It’s 2016, and for any company that hasn’t gone digital yet, now’s the time. The Internet is an unavoidable frontier in the business world, granting you access to tools and information with which you can reach an audience greater than ever before. Whether you’re a small business owner trying to carve a leading position in your Florida area, or the resident manager of a corporate branch, the Internet has an uncountable number of opportunities to offer.
But with the Internet comes a new list of asset dangers to consider – dangers that aren’t as easily protected against as you’re used to in the outside world. You see, physical assets are protected in a rather simple way – ledgers are hidden and locked away, money is stored in secured bank accounts, and payrolls are fulfilled through secure channels. Digital asset protection, however, is a different game. Company data, passwords, access to accounts – for these and more, you need new security protocols. Thankfully, the list of things to consider isn’t very long.
1. Build a Password Schedule
Changing your password often stops opportunistic data thieves in their tracks. This is especially important for your email address, as access to your email account is everything a hacker needs to change access to various other accounts and take the information they want.
To make it harder to break into your accounts, utilize random strings of words: something akin to “yellowunicorntacticalhermits”. Four random common words are as secure as three uncommon ones, two obscure words, or a string of thirteen digits – but the key is to have a different password for every account, as LifeHacker points out. Sure, that won’t make the passwords easier to remember, but they do become easier to type in the very least.
2. Keep Business Communications Encrypted
Encryption isn’t a common business practice yet, but it can be. Encrypted communication and data transfer apps for phones, desktops and all sorts of other devices are available and easy to install and use.
Good encryption ensures that communications cannot be snooped on by anyone with access to the right server – an encryption key is needed to decipher the messages between two individuals, or to intercept a file as its being transferred.
3. Secure Your Phone
While you’re focusing your digital asset protection efforts on your computer and digital company infrastructure, do not forget to secure your phone. Phones are full of notes and conversations that may be crucial, yet physically stealing your phone is all one would have to do to gain access to your information. Utilize an app to remotely wipe your phone in case of theft, and keep it password-protected.
4. Stay Up-To-Date
Finally, the simplest yet oft forgotten link to secure asset protection for your company is, simply, a software upgrade. CIO points out the dangers of putting upgrades off for too long – they can be devastating to company progress. Don’t stick to Windows XP – or worse, ME – upgrade to Windows 7 in the very least, and make sure your company anti-virus programs and firewalls are up-to-date as well.
Do the same for your phones – mobile operating systems have some of the most egregious security issues, but they also update very often. For PCs, Windows’ own recommended firewall is more than enough – but having programs like MalwareBytes and HitmanPro on your side to combat infections and keep a clean network for safe digital asset protection is key.
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