Cybercrime and digital threats to security have risen greatly in the past few years, as hackers achieve new levels of sophistication in the theft of private information. Resulting data breaches have been massive, showing that rapid improvements must be made to the way data is stored and protected.
Your greatest protection will be your IT department. Build an effective IT security program by giving your team the tools and training that they need to defend against cyber hackers.
Assign Roles
Set up clear lines of responsibility, accountability, and oversight for a layered approach to IT security and data privacy. Within the department appoint a qualified IT Security Officer and provide senior management oversight from without. Checks and balances are the best way to build advanced security.
Note Regulations
Governmental standards have increased in response to security threats. Identify which privacy laws and accountability acts apply to your company and confirm compliance.
Establish Procedures
Document all policies and procedures in a comprehensive file, outlining everything that will help your security goals in a clear map.
Recognize Sensitive Data
Your organization should identify which types of data are considered more sensitive or confidential than others to the business, how and where these are stored, and how strong the controls are in each area.
Conduct Risk Assessment
Basic tests can evaluate your security controls as you put them in place, allowing your team to reassign and reinforce defenses according to high-risk areas.
Monitoring Policy
Determine how your systems will be monitored to prevent breaches by implementing a regular method for reviewing logs and activity reports. Consider network intrusion detection systems that will alert you to external hacking attempts.
Security Due Diligence
New vendors and service providers should be thoroughly vetted to be sure they meet your security criteria, and existing partners should be consistently monitored. Check the measures controlled by your vendors to be sure your data is being adequately protected and correct any weaknesses.
Implement Patch Management Strategy
Protect your organization from newly-discovered threats, both internal and external, by acquiring, testing, and installing all systems to protect them while reducing virus-related threats.
Incident Response Plan
Set up procedures for handling security or data breaches quickly and confidently, including steps for managing containment, beginning investigation, taking legal action, and handling public relations in case of emergency.
Train all employees
Once all procedures and systems are in place, provide company-wide training to inform each department and level what their responsibilities are for ensuring security. Some of the most common breaches occur when employees accidentally share sensitive information. Be clear about what is and is not appropriate to discuss where and when.
Take charge of your IT security program and worry less about the threat of data loss. Your information is only as good as how you protect it, so consider these tips as you strengthen your defenses.
For more information on cloud, data and voice for your business, visit https://telecommedic.com.