1. Not knowing where you’re going wrong
Activate the news and you are sure that in violation of some major data, and in those cases, victims are always of large corporations or government institutions. Now, these companies have taken data security seriously and put many resources to keep their defense updated. If they are in danger, imagine it is necessary for hackers and other mischievous organizations to secure security protocols bypassing a small and medium business. So you need to evaluate the differences in the data security measures of your company and prevent the following data security errors from prevention.
When you enter only one problem, you will move towards a solution. Data security is a continuous process because new threats constantly emerging and criminals try new ways to gain access to their valuable data
2. Taking the wrong approach
Most SMBs go into data security with a compliance-based mindset. But data security is not just about listing compliance requirements and then checking off the entries with the least resources and effort possible. This kind of approach leaves loopholes in the security that crumble under more severe threats.
To become truly effective, companies should safeguard their most valuable assets and employ an approach based on existing threats. Identify the valuable data, examine potential threats and modes of attack and decide how vulnerable your company is to a specific scenario. Use this extensive risk assessment to then complement your compliance requirements and plug any data security gaps.
3. Working with an uninformed staff
Your employees are your greatest asset as well as the most prominent threat to your data security. A single unsafe click by an employee on your network can threaten your entire business. That’s why you need to implement security awareness programs so your staff becomes aware of the best online security practices.
Update your staff about standards and policies, and regularly ask them to review the current security measures. Only when you train and educate your staff properly will you have a strong data security program in place
As ransomware attacks grow in number, it’s a fool’s errand to leave anything to leave. That is why you need to back up your systems and have contingencies in place for hardware failure, theft, and the malicious cyber activity. Without a backup, you stand to lose all existing data on your system.
There are different types of data backups and you should know what works for your business. Also, it’s a good idea to store your backup in a secure offline location. What’s more, backup apps are available that are fully or partially automated on the process on your behalf. Create a backup strategy, about what’s going to be backed up, frequency and post-attack recovery plans.
5. Underfunding your data security
Data security is often expensive, and it’s often the first thing to go when SMBs need to save money. But this underfunding increases the chances of dire cyberattacks. The resulting data leak may not only affect your business’ reputation but also lead to a lawsuit and the loss of clients.
Finalize your security budget only after accounting for all the risks faced by your company. Calculate how much you’ll have to spend on data security, and how much more you stand to lose if you leave this avenue underfunded. Comprehensive security policies and smart planning help you form a reliable IT security for small businesses in an inexpensive way.
6. Underestimating insider threats
SMBs should never disregard the problem of malicious insiders. Instead of focusing all efforts on protecting the digital perimeter, small firms should focus on preventing the theft and misuse of valuable company details from people inside the company.
Take suitable precautions to detect and respond to internal threats in the company. These measures often feature smart access policy, user activity logging, and minimal background checks.
7. Running systems with outdated software
Company employees often use the same software they know and are comfortable with. The tiniest UI change can often take a month to become accustomed to and disrupt the normal routine of employees considerably. Small businesses should be flexible when adapting or upgrading new solutions.
8. Granting unchecked user privileges
Assigning a certain set of privileges to one user is a great way to establish the scope of access that users must have. This enables them to access apps and data directly while blocking them from other sensitive data. This tool is useful for protecting your data if your account is breached and preventing insider attacks.
Unfortunately, most SMBs don’t use this tool and grant complete privileges to new accounts without restrictions. The right thing to do would be to grant minimum privileges to new users by default. Companies must increase the scope of their access only when it’s absolutely essential.
9. Mishandling your passwords
You must secure access to data properly while establishing your data security strategy. Use passwords whenever possible and manage them carefully. Refrain from using weak or default passwords. It’s also not a good idea for employees to share a single account. Prevent employees from sharing passwords with one another and promote careful password management.
10. Failing to terminate accounts
Lots of SMBs fail to establish a comprehensive procedure for terminating staff. Once the worker is terminated, their account stays on and companies even hand off these accounts to other staff without altering the credentials. If the account remains unchanged, the former employee may use their access to perform malicious acts like fraud or data theft.