We live in an age where if you cannot be found online, then people may think you simply do not exist. As crazy as this idea may sound, in a cyber-friendly world you pretty much have to be online to earn clients’ business.
But while being online is essential to a successful business, it does come with its own set of safety concerns - cybercriminals. Here’s what you can do to protect yourself in your business:
1. Move Your Data to the Cloud
The Cloud is a very common and cost-effective way to keep your business’s data protected from cyber-attacks. When your data is sent to the Cloud, it becomes encoded. The algorithm used for this encoding is complex enough to keep your data safe and secure. It can only be accessed with an encryption key, and it is virtually impossible for hackers to have the processing power required to break into the data.
2. Always Back Up Your Data
Moving your data to the Cloud is a great first step to keeping your data protected, but you should always back this data up as well for extra security. It may be a good decision to invest in IT for this, but this should be discussed and researched to determine what is best for your business. No matter what decision you make, you need to ensure your data can be backed up to have access to the data in multiple secure locations in the event of a breach.
3. Encrypt and Password Protect
Wherever you store your data, take care to both encrypt it and keep it password protected. Like with the Cloud, encryption makes it more difficult for cybercriminals to hack into your confidential data. When you establish a password, make it long and use a combination of letters, numbers and symbols to make it harder to crack. Never use personally identifying information like your birthday, as these can be easier to figure out.
And Always Use Trustworthy Programs and Applications
Finally, whenever you choose to move your data to the Cloud, into a program or other location, always do some background searching to make sure you are moving it into a credible source. Know the programs and applications you plan to use are safe, secure and reliable. Virtual Halo is dedicated to keeping client data safe and out of the hands of potential threats.