Published August 15, 2017     |     Written by Robert Harrington

Protecting company data is one thing that many businesses tend to ignore until it’s too late.More than a third of small businessesdo not take the necessary measures to protect their business intelligence. Aside from the fact that having a simple backup plan could save your business thousands(if not millions) of dollars, your customers rely on you having this security measure in place too.

Consider this: Whenever a customer gives you their private information to complete a transaction or application, they expect you to keep their information safe. The data is the business’s responsibility and in the event it is leaked, the business will be held liable.

Can your company afford to lose thousands of dollars in lost productivity and be held liable for your customers losses too?

Small business owners in particular are guilty of brushing off thoughts of cyber attack asking, “Why would someone target small businesses when they can get more money from bigger businesses?” Unfortunately, about 43% of cyber attacks target small businesses, with 60% of these businesses closingwithin 6 months after the attack. What’s worse? 80% of these breaches could’ve been prevented.

Those are figures that are jolting enough to wake up any business owner. If you’re not protecting your data, here are a few plays you can steal from successful business owner’s playbook to do protect your business and customers.

Create a Data Backup Plan

Backup your data. You’ve probably heard this advice over and over again – and for good reason.

Simply put, if someone hacks into your system and takes your data, everything is gone – unless you backup your data. With a copy of your most recent information, it will be easier to rebuild your business than if you had to building it up from scratch. There are several ways to backup data, and these backups should be updated often.

It is considered ideal to keep several copies of these data backups. The backup copies should not be kept in the same place. Some recommend putting one copy in a bank safety deposit box and another in a fireproof office safe, but if you prefer to be less low tech, you could opt to spread your data backups amongst several online cloud repositories.

The point is that it’s important to have a copy of your data in another geographic location besides where you’re based. An automated secure encrypted cloud based solution makes that easy. Running to the bank can become a nuisance that never gets done regularly, which leaves you vulnerable. Know your own weaknesses before settling on a solution.

If your business has complex data storage needs, you’ll want to consult with an IT support professional.

Encrypt Data

Data encryption is a way of protecting data from people you don’t want to see it. It isn’t just limited to protecting sensitive information like personal & credit card information, it can even hide your cloud system and keep your whole operating system safe. While preventing hackers from getting access to data is important, it still is smart to prepare in the event that they are able to access your system. If they do get into your system, a powerful and updated encryption technology will render the data useless to them.

Sadly, few people recognize the importance of data encryption. Only 22% of small and medium-sized businesses encrypt their databases.

Install Security Software

Security software serves as the first line of defense against attack, designed to identify, prevent, stop and repair the damage caused by others to your computer and data. There are several types of security software, including antivirus, antispyware, anti-ransomware, firewalls and more.

If you have multiple computers, you’ll want to install these security solutions on your network.

Not sure where to start? We partner with several software security companies, such as TrendMicro and Carbonite to get you started. Reach out and we’ll set you on the right path.

Hire Someone to Monitor Your Data Security

As business owners, there are so many things to take note of, and data safety shouldn’t have to be one of them. If you’re worried about a larger additional cost, you will benefit from outsourcing your technology needs. Managed IT services are more affordable than in-house staff and will take care of everything for you round-the-clock.

What Successful Business Owners Do to Protect Their Data

Protecting business data is necessary these days, but can seem overwhelming to those that do not have any experience with it. Businesses can protect themselves by using a managed IT services provider like Harrington Technologies which provides day-to-day support and maintenance of your network.