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Did you know small businesses are the primary target of cyberattacks? As levels of cybercrime rise, small businesses across Canada have been left vulnerable to security breaches, malware, and other common cyber threats. Being the victim of a cyberattack doesn’t just hurt your business; it can also harm your customers.
Your customers trust you to protect their personal information. If that information were to be lost or stolen, it could be disastrous for both them and your reputation. Without strict security standards, you’re constantly putting customers at risk.
Employing comprehensive security measures is the most effective way to prevent cyberattacks from happening and keep your customers’ data safe. But how can companies protect sensitive information from cyber threats? In this article, we’ll discuss seven ways companies protect their customers’ data.
Network Protection
An unprotected network is the easiest target for cybercriminals. If your network doesn’t have any security measures to keep it safe, what’s to stop a hacker from barging in and stealing customers’ personal data?
Every successful company utilizes network protection in some way. There are several different methods you might use, but all of them have the same purpose: to prevent unwanted visitors from gaining access to sensitive information.
Around-the-Clock Monitoring
If someone outside of your business managed to access your network, how long would it take you to notice? For companies without around-the-clock monitoring, it could be hours or even days before you spot the irregularities. To prevent this, many companies hire IT experts that use 24/7/365 network monitoring. Constant monitoring ensures that no strange activity can escape your notice. It can also help you proactively handle dangerous cyber threats, so your business operations remain unaffected.
Strong Password Policies
Weak passwords are one of the top reasons for data breaches. The weaker the password, the easier it will be for someone to hack you and steal your personal data. Because of this, all business owners must be careful about what passwords they and their employees are using.
Many companies now use strong password policies. These policies detail when passwords should be changed and how to create strong ones so that every team member’s account remains secure. Strong passwords are long and have a mix of uppercase, lowercase, special characters, and digits. It’s also essential that the same strong password is never used for more than one account.
Multi-Factor Authentication
Although strong passwords are certainly an effective cybersecurity measure, it isn’t completely foolproof. Even with a strong password, a hacker might still be able to break into your account. Multi-factor authentication, or MFA, is one way to mitigate this risk.
MFA has become more and more popular as rates of cybercrime skyrocket. This method of account protection requires the user to input at least two forms of verification. In most cases, this will be your password, and a code sent to your phone or email. This is a quick yet effective way to secure customer information.
File Encryption
Encryption technology is an extremely effective way to protect sensitive data from cybercriminals. Encryption is a way to limit access to a file, so no one can see the file except those who are meant to see it.
File encryption might initially sound intimidating, but it isn’t as complicated as you might think. Encryption encodes a file by scrambling it to make it unreadable. Authorized individuals use a decryption key to read the file. Meanwhile, anyone who does not have a decryption key will be unable to ‘unscramble’ the file and read it. It’s like putting the data in a locked box, then using a key to open it!
Secure Cloud Services
The cloud is an innovative piece of technology that has helped businesses thrive and prosper over the last few years, but it isn’t secure on its own. Without additional security measures, your business’s cloud could easily be hacked, and customer data could be stolen.
To prevent this, many companies have turned to secure cloud services. These services are designed to offer the same efficient, cost-effective cloud as before but with more security measures in place. By using secure cloud services, you’ll be leaving cybersecurity to the experts.
Cyber Security Services for Businesses in Alberta
Need stronger cybersecurity to protect customer data? We’re happy to help. Alt-Tech Inc. provides high-quality cybersecurity services for businesses across Alberta, from 24/7/365 network monitoring to data recovery. Contact us today to get started.
