5 Effective Tips and Tools to Elevate Business Data Security

Before the digitization of the business sector several decades ago, keeping a company safe used to be a straightforward task. You would lock the doors, bar the windows, ask your local police station to have its officers walk by a couple of times when you’re closed, and that was pretty much it. Nowadays, though, things have become far more complicated, especially when you consider the threats and risks that reside in the online realm. Needless to say, the consequences of a successful data breach could be catastrophic for your brand’s image and reputation, which is why improving data security should be one of your top priorities.

Your goal should be to improve the security of your internal network by combining software and hardware tools, all the while educating your employees on the latest cybersecurity trends and practices. To that end, let’s explore the five effective solutions that will help you elevate data security in your company.

It All Starts with Employee Training

First and foremost, you can’t expect to maximize the efficiency and efficacy of your cybersecurity tools and smart systems if your employees don’t know the first thing about proper data management and storage. Always remember that your employees are the front line of your cybersecurity strategy and that you should prioritize cybersecurity training and education in order to provide them with the knowledge and expertise they need to keep your data safe at all times. Simply put, there is no denying the importance of cybersecurity training in the dangerous digital world.

There are two main ways you can organize cybersecurity workshops: you can have your in-house IT staff conduct them, or you can bring in outside IT experts. If your in-house IT employees are not educators and are unsure how to pass their knowledge to employees from other departments, then you should definitely enlist the help of outside consultants and educators. Luckily, nowadays you can find agencies and freelancers that specialize in corporate cybersecurity training with ease.

Integrate Two-factor Authentication

Now that your staff knows how to handle, store, and keep sensitive business data out of the hands of scammers, you can start implementing tools and tech solutions. One of the most obvious tools you can implement quickly is two-factor authentication to elevate cybersecurity, which will effectively put up another roadblock that a hacker or scammer will have to overcome to enter your data stores. Always keep in mind that every device and every account on every tool and platform you use internally is a potential entryway into your IT infrastructure, and you never know when a device might fall into the wrong hands.

For example, someone might try to enter your email account from an employee’s computer or smartphone, or they might try to gain access from their own (unregistered) device, at which point you need to have a two-factor authentication process in place to verify their identity. You should use this tool for all log-in information and accounts in your company.

Use VPN to your Advantage

Ask any cybersecurity expert and they will tell you that using a VPN for your company’s network is one of the best ways to elevate the security of your employees, make browsing the web safer, and capitalize on online anonymity and privacy. After all, if your employees’ information is private, there is a lower chance of cyber threats and tracks overall.

That said, there are many intricacies of VPN addresses and providers so before you choose one, you should find a detailed VPN guide that will tell you everything you need to know about its advantages and disadvantages and help you find reputable providers that can accommodate your needs. In the long run, your VPN will help safeguard your network as a whole, while at the same time boosting efficiency and productivity in the workplace by circumventing geographic restrictions, bypassing censorship and firewalls, and even improving internet speeds.

Re-evaluate your Hosting Plan

Another important change you need to make is to re-evaluate your hosting plan and migrate to a better one if possible. There are many benefits of choosing a dedicated server over shared hosting, one of the most powerful advantages being higher security for your website and your data center. With regular software updates and backups, top-of-the-line server firewalls, non-stop support and emergency service, remote access features and more, a dedicated hosting plan is the best choice if your goal is to take data security to a whole new level.

Don’t Forget About Password Management

Finally, your employees should understand the best practices pertaining to password security, including proper password creation rules and storage protocols. That said, it’s still better for you to take matters into your own hands and integrate a reliable password management tool that will create truly unique strings of letters, numbers, and special characters to maximize the strength of every password used in your company and across all of your devices. This way, your employees won’t have to waste time creating passwords, and they won’t have to risk losing them or inadvertently handing them out to online con artists.

Wrapping Up

Improving data security should be one of your top priorities if your goal is to safeguard your brand’s image and reputation. With these tips and tools in your arsenal, you should have no problem keeping your business, your employees, and your data safe.