Data Security: No longer just a buzz word.
(image credit : perspecsys)
Contrary to popular beliefs, data security is not just for large companies with a whole host of clients from many different sectors. Data security is something that needs to be considered by all companies no matter the size. It’s been said that the customers are the most important stakeholder in a company because it’s their business that drives yours…So why would you jeopardise that by not implementing some form of data security to keep not only your company, but your customers safe?
But what is data security? For a long time it seemed that the phrase was a buzz word used by marketers to get your attention. However in the last seven years data security has rapidly become one of the cornerstones for many businesses. Data security is simply put, a way to protect any data that you might have stored on a device that is susceptible to destructive forces and unwanted access. To be able to ensure that a customers’ details and the details of your own company will remain secure and confidential is a big selling point.
Many companies and individuals believe that having a firewall constitutes as data security, so why would you need more? Well unfortunately the old firewall isn’t what it used to be. Yes, a firewall does count towards data security but this isn’t the only implementation that you should be counting on to protect yourself and your clients/customers. As data security technology evolves so do the ‘hackers’ that seek to break into your company’s data, which means that you will have to be constantly updating your preventative measures to keep up to speed. It’s unfortunate that this is the case but it’s better to stay up to date then fall behind and get caught out.
So what are the added measures that you can take when it comes to your business and data security? Well there are a whole host of ways that you can further secure your data, and by not just relying on one form of data security means that you will be giving those looking to ‘break in’ to your company a much harder time. While it might not seem to be a high tech data security method, creating backups is a lot more effective than one might think. Firstly, many breaches of security can bring down the system that your company operates on. Many files may be corrupted or even missing, all of which will cause significant down time for your business. Obviously a backup will ensure data which is lost can be recovered from another source. But it can also allow for an inventory of what is missing. A lot of the time there can be multiple attacks on a system in a way to misdirect you from what is really being corrupted or ‘hacked’, if you are able to draw a comparison between your backups and your breached system then you may be able to get a clearer understanding of what was targeted and how best to deal with it.
Software security is also a viable pick when protecting your data, however there is some controversy when comparing to it to hardware securities. Software mechanisms are an affordable and (usually) reliable system to protect your company, however, keep in mind that this type of protection IS code, the mechanics to implement this form of security is subjected to corruption just as the data it’s protecting is. No matter how advanced or complex a system’s software preventative measure is, it can still fall prey to malicious code seeking to corrupt or steal information. Hardware security on the other hand is reputed to be more robust in preventing unwelcome users. With such tools as biometric technology to prevent malicious users from accessing the system, hardware security is one of the most secure security measures that one can take to protect their files. The only way for hardware securities to fail is if the hardware itself is malicious or if there is some form of ‘backdoor’ programmed into the system. Hopefully when considering acquiring a hardware system these things will not become an issue for you.
It’s all well and good to discuss the pro and cons of data security, but does this have any bearing in regards to relocation or visa management? When dealing with other companies globally, you need to be able to comply with their data security policies. No industry professional should be trading information with you if they aren’t 100% certain that you have the proper systems in place to ensure that the data remains secure. Due to the rapid growth of technology it’s not just industry professionals that are up to speed with data security, your customers and clients will also have an understanding of security and if your policies aren’t available to the public in an act of transparency then you could be losing out on business.
We’re not telling you to go out and buy the most expensive data security you can find. What we are asking is for you to be aware that while it may not seem like a big deal now, it will be once it happens to you. So for the sake of your company and of your clients, look into data security.
