The recent data breach at Liberty Life highlighted how important it is for all firms to ensure that they have the best possible data security measures in place. This could happen to any accounting or auditing firm, regardless of their size, if they don’t have some basic security protocols in place.
Protecting your firms data is a lot like protecting your home. Make sure that you use a reputable company to install and manage your security and focus your efforts on preventative measures, and keeping third parties out, rather than counting the cost after the fact.
Here are six key software security measures that we recommend that all of our clients should definitely be implementing.
Implement stricter access controls for your staff Work on a need to know basis. Ensure that you understand what access control options are available to you, and make sure that you implement them.
Ensure that your security systems are tried & tested. Never invest in security products that don’t have an established reputation in the market, and that have not been reviewed by industry leaders.
Always be aware of new threats Knowledge is power. Keep up to date with the latest news and research. The easiest way to do this is by regularly reading news platforms that discuss these new developments. Follow sites such as MyBroadband, Fin24 & Business Insider. And importantly, make sure that you share these with your staff.
Make sure your Operating Systems, Firewalls and Anti-Virus products up to date Ensure that your computer and server Operating System updates are reviewed and applied regularly. Anti-virus definitions should always be set to download automatically, and firewall rules should be maintained as per industry standards.
Invest in secure cloud technologies Migrate to the cloud; it’s easier than you think. Make sure you use a reputable company with a proven track record. A reputable Cloud Platform has many features that will empower you to secure your data. Some of the features that you should look out for include Disaster Recovery, Data Backup, Redundancy and Compliance. Your data should be encrypted when in transit, and confidential or sensitive data should not stored on any portable media.
Invest in user training Human error and lack of knowledge cannot be underestimated. Ensure that you are constantly training your users on how to correctly, and securely, use the IOT (The internet of Things)
You can never prevent every bad thing from happening, but you can prevent most of them.
By implementing a few simple measures, and planning effectively, you can reduce the risk and the liability to your firm.
If you have any questions or require any advice about your practices data security, please feel free to contact us…click here
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