Most people think that protecting sensitive data is only a matter of high tech solutions. You would be surprised to find out that you can significantly reduce the risk of putting your data in harm’s way by following the 5 simple tips outlined below. Just make them a daily habit and you are sure to avoid costly headaches in the future.
1. Don’t share password requests over the phone or email. It is surprising that a good number of security breaches are accomplished by the use of non-technical methods that rely heavily on human interaction in order to trick other people to break normal security procedures. For example, the culprit may call an authorized employee with some kind of urgent problem that requires immediate network access and gets passwords from them. None of your service providers will ever ask you for your log-in credentials. Stay alert and never share usernames and passwords. 2. Back up your data regularly. Copy your data regularly (at least weekly). You can use a tape drive, CD,or cloud storage. It is recommended that you save the backup tapes, CD’s or any other medium you use to back up your data at a location far away from your place of business, such as a safe deposit box. That way in case of emergency i.e. fire, your data will be readily available to you. 3. Don't open emails from strangers or download files from unknown sources. Even if you receive an email with an attachment from a trusted source, make sure you scan the attachment with your anti-virus software. The attachment may be infected without the sender’s knowledge. The same thing applies to clicking on suspect email links or even links on websites. 4. Don’t forget your mobile devices. Laptops, tablets, and smart phones have now become extensions of traditional work computers allowing you to access your information on the go. Care should be taken to protect data accessed from your mobile devices in case of theft. Make sure you password protect your devices and avoid using an automatic log-in features that saves your user name and password. Imagine if a thief walks off with your laptop or tablet computer. They will have immediate access to all your data and applications! 5. Use safe passwords and update often. Try to avoid using “simple” or common passwords such as: 123456, password, abc123. Use a combination of at least 8 characters that include letters, numbers, and special characters that have meaning to you so you can remember them. It is good practice to change your passwords every few months. Here at BlueBird we take security very seriously. Should you need advice on how to better protect your valuable electronic data please feel free to call our team. We will be glad to discuss your concerns and find out the best solution for your needs. You can reach us by phone at 1.888.930.9933 or send us an email at info@bluebirdinc.com.
