How to Protect Your Business from a Data Disaster

How to Protect Your Business from a Data Disaster

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You probably don't think about it daily, but your business has valuable information that cybercriminals would love to get their hands on. This not only includes everything specific to your business but even the information of your customers. Anything you have on a computer can be breached, but there are steps you can take to safeguard against that. At PalmTech Computer Solutions, we have the experts who can provide data breach consulting in West Palm Beach for your business!

What is a Data Breach?

Data breaches are occurrences of unauthorized persons gaining access to a company's sensitive information through various methods. While it's challenging to prevent them from happening altogether, there's a lot that can be done to deter these cyber criminals from trying. The harder you make it for them, the more likely they'll move on to an easier target.

What Can Be Accessed in a Data Breach?

Depending on the skill of a criminal, anything about your business can be accessed. Some of the most common targets include:

  • Credit card numbers
  • Passwords
  • Health information
  • Bank account information
  • Social security numbers

This is only a small sample of what can be stolen and released to the public, putting your business in a horrible no-win situation.

You Should Always Be Ready

Whether you’re a small or large business, everyone’s a target. Last year, there were 1,473 data breaches in the United States, exposing over 164.68 million sensitive records to the world.

One of the most massive and devastating breaches in the past few years was the Equifax breach in 2017. Two hundred thousand credit card numbers were left completely exposed, making it extremely simple for others to commit fraud. On top of that, sensitive information such as license numbers, birthdates, and social security numbers was also exposed.

While these massive data breaches make the national news, it's still essential for small businesses to be prepared as there's still much risk. A data breach of a smaller company would hurt much more than one against a larger company that can handle the consequences of a disaster.

How do Data Breaches Happen?

Cybercriminals have multiple methods to initiate data breaches. The good news is that there's a lot that can be done to stop many of them.

Malware and Downloads

Have you ever had one of those emails that just didn't quite look right? You can't put your finger on it, but something seems "off." Some of these phishing emails are relatively easy to notice, but when it comes to someone pretending to be someone else, they can be harder to spot.

Look for standard grammar and spelling errors, plus double-check the exact email address. The contact can be changed to look official, but these attackers usually won't use a legitimate email address from a business. If anything seems suspicious, don't click any links or download attachments.

Easy Passwords

Is your password “1234” or “abcd?” Is it your name? If the answer is “yes,” change it right now. A password that’s easy to guess makes a cybercriminal’s task a lot easier. Simple passwords can leave you completely exposed. Try to use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols to make it as challenging to guess as possible.

How to Prepare for a Data Breach

Complete a Risk Assessment

The best thing you can do to start is completing a risk assessment. This is when you go over your business with a fine comb, looking for any exposed areas that would make a data breach easy to carry out. Some of the areas you should look over include:

  • Passwords
  • Who has access to sensitive information
  • Stored data security
  • Software

Have a Response Plan Ready

It might not be thrilling to think about, but if your business ever does fall victim to a data breach, it’s best to be as prepared as possible. Having a plan won’t mean it’ll be a stress-free occasion, but at least everyone will know what actions to take next.

Get Help from the Experts

If you're trying to do everything yourself, you could be putting your company at risk since you won't know everything you should be looking out for. Hiring experts who have extensive
knowledge of data breaches can help save your business from an attack.

Looking for Data Breach Consulting in West Palm Beach?

PalmTech Computer Solutions wants to help protect your business's private information and your customers, so you won't have to deal with an excruciatingly tricky problem in the future. Contact us today to get started!