Building A Security Fortress for Your Business

In the day-to-day operations of your business, information security should be a top priority. Hackers and identity thieves make it their full-time jobs to steal personal information like social security numbers, and bank account numbers. Small businesses are especially vulnerable to identity theft because they often lack the resources to hire dedicated cyber security staff. There are plenty of inexpensive and highly effective ways to protect your company, though. Here are some of the basics.

A lot of information moves through your company every day, but that just means you need to be extra-vigilant with each transaction. Train yourself and your staff to spot suspicious requests for personal information. Don't give out any identifying data about yourself, your employees, or your customers unless you're sure the requesting party is genuine. You can achieve this by simply including verification protocols in your communication policy.

Whether you need to dispose of hard copy materials with private data or prefer to handle information digitally, you need to have a thorough data destruction procedure in place. Invest in high-quality paper shredders, or contract a professional shredding service for hard copy documents. For digital deletion, make and enforce a policy that prevents employees from keeping documents in their desktop, or email recycling bins for too long.

If your company stores sensitive documents in hard copy format, consider moving long-storage documents to a secure place that is away from the workplace. Identity thieves who target businesses are less likely to risk accessing files stored in a home safe or locked cabinet. Should your company need regular access to these files, make sure your cabinets have strong locks and keep track of any and all keys.

A good antivirus program not only protects your company's machines from time-wasting infections, it also puts an extra barrier between hackers and your data. Use a professional-level security program on all machines and limit employee access to potentially harmful websites. Also make sure to encrypt and password-protect any Wi-Fi networks your company uses. In the event that you do experience a data breach, consider seeking protection through your Internet service provider. Systems like Life Lock services can save your company a lot of time and money on data recovery.

A lot of identity theft practices use slow, subtle manipulations to steal money and data from companies over a long period of time. Early detection is essential for stopping this kind of slow theft before it snowballs. Make sure to routinely check your company's accounts, balances, credit reports, and other databases for irregularities.

In addition to your security measures, you should also have a plan of action in the event of a data breach. Decide ahead of time how you will address any losses, communicate with customers, and involve any authorities when you suspect that your company is the victim of an identity thief.

An unprotected business looks like an open door to hackers, and identity thieves. Use these tips to turn your company into a fortress of data with high walls.