There is so many different elements to think about when you are starting a business, and if you are doing it by yourself there is even more to consider; everything will fall on your shoulders. Something you need to add to the list of ‘things to do’ (if you haven’t put it there already) is protecting your business’ data. This means not just the data for your own business such as bank details or contracts, it also means data you have collected – data from your customers, which will include payment details, names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, and more.
If you don’t have a system that will keep this information safe and there is a breach, your customers’ data could fall into the hands of cybercriminals who will use it to steal identities and money. This would be, understandably, a disaster for your business, and you may have to close altogether. You have a duty of care to your customers and protecting their data falls under this remit.
Bearing that in mind, here are some tips to protect that information and keep your data safe.
Start With the Basics.
Unless you are an IT expert, when it comes to computing, it can often feel rather complicated and this is why so many individuals and businesses don’t do a lot – if anything – to keep their data safe. It’s just too hard. It doesn’t have to be when you start with the basics which include:
- Making sure your passwords are strong, are changed regularly, and are different for each required log in
- Ensuring you never open emails, email attachments, or click on links that seem suspicious or come from strangers
- Investing in anti-virus software, firewalls, and training
Knowing and acting on just these three points will be a great start when it comes to keeping your data safe. They aren’t enough on their own, unfortunately, but they are definitely where you should begin.
Outsource Your IT.
Outsourcing anything when you are a startup may seem like a waste of money. Surely you can learn to do everything by yourself and keep your costs down? Although this might be the case when it comes to bookkeeping and marketing, it’s not the best decision when it comes to IT. There are expert IT companies available like Iconic IT who understand exactly what it takes to set up a strong recovery system or to prevent – as far as possible – losses in the first place.
If you are not sure about any aspect of IT and data recovery, outsourcing is the best option. One small mistake could cost you a lot.
Have a Recovery Plan.
Despite everything, sometimes losses occur. If your security is at a good level, the losses are more likely to come from hardware failure than a hacker, but whatever the reason, you could still lose important information. This is why you need a reliable recovery plan in place.
Regularly backing everything up to the cloud or an external hard drive is a good way to begin. In this way, if your equipment fails, you won’t have lost any data, and once you have a new laptop or tablet, you can continue your work.
