Many small businesses are faced with data security challenges with the number of people with access to our valuable information continues to rise. This information, unfortunately, can be misused by those who wish to do us harm and for many of us, this means that it’s not always clear who among us is actually doing the bad thing. It can also be challenging for small businesses to protect themselves from these thieves who may use our information to try and infiltrate our businesses and the personal lives of our customers.

How to Protect Your Information

So how do small businesses fight against info security challenges? Creating a data security plan. This type of plan details exactly how the company plans to protect itself against outside threats, and the means by which they are going to do so. By creating a data security plan and implementing tools like shredding services, your business can stay safe and remain compliant.

Limit Access

If certain information is too sensitive then limit the access to who is able to view it, whether it’s a document or a file on a computer. This can be done by adding passwords to computer files or putting documents in a locked file cabinet.

Train Your Employees

Train your employees about data security and how to protect your most sensitive information. Provide your employees with training materials on data protection and how to secure company information. Let them know not only the importance of having up-to-date, encrypted passwords on all computer systems but that they need to know how to change these passwords regularly – at least once a week.

Next, you should have someone who oversees all of the implementing and managing information security procedures. These individuals will be responsible for making sure their employees know what to do and what not to do. Additionally, they will be responsible for making sure that all policies and procedures are being followed. If these employees are not well-trained in being fully compliant with the different security measures they are being asked to follow, they will not be as effective in stopping a criminal act in its tracks.

Passwords

Many companies now store most of their data online in cloud storage or on their office computers, leading to a security risk if not done correctly. If you are storing sensitive information, it’s essential to protect them by giving them passwords that limit access to the files. Many people will use simple words for their password to remember, which is a mistake because it can be guessed easily, making it not secure. So make sure you use a password with at least eight characters, including at least one capital letter and one symbol. Changing your passwords regularly for more confidential files is another way to add an extra layer of data protection.

Use Shredding Services

Shredding companies specialize in helping businesses protect their information and have been a part of businesses for a long time. Their shredding services destroy documents or hard drives that contain confidential information that is no longer needed. They are experts in data protection and have designed their shredding services to match the needs of every size of business. Small businesses should take advantage of these shredding services, and you can do so as often as you need. Whether you want more regular shredding services or just use it once or twice a year.

Clean Desk Policy

Having a clean desk might be a simple policy but it’s also an important one. Ensuring your employees are cleaning their desks on a regular basis means that documents that contain sensitive information don’t get left out in the open or even forgotten about.

After creating a data security plan, ensure your employees always have access to the tools they need to implement that plan, keeping your business safe and secure from data risks.

Find a Shred Vault location or call us today at (866) 976-7818 for secure shredding service.