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One essential aspect to remember about security is that those who seek to overcome it rarely ask permission to. A security flaw is unlikely to present itself to you unless penetrated or directly uncovered through an audit, which is why continually inspecting your systems for vulnerabilities is key.
It’s also important to be clear about what threats you’re most and least likely to encounter. For example, is a theft likely to occur because someone broke into your business at night and made off with all your assets? Possibly. Could it be that a lack of accountability measures and security camera installation could incentivize certain staff members to steal from you? That could be a little more likely in terms of probability, even if you think you know everyone who works for you.
Identifying security vulnerabilities in your planning isn’t about fixing what will happen, but what could happen, and what you can’t afford to have happen. In this post, we’ll discuss a few measures for achieving the best outcome:
Continual Cyber-Security Testing
You may have some worthwhile processes already applied to your firm – perhaps you use a worthwhile managed IT service provider that hosts all of your data on secure servers, or you inspire staff to change their password regularly and log on using a VPN when working remotely. But it’s also important to note that some security vulnerabilities, like social engineering or unpatched software, can still cause issues. That’s why regular penetration and security testing through a third-party auditor can make sure you’re ahead of your cybersecurity practice, especially if your staff members aren’t necessarily IT wizards.
Data & IP Theft
If your business happens upon a profitable formula, well, other people would no doubt like to have access to that too. Sure, at the mid-level, you probably won’t need to worry about corporate espionage like the titans of industry do. But that doesn’t mean IP theft or data breaches are something to ignore. For example, compartmentalizing different approaches to your daily planning can help you keep the full project details, especially if you’re researching a new and innovative product, in the hands of people who have the correct authority to manage it. That means you have less chance of leaks, and you can keep products quiet until it’s time to announce them.
Customer Accounts & Safety
It’s important to make sure you treat customer data as sacred because nothing turns off an audience more quickly than accidentally exposing their personal or even financial data. We’ve seen this happen even with massive brands like Sony, and Microsoft recently suffered executive data breaches too. For this reason, making sure you store this information in an encrypted space (preferably third-party), adding redundancies and encouraging customers to change account info, using protected payment providers like PayPal, and generating 2FA tokens can be very helpful. From there, using reliable data providers can be ideal.
With this advice, you’re more likely to identify and protect against security vulnerabilities or resolve them before they become a problem. No company is perfect, but yours will remain focused and attention to any issue, and that counts for a great deal.
