Keeping customer data secure is important for the success of your business. Follow these easy steps to protect customer data by our experts.
Data rules the business world and is an eminent part of any venture. That is why how you handle data determines the fate of your enterprise.
Cyberattacks are not uncommon and have cost even big firms like Yahoo, so being extra careful about how to secure consumer data can go a long way.
Since people are becoming more and more conscious of data security, keeping customer data secure also helps build trust in your brand.
Here are ten steps to protect customer data and build healthy consumer relationships that will help you dodge cyber-attacks.
Educate your team
Securing your data is not one man’s game and requires team efforts. Educate your team about the consequences of data breaches and how they can avoid them. Motivate them to use strong passwords, never share or save them on mobile phones, or open suspicious emails and attachments.
Use the right tools
Installing and renewing tools like anti-virus, malware, firewall, and junk email filters might take a lot in terms of money and time. But never underestimate their role in securing consumer data.
Moreover, having all these tools ensures multiple layers of security if one line of defense fails and is one of the most important steps to secure consumer data.
Not only this, always make sure all your devices have the latest security updates. You can also time these updates to make sure you don’t miss them without hampering the work of your resources.
Use VPN
Limit the number of people that can access your company server. Encourage using a VPN or Virtual Private Network while accessing any important files**.** However, be careful while choosing the VPN and go for the one you can trust to secure consumer data.
Password Management tools
Employees often create common and easy passwords, making your data vulnerable. So, always encourage them to use password management tools. These tools not only generate strong passwords but also store them with encryptions. Consequently, they will not be visible without the encryption key, even if someone gets access to your password manager.
Restrict Access
Limit the number of people who can access your sensitive information – the more people login into your server, the more breakpoints. So, if you need to give access to multiple team members, consider blocking the functions/fields each of them can access to bring down the vulnerable points.
Back up your data
Never trust just one device when it comes to your valuable data. Back up your data either on other devices or on cloud servers to ensure that it stays secure even in case of a breakdown.
Have a monitoring system
Maintain a centralized monitoring system to keep an eye on all the servers and databases. You can also track your network in case of a data breach. Moreover, besides being a crucial step to protect customer data, this will also serve as a backup to the main servers in emergencies, like maintenance.
Have a crisis management plan
Always be prepared for the worst and have a crisis management plan ready. Train your resources on how to act under attack. It can include steps like switching off the vulnerable devices and informing the customers. A stitch in time saves nine – taking appropriate measures under attack can save a lot of potential damage.
Work with partners who prioritize data security
Outsourcing is the new trend in the software world. But when choosing partners, go for people who put security first. Always ensure that they comply with the security standards and use the correct tools to avoid and prevent data breaches.
Keep testing!
Nothing is perfect. Even if you take appropriate measures to secure consumer data thinking it is safe – keep testing. Hackers lookout for the latest strategies to get to your data and exploit it. So always test your data security tools and plan regularly. Monitor the latest trends and software updates.
Concluding Words
Data breaches lead to monitory losses and distrust of your consumers, making them the worst nightmare of any organization. Therefore, it is essential to take adequate steps to protect customer data. The old-age saying – “prevention is better than cure,” holds here as you can dodge this threat by following simple protocols like limiting the number of people who access the servers and taking a backup of your data.
Tools like a password manager, anti-virus, and firewall also go a long way, and going for a cloud server or timing the software updates can also help you keep consumer data secure.
