It is practically impossible to conduct any kind of business these days without using electronic storage for sensitive data. Whether you are storing personal customer information or confidential financial documents, it’s imperative you keep this data safe from loss and theft. Doing so may sound intimidating, but practicing just a few of today’s cyber security best practices can make all the difference.
Be Prepared For Viruses And Their Aftermath
In a perfect world we would be able to build 100% secure systems, free from the threat of viruses or data breach. Unfortunately, even when cyber security best practices are followed, the risk of a system becoming infected remains. While no one can guarantee complete protection, you can take steps to mitigate your risk and make the aftermath of a virus much easier to recover from while minimizing the damages. Antivirus softwares can go a long way in helping to prevent, and alert you when viruses get too close for comfort. But if a virus does strike, you’ll want to be prepared for that too. Utilizing a cloud backup service is your best bet to ensure that your important data will remain safe and secure in the event of a virus.
By storing your data off-site, with a trusted cloud backup provider, you can simply restore your system and retrieve your untampered files from the cloud. As far as recovery goes, it’s one of the quickest ways to get your business back up on its feet after an attack and a great tool to have in your back pocket.
Choose The Right Cloud Backup Service
Cloud backup services are an amazing option to have in your cyber security toolkit. If a virus ever strikes, rendering your data encrypted and unreadable, you’ll be able to recover the data you need, in the state you need if you have a cloud backup in place. However, not all cloud backup services are created equally. To fully ensure your data against loss to viruses and other malicious activity, make sure your cloud backup provider supplies you with unlimited previous file versions. Most providers only include 30 days of version histories in their cloud backup plans, but viruses and other attacks often go unnoticed in that window. By the time they’re discovered, it’s often too late. Ideally, you should have unlimited version history or at least 60 days built into your cloud backup plan.
Also, pay close attention to a company’s security standards when choosing a backup service. Be sure they offer end-to-end encryption, rendering your data unreadable to prying eyes as it moves to and from the cloud. Physical security of data centers should be taken into consideration as well. This includes servers housed in buildings featuring:
- Alarm systems
- Armed guards
- Biometric scanners
- Locked server cabinets
- Backup generators
- And more
Make Sure Your Staff is Properly Trained
Even if you do everything right, one wrong move by a careless employee can put all of your data at risk. It is crucial that all of your users be educated on the basics of cyber security practices. Including:
- Choosing a smart password
- Identifying phishing emails
- Avoiding dangerous applications
- Not using personal devices for work
- Being mindful of confidential information
The little bit of extra effort it takes to educate and train your employees on the best cyber security practices will save both you and your customers a lot of time and money down the road.
Keep Your Software Up To Date
One of the simplest cyber security practices is also one of the most effective. Keep your software up-to-date! Hackers are a relentless breed and even the best security software can be exploited. From time to time vulnerabilities are discovered which can put your data at serious risk. Patches are typically released as soon as possible to eliminate these threats. Be sure to check for these updates regularly and install them on your machines as soon as possible.
Use Access Controls
There’s no need to give every employee full access to all parts of your system. Doing so puts your data needlessly at risk, whether by accident or malicious intent. Use access controls to specify who has access to certain parts of your system. This will keep confidential and sensitive information free from exploitation and unauthorized access.
No matter what industry you’re in, keeping your company’s data safe is a top priority.
Cyber-criminals don’t give up, which means your business can’t either. Good cyber security practices like access control, employee training, software updates, and preparedness are key to mitigating risks, but if you want to be sure your data is protected to the best of your ability, don’t forget to use a proper cloud backup service as well. Doing so is the only sure fire way to ensure your data is safe and recoverable at all times, even in the event of a breach.
