A business that uses technology to assist in it’s day-to-day operations needs to think about security on both the tangible and intangible levels. With many businesses handling confidential data and client information, data security and breach prevention is an issue that the business must be capable of addressing.

At risk for businesses is the destruction, exposure or corruption of:

• customer records and personal information
• email records
• financial records
• business plans
• new business ideas
• marketing plans
• intellectual-property
• product design
• patent applications
• employee records (which could include sensitive, personal and identifiable information such as their date of birth)

Malicious or criminal attacks are a leading cause of reported data breaches. These can occur through:

• theft or unauthorised access of hardware, computers and mobile devices
• infecting computers with malware (such as viruses, ransomware, and spyware)
• attacking your technology or website
• attacking third party systems
• spamming you with emails containing malware
• gaining access to your information through your employees or customers

Some tips on how to prevent the occurrence of data breaches that could harm your  business include:

• Stronger password protection strategies, like the employment of password encryption software.
• Businesses can use multi-factor authentication to add additional security
• Raise staff awareness about online security threats, prevention and protection measures, and have appropriate policies in place for staff to abide by.
• Back up and secure your data and network frequently and in multiple places – in the event of a breach where data is wiped, the back up will ensure that your business can continue operations.
• Ensure all information is encrypted via your network and encrypt sensitive data when stored or sent online. Encryption reduces the risk of theft, destruction or tampering.

Receiving advice from a cybersecurity adviser or employing a permanent cybersecurity specialist for your business could be your next step in protecting your data and online information.