It’s important to be secure with data and this can be for many different reasons. There is a lot more legislation in this area than there was in the past as it’s so much easier for data to be misused with the rise of the internet and the markets, both legal and illegal, exist for the sale and transfer of users data. So every organization should have a clear and workable data security strategy and here we will look at how and why this should be a priority.
Know the Law
You’ll need to be aware of the law regarding data security and protection and this can vary depending on the country or territory in which you are operating. But the thing that’s common in all of them is that they will be concerned with protecting the data of everyone involved with your company. There will be lengths of time you can hold data for and also how you can use the data while you have it. For example, in most places, you cannot sell on data without permission of some kind.
Have an Internal Policy
It’s important to have a clear and easily understandable policy on how you and your staff should be able to uphold the law already discussed. Every member of staff should be put through appropriate training to achieve this.
How to Properly Dispose of IT Hardware
Something that may not always be easily apparent is that old IT hardware can contain data that is confidential and should not just be thrown out with the trash. This can include PCs but also things like smart-phones and even USB storage devices. Even just deleting hard drive contents isn’t enough as data can be recovered if you know what you are doing. Employing an IT asset disposal specialist is the best way to be sure this is done properly.
Be Protected
It’s important that every business, even small ones, have systems in place to protect data from breaches. This can include off the shelf products like a firewall or virus-checker software but it might also be the case, if you are a larger organization, then you might need to consider getting an expert firm in to design a bespoke security system for your company.
Be Transparent to Customers & Staff
There will be a minimum amount you need to do to inform customers on how you use their data, but there are ways of being sneaky with this, such as long and complicated terms and conditions. But it’s probably better to be upfront with them, this will enhance your reputation as a good and trustworthy company to deal with.
Revoke Access When People Move On
You also need to have a system to check that all data is not accessible to former employees. So when someone leaves it’s important to have a checklist of everything that needs to be removed such as system logins and email access as well as physical access to the building.