How to Protect Client Confidentiality for Smaller Businesses

When it comes to large corporations like banks and credit card companies, or even smaller practices in the law and medical fields, confidentiality just comes with the territory. But, when you get down to it, there aren’t really too many industries where confidentiality and discretion aren’t an unspoken rule, or at the very least, much appreciated. If you take a little time to make sure your clients’ information is protected, it will make a huge difference.

You could have nothing more than a client contact list to keep under wraps, or you might have large databases or file cabinets full of extremely sensitive information to keep secure. No matter where you fall on that spectrum, these are some things that all business owners should consider.

Phone Security

Almost everyone conducts business over the phone. No matter what product or service you offer, you need to have some way for your clients and customers to get in touch with you. Having a landline dedicated to your business is always the safest bet. Cordless phones are extremely easy for anyone with a radio receiver to eavesdrop on, so corded is best if you discuss extremely sensitive information over the phone. If you or your employees are on the phone all day, you probably use headsets. It’s important to make sure that you have encrypted headsets, as most standard units are as easy to hack as cordless phones.

Landlines, however, are not practical for all types of businesses. Many are on the go throughout their workday and need to be able to connect with clients via mobile phone and email. The least you can do is password protect your phone, especially if you are storing client contacts or information on your device. If you or your employees utilize mobile devices extensively, or in conjunction with a network, it might be time to consider implementing a mobile VPN (virtual private network) that can allow you to add protection to your mobile network.

If you discuss private or financial information with clients on a mobile phone, never ever use bluetooth, as it is incredibly easy for even an average joe to eavesdrop on. Not only this, but simply enabling bluetooth makes all the information on your mobile device easier to hack. Bluetooth technology is a large convenience, but in the end, better safe than sorry.

Building/Office Security

If you are a retailer who keeps product on-site, then security is a given to protect your investment, but it’s also important to protect client information that is stored onsite. A security system is usually the most inexpensive way to protect your space, and it has been proven that the mere presence of security cameras decreases the chance of break-ins and theft.

I don’t even have to say it, but just in case: when disposing of any information, whether it’s on paper or digitally stored on hardware, shred shred shred.

The last thing to remember is that sensitive data can be stored on everyday office equipment. Printers, scanners, fax machines, and even medical equipment have to store the information they receive before they can transmit it, so it’s important to regularly seek out and remove this data.

Web Security

Whether you just use your home computer to run your business, or you have a whole network to manage, web security is paramount. Forbes says that websites are being hacked at a rate of 30,000 a day. There is no underestimating how detrimental a breach or hack can be to your business, and the cost of data breaches has increased by 15% this past year. Online security is constantly evolving to new challenges and threats, but here are the most basic ways to protect your clients’ information:

You need a firewall, but not just any firewall. NGTWs (next generation firewalls) can protect you without being a constant imposition because they are application-aware and have the ability to inspect traffic.

Finding good anti-virus and anti-intrusion software is well worth the money, and malware scanners can be annoying, but can also save you from irreparable damage.

If you have any sort of network infrastructure, whether it be big or small, an encrypted VPN is an absolute must to protect your client’s information from hacking and theft.

You should always back-up your data. On-site servers are the safest bet because their security is completely in your control, but they are not affordable, viable, or practical options for many smaller businesses. If you need to store and back-up data in the cloud, definitely go with a secure hosted server.

Employees

Your employees can either be a risk or an asset when it comes to client confidentiality. The best thing you can do is have a discussion with them about your expectations. Whether it be implementing it into their training, or just holding a meeting to make sure everyone is on the same page, make sure your employees are well aware of their responsibility to your clients.

If your employees handle a lot of sensitive information, especially financial information, or if they work in your client’s home or business, you might want to consider performing background checks or even utilizing confidentiality agreements. Here is a great tool you can use to generate a legal document that you can tailor to your needs, and even the state(s) in which you do business.

Penetration Testing

For businesses that handle or store a lot of sensitive information, especially on the web, it might be worth the money to hire a third party to perform a penetration test to target your weaknesses and fix them. For larger or more technical outfits, this can easily be the most economical way to structure a tailored program of safety and security for you and your clients.

I am not over-exaggerating when I say that client confidentiality can make or break you. Consumers that can trust the people they do business with will continue to come back, and any single breach in that trust can harm the reputation of (or even shut down) an otherwise well-liked and respected company. Taking some time and effort to review these options will be one of the best investments you ever make.