In this article, we will discuss The Basics of SMB Data Protection.
SMB data protection is just as vital compliance for multinational corporations. Even as a small business, you are still a target for hackers and beholden to the same laws of information protection. Here, we will delve into the basics of what you must know to establish a defence.
Recycle Electronics with Care
An office refurb and upgraded equipment is necessary and helps keep you up to date. But access to data doesn’t end when a computer or electronic device is thrown in the bin. Office PCs, mobile phones, and tablets still contain all the data you have if you don’t have a system in place to get rid of it. E waste recycling services can handle and remove data from your old devices by completely clearing the internal storage medium so data is completely erased.
Get On Board with IT Security
There must be an established IT security plan at your business in order for data management to be effective. Personal data is to be kept safe under the law. This means employee details and data related to customers. This can be stolen and sold, and you are responsible. There are many fundamentals of IT security, and hiring a qualified IT manager will help. If your business cannot afford a full-time manager, managed IT services are available from outsourced services.
Cyber Security and SMB Data Protection
Cyber attacks are all too common these days. In the UK alone, over 1.5 million records were breached in 2023. Small businesses are just as much a target as large ones. Sometimes, hackers target smaller establishments because they expect cyber security to be lacking. Don’t give them the satisfaction and beat them at their own game. Establish good cyber security practices through password complexity, software and hardware updates and staff training.
Protect Stored Information
Most businesses use a mixture of offline storage and cloud solutions. Various types of data require one or the other. However, a lot of businesses are making the switch to cloud-based platforms only. This is a mistake, and offline data is necessary. What happens if your cloud service goes completely down? You have no access to the data you need. Therefore, offline storage is necessary. However, it should always be encrypted and kept safe until needed.
Online Data Protection
Customers might interact with your business over the web. If this is the case, you have a legal responsibility to protect their data. In the UK, we use the GDPR set of compliance. GDPR is in force for any company that stores personal information about customers who interact with their business across web services such as browsers and mobile apps. Personal data includes details like name and address, medical data, any kind of ID, IP addresses and even reviews.
Summary
Making sure electronics are wiped clean and recycled helps with SMB data protection. Any business, even small ones, must have some form of cyber security system in place these days. Protection also extends to web services where you must be GDPR compliant to protect data.
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Haider Khalid
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