In a world where personal data is now a valuable commodity, protecting it is a top concern for individuals and businesses of all sizes. A single breach could expose customers to identity theft or other financial damage and could expose companies to fines, reputational damage, and even lawsuits. There are many ways to protect personal information from hacking and to prevent it from being stolen.

TAKE STOCK

Take stock of the amount of sensitive information your company has in its computer files and on servers, and make a plan to only keep it for as long as is necessary. This could mean taking inventory of devices that collect information, such as PIN pads and cameras for surveillance. It could also include the identification of connections between computers and external sources, like the internet or computers used to help support your network by service providers, or a digital copier.

SCALE DOWN

Limit access to sensitive data to those who require it. This decreases the chance of an insider threat or loss from hackers. Pro tip: Use a principle called least privilege. For new accounts, you should provide the lowest level of access to sensitive data. Then increase that privilege as the account gains rank or the job requirement grows.

LOCK IT

Make sure that passwords are secure, complicated and unique. Passwords that are easy to guess can be hacked and used to gain an unauthorised access within a matter of minutes. Also, don’t send passwords in plain text through email and be sure to encrypt any file that contains confidential or private information.

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