Keep Your Small Business Data Secure

“Your data is at risk every day, especially if you haven’t taken measures to protect it.” This stern warning comes from Ramon Ray for Inc.com, and it is an excellent reminder for us all to protect our data from a potentially devastating security breach. We are all vulnerable, and small businesses, often insufficiently protected, have the most to lose.

Ray suggests you keep these keys in mind for data protection.

1. Automatic backup

Every file on your hard drive should be backed up in a secure offsite location nightly. In addition, cloud-based apps like Dropbox can be used as an additional backup to the cloud.

2. Remote access

Make sure your employees use a VPN to access work files when they’re on the go, so data is secure when they check emails and access files from coffee shops and on their smartphones throughout the day.

3. Data destruction

Whenever you upgrade a work computer be sure that you destroy the data and shred the hard drive of the old computer. For mobile devices that you work from, remove the SIM card before recycling the device.

4. Preparation

Create a contingency plan so that everyone in the company knows what to do if disaster ever strikes and your data is compromised or lost. This preparation should include recovery procedures and protocols for keeping key business operations running in the absence of functional office computers and phones.

To read the article in its entirety, please visit Inc.com.