.  

Remember, your team members are the biggest users of the IT system, and if they don’t understand the importance of security protocols, they’ll be more likely to make mistakes that can compromise the safety of your data. Therefore, educating them is a must.  

The frequency of the training should depend on the size of the company and the level of security protocols. However, at the minimum, you should do it twice a year. This way, your team will be reminded of the importance of security protocols and kept updated with the latest developments in the IT security world. 

  • Establish Access Controls  

The next step in ensuring corporate data security is to establish access controls. Access controls are the procedures and policies that limit access to sensitive data and systems. Access controls can be physical, technical, or administrative, ensuring that only authorized people can access the systems and data.   

Physical access controls, such as door locks, limit who can physically access a system or data room. Technical access controls use software and hardware to determine who can access a system. This includes the use of passwords and encryption to secure data. 

On the other hand, administrative access controls, such as policies and procedures, ensure that users only access the data they are authorized to access. When used together, these access controls provide a layer of security that can help protect corporate data from unauthorized access.  

  • Use Encryption  

In a corporate setting, data exchange is a regular occurrence. Sometimes, you need to send an important document to a colleague; at other times, you need to transfer sensitive customer information to a third-party vendor. However, a malicious party could intercept your data during the process and try to steal confidential information from your corporate systems.   

This is where encryption comes into play. Encryption scrambles data, making it impossible to read or understand unless decrypted. The data is encrypted using an algorithm, a set of mathematical rules. Once the data is encrypted, it’s nearly impossible for a malicious party to decrypt it without the correct key.    

  • Back Up Data  

Another crucial step toward securing your corporate data is to back it up. There have been many cases of companies losing data due to faults in the system, malicious attacks, or natural disasters. In worst-case scenarios, a company can lose access to all its data. Backing up your data protects you from data loss and allows you to access data quickly and efficiently in an emergency.   

There are various ways to back up your data. One way is to use an online cloud backup system. This is secure and reliable, allowing easy access to data from any location. You can also back up your data on an external hard drive. 

Furthermore, you may consider developing an automated backup system to ensure a secure backup. While the entire process can be time-consuming, ensuring your corporate data is safe and secure is worth it.  

Conclusion  

Protecting customers’ data should be a top priority for any business. When not done correctly, it can lead to financial losses and reputational damage. Fortunately, taking these five steps can significantly enhance your data security. From hiring a managed IT service provider and establishing access controls to implementing other proactive measures, you can safeguard your corporate data and protect your organization from potential cyber threats.