Losing data and assets can be crippling for a business, therefore it’s crucial that organisations protect this information at all costs, especially where sensitive or confidential information is concerned. But how do you do this effectively? What are the top data security methods?
Data security methods are essential for protecting your business’ information and assets. Here are the top five data security methods to protect your business:
- Encryption
- Network security
- Access controls
- Data backups
- Physical security
Read on to learn more about the top data security methods and why you should implement them with the NEBRC.
What are the Top Five Data Security Methods?
Protecting your business’ and customer’s data is a key concern in today’s world where scammers and attackers are becoming increasingly sophisticated. As such, effective data security is essential for businesses of all sizes. Here are the top five ways of protecting your data.
Encryption
Encryption is a key data security method for businesses. Imagine sending a letter but the words are all jumbled up and are unreadable, unless you have the key to unscramble it. If the letter gets intercepted, it doesn’t matter as much as the contents are unreadable. This is what encryption does to data. Unless you have the key to unscramble it, the data is almost worthless.
However, it’s worth noting that encryption is not fool proof and must be implemented correctly to be effective. You also have to ensure that the encryption key does not get lost or stolen, rendering the data inaccessible to you. Additionally, encryption keys can be broken over time, particularly if they aren’t updated and kept in line with the latest best practices.
Network Security
Network security protects the data and assets stored on computer networks from unauthorised access, theft or damage. This may include the use of:
- Firewalls
- Implementing intrusion detection systems
- Encryption (see above)
One of the key benefits of implementing good network security is that it ensures that confidential and sensitive information remains secure. It also limits the risk of data breaches by preventing unauthorised access.
Access Controls
Access controls restrict the access to information within a business. It allows you to make it so that confidential or sensitive information can only be accessed by authorised users. This may be done via the use of passwords, multi-factor authentication or role-based access controls.
Not only does this reduce the risk of data breaches and theft, but it also adds a layer of accountability against sensitive or confidential information, allowing businesses to monitor actions around this data.
Data Backups
Backing up your data is an essential data security method, made even better by having multiple backups in different places. This ensures that your information is preserved in the event of data loss, damage, corruption or theft.
We recommend backing up your data in multiple locations, one of which being off-site and off-network. A great way to do this is by using a cloud-based storage platform and keeping copies locally, in secure physical locations
Physical Security
All of the above is only good if your business’ physical security is also considered. Computers, laptops, mobile devices and hard drives could easily be physically stolen, therefore it’s important that you consider this as part of your data security plan.
If you have an office, is it secure? Or could someone walk right in and steal your assets? If your team is remote, do you have security policies in place to ensure the security of assets and data?
Are adequate passwords or other access systems implemented? Don’t underestimate the power of passwords. Learn more about this in our blog, How to Implement Safer Passwords.
Why Is Data Security Important?
Data security is important for businesses in case of cyber attacks, system failure, insider threats and human error – both of which continue to be among the leading causes of data breaches. Good data security practices minimises the risk of such things happening.
Not only that, there are a few other reasons why data security methods are so important:
- Protects your businesses reputation
- Ensures legal compliance
- Maintains customer trust and confidence
- Provides competitive advantage
- Avoids additional costs and potential fines
Learn How to Properly Secure Your Data With NEBRC
For further guidance on data security methods for your business, contact [email protected][email protected]. You can also stay up to date with the ever-changing digital landscape and security threats, by signing up for our free core membership.
The NEBRC is a Police led non-profit organisation that seeks to educate, inform, and support businesses across the UK on how to protect their business online through good cyber security practices.