How to Keep Your Small Business Records Safe and Secure

Data security should be a vital area of concern for all small-business owners. Considering all the important data stored virtually, it is easy to see why a single breach can cause serious damage to your business. According to a 2012 Verizon Data Breach study, about 174 million records were compromised the same year. 74 percent of these cases were from external sources.

The records you should keep vary depending on your business, location, and industry. They may include:

  • Business documents that establish your right to conduct business
  • Financial data that reflects your financial dealings such as accounts receivable and tax filings
  • Business agreements that show your company’s obligations to your clients, suppliers, and vendors
  • Executive decisions that show the business decisions that were made, including annual reports and dividend records
  • Regulatory compliance records that indicate you have met the regulatory and legal requirements

You can use HRIS software to manage business records such as spreadsheets, but you need different tools to secure these records also. The following are the essential security measures that you should take to secure your business.

Establish Strong Passwords

Establishing strong passwords is the simplest thing to do to enhance your security. You need to combine capital and lower-case letters, symbols, and numbers, and ensure they are eight to twelve characters long. Avoid using personal data such as birth dates, or sequences of characters close together on the keyboard, or common words spelled backward.

You need to change your passwords every 90 days, or as often as you want depending on the sensitivity of your data. Also, each employee should have a username and password for logging into the system. Employees should never share passwords.

Set Up a Strong Firewall

To have a well-protected network, a firewall is a must. Firewalls protect your system by monitoring and controlling the internet traffic accessing and flowing out of your business. Firewalls are pretty standard across the board.

Install Antivirus Protection

Antivirus and anti-malware software are vital in your arsenal of internet security. They are the last line of protection in case an unwanted attack gets through your network.

Update Your Software Regularly

Ensuring your programs are patched and updated is a significant step toward being fully protected. It is pointless to install all these great programs if you can’t maintain them well. Your security programs are as good as their most recent update. While it is not possible to make your applications 100 percent fool-proof, updating these tools will help to keep your users safe. The regular updating of your programs keeps you abreast with any recent security holes and issues that programmers have fixed.

Secure Your Laptops

Given their portability, your laptops pose a higher risk of being stolen or lost than your company desktops. Thus, it is vital to take extra steps to ensure your sensitive data is protected. Specialists recommend encrypting your laptop for added safety. Encryption software alters the way information looks on the hard disk. Without the correct password, the information can’t be read.

Furthermore, never leave your laptop in your car because this makes it an easy target for thieves. Instead, lock it up in the trunk.

Secure Your Mobile Phone

Currently, smartphones have the capacity to hold lots of data, and you should consider them as vital as your company’s computers. The phones are also more easily stolen or lost. Thus, securing them is a must. So, ensure they have:

  • Encryption software
  • Password protection. Also ensure you enable an automatic lock after a certain duration of inactivity
  • Remote wiping enabled in case the device gets stolen and you want to prevent the thief from accessing your information

The security of your information is necessary for the success of your business and to prevent loss of finances and a damaged reputation. Thus, your business information must be protected carefully. This advice will help you to achieve your security goals and prevent disasters that may arise due to information breaches and loss.

About the author

Anica is a professional content and copywriter who graduated from the University of San Francisco. She loves dogs, the ocean, and anything outdoor-related. She was raised in a big family, so she's used to putting things to a vote. Also, cartwheels are her specialty. You can connect with Anica here. If you are interested in an online safety degree, Anica suggests you check out the programs offered by Eastern Kentucky University.

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