In the digital era, implementing a data security strategy has become a key factor in the success of organizations across all market segments. Currently, protecting information is as important as having property insurance, as it will drive the business and maintain its competitive strength in the face of the competition.
The problem is that many companies need to pay more attention to this and leave a high volume of valuable data exposed to the risk of theft, leakage, and damage. When this happens, the business is severely affected, paralyzing operations and often not recovering.
That’s why we made this post. We want to help you identify simple mistakes that can be costly. We will also present tips on how to neutralize the main risks. Follow!
Not Investing In Information Protection
Invasion attempts and system failures are not uncommon situations. This happens with great frequency among companies of different segments and sizes. If there are no technologies (hardware and software) and a clear network access policy to protect data, all information could be at risk.
Therefore, it must invest in the standardization of routines in the IT sector, prepare plans for quick corrective actions and implement procedures whose main purpose is to prevent risks. An exclusive security tool, such as data encryption, can help greatly in this regard.
Not Controlling Employee Access
Monitoring and controlling user access to the company’s network, systems, and databases also represent a range of actions ignored by many IT managers. In many cases, it knows who accesses what, where, how, and when is impossible. This can encourage the theft of strategic information and harm the competitiveness of the business.
In this case, the idea is to classify users and give hierarchically organized permissions. Employees and managers should only have access to what they need to perform their duties.
The same can be done with devices. If you adopt the BYOD (Bring Your Device) practice at the company, register all the devices and grant limited access, being able to block them when needed quickly.
Lack Of Internal Awareness
Another mistake managers often need to correct is letting employees reflect on their attitudes toward data security. If they need more information about the risks and ways to avoid them, they will know when they are doing something wrong. This leaves the company more exposed.
Faced with this problem, it is up to companies to raise awareness, engaging their professionals and keeping them up-to-date. For example, it is important to present external threats and how they can take advantage of internal flaws. Also, show the consequences of an attack on the business.
Use Of Outdated Software
Even if the organization uses software capable of enhancing security, be aware that they become outdated over time and that only some people care about updates. Cybercriminals struggle to break codes and hack systems with each new technology released, causing companies to release update packs (updates) frequently.
Every update package is important to keep the software strong against attackers. Therefore, it is more than a recommendation: it is the company’s duty to use them. So, please get in the habit of checking with the vendor for updates and applying them as recommended.
No Backup
Even if all care is taken and adequate access control is in place, problems can still happen, so always have a contingency plan in place to deal with this situation. Preparing the team to act in case of technical or operational problems can minimize the consequences. It is equally important to keep a backup of your information in a safe environment so that the data can be recovered in case of loss.
Errors In Internal Procedures
Just as outdated software is of great importance in information security within your company, the methods, and steps used to handle this data also strongly impact this sector. Some procedures must be followed and respected to avoid problems of loss and leakage of information.
Along with software and programs, processes related to this security must also be updated, from the use of security systems to the preparation of employees who are directly or indirectly handling and using the data stored by the company.
Use Password Reminder
Although it seems like an amateur mistake regarding important and sensitive data within a company, a mistake that is often committed is the use of password reminders. There is no point in making large investments in a safe and reliable Data Center if users create doors of vulnerability in that system.
Users must memorize the passwords used to access information without using these reminders, which can provide malicious third parties with the information necessary for the system to be invaded and compromised. Not everything depends on technology; the human factor is largely responsible for failures in information security.
