5 Ways to Protect your Business from a Data Security Breach

Disclosure of secure information to an untrusted environment is data breach. According to a report released by Ponemon institute and PGP, the 2009 cost per breached record has increase to $204. Every business organization has the responsibility of protecting the private, sensitive and confidential information. Safekeeping this data is important because cost of a data breach could be extensive. Check out the following 5 ways to avoid data breach:

1. Training for employees: To protect physical as well as digital record from being stolen, one must educate employees about proper handling and protection of sensitive data. Digital records must be password protected and physical records should be locked in secure locations. A security awareness training program can be planned.
2. Data minimization: Never collect information that you don’t need. Storing social security numbers, credit card numbers, and account numbers can put the customers at risk. Also try to reduce the number of places where you retain business information.
3. Grant minimum privileges: Never give unnecessary privileges to the employees, especially regarding sensitive data. Grant only minimum required access and revoke that are no longer required.
4. Safeguard your System: If you have an unpatched system, that means you are waiting to be exploited by hackers. Keep checking your security software updates.
5. Use automatic prevention tools: Apply automatic prevention for database activity, bad configuration, weak password; this will definitely add an additional layer of security to your place.

Tagged as: security, Technology