Whether you own a small startup or a million-dollar enterprise, security breaches are a potential threat that should not be overlooked. It is critical to safeguard your business from disruptions due to security violations. Most small business owners tend to relax their data protection efforts, but that is the vulnerability that cybercriminals are waiting to exploit. Protect your customer’s information from security breaches.
The importance of data protection
Any leakage of client’s information, whether intentional or accidental, is considered a security breach. And it may damage the reputation of your business and cost you time and money. Protecting customer information should, therefore, be your highest priority.
Here are some examples of customer information your business needs to protect from a security breach.
Account data
Ensure that you protect all account data for your customers. Such information may include social security numbers, names, residence, and credit card information. These kinds of documents can easily be used to identify customers or employees, and you do not want them to fall in the wrong hands.
Health information
If you are offering health services, then you are charged with ensuring that all patient information is kept confidential. Remember, breach of patients privacy is punishable by law.
Credit card information
When a customer purchases a product or service and pays through their credit card, your system should ensure that the details of the credit card are secure.
How to prevent a security breach involving your customer’s data
Secure your point of sale (POS)
Securing your point of sale (POS) is another way to ensure customer information is safe from unauthorized access by third parties. Select a data protection expert who provides combined secure connectivity solutions. The provider will have devices integrated on your premise that will provide advanced services such as cloud-management and next-generation firewalls.
POS protection services are available for any business ranging from small retailers to large chains managing hundreds or even thousands of stores. Securing your POS is especially crucial for retailers, grocery chains, restaurants, and hospitality markets, which access large numbers of customer information daily.
Invest in advanced threat management
Another way to strengthen consumer protection is by investing in advanced threat management. Advanced threat management is a system that enables you to monitor your business around the clock, and allows you to foresee any future threats. Your security team can then act immediately by finding a preventive measure to ensure the threat does not progress.
Be vigilant in addressing network threats
You can never be too safe, so always strive to identify the risks on your network fast using these three simple steps. The best way to prevent a security breech is to be proactive.
1. Gaining visibility
Gaining visibility means that you can locate any threats on your network and prevent possible damages. Knowledge of the signs of cyberattack is essential if you are to remedy the situation effectively. This step is the one that will determine your next course of action.
2. Detect encrypted threats
You should also be able to detect any threat in your traffic. For instance, using a device such as the Encrypted Traffic Analytics can enable you to identify whether or not there is a security threat, and this gives you time to contain it before it can result in real damages.
3. Contain threats
After recognizing a threat, you must be in a position to contain it before it escalates. You can do this by protecting against possible IoT, or Internet of Things, attacks. One additional recommendation is to install devices such as Rapid Threat Containment, which can contain any threats to your network.
How to select a network security provider
Selecting the right wireless network security provider can be a little tricky. Therefore you need to factor in some of the things that specifically affect your line of business. Similarly, do some research to learn about all potential security providers properly.
Consider capacity planning for the subscriber, device growth, and the machines that need connection. Choose a solutions provider with a powerful and practical WAN, or wide-area network, security platform with flexible co-management services. This will ensure that they deliver enhanced network connectivity, resilience, and security. With this in mind, you will have a general idea of what kind of security network provider to choose.
Always keep these in mind that every business has unique security needs, and that your business has specific vulnerabilities that cybercriminals can exploit. Your preferred security provider should be able to identify these and recommend a working plan to keep third parties out of your system.
