A well-planned approach to online security is vital to protect your company and customers. It’s also essential to maintain trust and a positive brand image. If sensitive data isn’t protected properly, it can fall into the hands of the wrong people, leading to fraud, regulatory fines and reputational damage.
Data breaches can be devastating to anyone from individuals to huge companies. Data stolen from a computer can be used to perpetrate identity theft and phishing scams, as well as corporate or government espionage, as well as ransomware attacks.
The best way to safeguard your information online is to make sure that it’s encrypted. This includes data in rest, such as your documents, emails, and other stored files. Encrypting data ensures only you are able to access it and that no other person can read it, even if they intercepted your transmissions.
It’s also good to be aware of the websites that you use and how they’re collecting your data. Many of the most popular websites now have options to restrict the amount of your personal information they store. You can disable tracking on Facebook and Twitter and set your browser not to save passwords and usernames.
Don’t forget to regularly back up your data. Store your backup at another location than your main office, and encrypt if possible. Then, if you ever have a fire or flood your backup data will be safe. The EFF’s Firefox, Chrome and Opera-supported Privacy Badger can help with this. It analyzes your browsing habits and blocks ad-trackers.