In recent years, the public has become more and more accustomed to the reality of data leaks and mass identity theft. Target, Snowden, Ashley Madison, Sony, these scandals still hang in the minds of consumers and have irreparably damaged the overall confidence in any company’s ability to keep their sensitive data safe. Here are a few tips to help your business keep sensitive documents away from the general public.
- Organize- Organize documents and data as strictly as possible. By being aware of which documents hold sensitive or personal information, it’s easier to secure those documents rather than attempting to secure everything and letting something important slip through the cracks.
- Encrypt- Data needs to be handled securely. As cyber-attacks grow more powerful and precise, the importance of safely handling data over a network is becoming more important. The good news is that good encryption is much easier to obtain and implement now than it once was.
- Anti-Virus- Encryption may be enough to ensure that data is safe if it’s intercepted or stolen but if even one computer or server is compromised by a virus or malware, the encryption can all be for naught. Firewalls and anti-virus software go hand-in-hand with encryption to prevent sensitive data leaks. Anti-virus and firewall software are free to most PC owners, and even the premium software is very affordable.
- Be Proactive- Chances are that most business owners can identify at least one weak link in their security. Sooner or later, that issue needs to be addressed. By acting on an issue sooner, it can avoid a possible exploit, and help to maintain the integrity of a given business
- Plan B- Plan A doesn’t always work. An unforeseen disaster can mean a loss of valuable information. Fires, floods, power outages and severe storms can result in physical and digital file loss. The safest and surest way to prevent a loss of documents is to store them off-site in a secure location, preferably one with available document scanning services in Fort Worth, TX
Not every crisis is preventable, but hopefully, these five tips can help keep sensitive information safe.
Posted By: Sherri Taylor – President/Managing Partner
Sherri Taylor is the Managing Partner and President of Armstrong Archives, one of the largest independent records and information management companies in the Dallas/Ft Worth area.