In the last few years, we have seen a rise in security breaches across retail organizations, banks, and corporations.
Keeping sensitive data secure in an organization is essential, yet many companies are still not taking the necessary steps to keep their information safe and out of the wrong hands. According to Trustwave’s 2014 State of Risk Report, 467 surveyed IT professionals said their organization only has a partial system in place for controlling and tracking sensitive data.
Here are the three biggest business security risks your organization should know about and how to alleviate potential issues:
Risk One: Mobile Devices and BYOD for Employees
Any time your employees can access, edit, or share information on their personal mobile devices, there is a strong risk for data theft. If your employees use their personal devices for work purposes, it is essential that they change their passwords often and update all necessary security software.
Many organizations are now embracing the use of BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), but if a proper policy is not in place, the risk of data exposure and to the corporate network is likely. By implementing an extensive BYOD policy in your organization, your employees can better educate themselves on security breach risks and its consequences.
Risk Two: Not Completing a Thorough Security Review of Third-Party Providers
Whenever your organization relies on a third-party service provider to support and maintain technology systems, there is a high risk for a data breach. For example, some of the most high-profile data breaches including Home Depot and Target, were a result of hackers accessing their contractor’s credentials. Once a hacker figures out one password, they easily have access to a client’s network.
Before your organization chooses to use a third-party organization to manage your technology network, it is important to know that they will follow best security practices. These remote access security processes may include two-step authentication, unique credentials for users, and special permission settings for each consultant.
Risk Three: Employees Who Are Uninformed About Cyber Security
Employees who have not been trained in understanding best security practices pose an extreme threat to your organization. Employees must understand the importance of using strong passwords on their mobile devices to keep themselves and the company’s data secure. For example, if a careless employee leaves their unlocked phone on the train, they are just as dangerous as someone who maliciously leaks their company’s data. In order to keep employees informed on cyber security risks, your company should hold training sessions with policies and information they need to keep data secure.
To learn more about addressing the challenges and risk of your organization going mobile, click here to read Catavolt’s “Accelerating Operational Excellence in 2015: Tackling the Top 3 Challenges” eBook.