Data Security is Not Just a C-Level Concern

Security threats to businesses are all over the internet now. It’s not just hackers and viruses you have to be on the lookout for, or even the all-too-common hardware failure of hard drives and laptops. No, today’s companies have to be mindful of internal threats to the safety and security of data and maintaining absolute compliance with rules and regulations across industries.

Those internal threats are, of course, your actual employees.

More than 60% of data breaches are directly caused by human error. Whether it’s the result of clicking, or worse, opening an attachment from a phishing email, leaving an unlocked company phone at a Starbucks, or using the same password for all work accounts, uninformed or careless employees cause the majority of data loss events for their organization.

It’s no longer just company executives or internal tech teams that need to be concerned about network security. Every single employee should be as well.

Importance of Security Training for Employees

It doesn’t matter how great the security tools and antivirus and antispyware software you have in place are. Those tools won’t help you if your own employees don’t understand their own role and responsibility in safeguarding sensitive company data and resources. There are a variety of security topics for training and educating employees. Starting with the basics can help create a culture of awareness and vigilance. This will quickly get employees up to speed on the importance of adhering to data security best practices while saving the company time and money.

Those basics include:

• Maintaining a clean desk, desktop and mobile device
  • Get in the habit of putting everything away, so confidential information is not left out accidentally
  • Keep the operating system and necessary software updated
• Keeping with password best practices
  • Never reuse the same password for anything
  • Create long, strong passwords at least 12 characters in length, including special characters
  • Implement two-factor authentication when available
• Being able to identify suspicious emails
  • Check for basic spelling and grammatical errors
  • Verify that displayed name/email address are correct and not spoofed
  • If something seems off, speak up
• Regularly backing up files and work
  • Create an automatic backup schedule
  • Save work files frequently
  • Store files where they actually belong
• Establish a policy document to formalize your standards
  • Have all employees sign off on the policies

Learn More: Everything You Need to Know About Cybersecurity

Enforce Data Security Policies – Seriously

What’s the point of training employees on company data security policies if these aren’t being enforced?

Well, there really isn’t much of a point in that case. That’s why you must be sure the people overseeing company-wide data security policies have the tools, resources and management buy-in necessary to actively and vigilantly enforce those policies. Sometimes that means forcing password resets on company-owned devices every 30 days and sometimes that means being able to remotely lock company-owned devices in the event of a missing or stolen piece of equipment.

Ensure Your Employees Get the Proper Data Security Training

Partnering with a trusted IT advisor or outside consultant is generally the safest and surest bet that your company has implemented network and data security policies properly. On top of that, trusted IT consultants such as KJ Technology can also train employees on any new policies, why they are important, and what can happen if/when they are not followed. Bottom line: Save your organization time and money and prevent major technology headaches.

Contact KJ Technology today to assess your company’s security policy.