Advancement and modernization in technology bring unimaginable challenges and consequences. Every other day a new business emerges. Especially this pandemic has given the world more online entrepreneurs than ever because, due to the lockdown, people have now become aware of how important it is to have even a small-scale online business to survive!
Online or not; technical or non-technical; every kind of business has confidential data that needs to be kept safe and protected from unauthorized individuals. Be it a large company or small scale set up or, and you need to be sure that your data is safe. Because it is just not you who are intelligent enough to take advantage of technology, there are others too who may wish to capitalize on your business; employing privacy/data breach.
Did You Say Breach?
Breach means – a Breakthrough.
When referred in terms of business, a data breach is an unlawful breakthrough in the company’s confidential data. Imagine having a lucratively blooming business; you get recognition as one of the top entrepreneurs. But one day, you find out that years of hard work and success just went down the drain; you are back to score zero, just because you were not conscious enough to learn about privacy breaches and protect your business.
That would be devastating. Data/privacy breaches are, at times, inevitable; however, you can always catch the breach immediately and prevent further damage from happening. It is entirely doable, and you can prevent your data from being prone to landing in the wrong hands.
Different Breaches Bring along Different Problems
It would be highly unprofessional to not learn about the different kinds of data breaches. As a successful entrepreneur or a businessman/woman, you have to prepare yourself for every difficulty thrown in your face.
Commonly these breaches are considered as sub-types of cyber-attack. And due to the increase in cyber-crime, cyber-security companies are in demand. The online masters cybersecurity program is equipping the interested candidates to pursue this career without any hindrance in the way of learning and acquiring necessary knowledge.
Although it is difficult to “number” the types, enlisted are a few fundamental breaches that everybody needs to know if they are saving essential and sensitive data using internet/hard drives, etc.
1. Data Theft or Hacking
The most common type because hacking has become a profession too; sigh. Everything on the internet is prone to hacking; hence stealing data is no biggie. If you are not smart enough to protect your data from hacking, why did you even start a business?
2. Phishing and Pharming Attack
Ever attracted to a site that says, “win a free iPhone,” you click on it, and it asks for personal information. NEVER DO THAT, ever. Nobody is ever giving free candy, let alone a phone.
These are spams to get your information and then misuse it. Sometimes these fake sites show up (phishing), but sometimes the user, when visiting a specific website, is deliberately directed to the fake one (pharming).
3. Malware
Human errors can create problems, too, especially malware (software designed to damage or hack a device), which in turn leads to viruses and ransomware (deliberately blocking access to your system unless you pay some money).
4. Password Cracking
A third party is trying to gain illegal access into the highly confidential information by attacking the password until it cracks.
5. DOS – Denial of Service
It happens when someone spams your site by overwhelming it with requests, ultimately blocking other users.
What Needs to be Done?
Now that you have a clear idea of how your data is a potential risk at all times, take measures to protect it. If unfortunately, the data gets breached, the precautionary steps will catch the malfunction and prevent further damage, saving your information and the business.
Here is a step-by-step guide to protecting your business.
Qualified IT Staff
The information technology staff should be highly qualified, well-trained in their work because they are the pioneers of safe business. Invest in the best.
Cryptography
It is yet another progressive tool in terms of keeping the data safe. It means to code (encrypt) and de-code (decrypt) the data. This feature ensures that the data is in the safe and authorized hands.
Staff Training
Take all the measures you want, but with untrained staff, to capitalize on these precautions is of no use. Train the team to look out for fake websites, suspicious emails, spam requests, and password attacks. Training is long-term and sometimes costly, but worth it. While instigating the change, proper staff training is mandatory.
Limited Access
Very important, the confidential data should only be available to highly professional, trustworthy, and trained individuals so that even if something happens, they will be the ones answerable and facing the consequences.
Password Management
Deciphering the passwords should not be easy, constant changes should be done to prevent a password attack and thus the crippling of data.
Update and Back-up
Always update the data, keep moving the files, back-up the files now and then, constant changes will make it very difficult for the hacker to steal or block any data.
Response Plan
Keeping the eyes and ears always open is vital. None of the above methods is 100% foolproof. Breaches can occur anytime, and at any level, hence a response plan should be prepared to avoid havoc and melancholy. Because violations can affect both the employers and employees, customer service can be severely affected if essential data is lost, and eventually leading to the loss of crucial clients.
The response plan usually incorporates all of the above methods, along with taking your clients into confidence. By doing this, you get to lessen the amount of damage even if a data breach occurs.
Final Words
Now that you have all the necessary knowledge of breaches, the only work left is to cover all the aspects and put your plan into action. Always remember, acknowledgment paves the way to success!
