Data is currency, whether actual or potential. Every business of every size and scope generates data and we must protect it while at rest and while on the move. With increasingly stringent legislation enforcing data security, many businesses are still trying to catch up. Do you know how your business could suffer data loss?
Today we are going to highlight the main ways small businesses lose data. We will also suggest ways to avoid it.
No data backups
Even today, with all the news and information out there on the importance of backups, there are still some businesses that don’t do it. Whether that’s ignorance of the risk, lack of expertise, perceived expensive or complexity, too many SMBs don’t have a backup solution in place.
There are many third-party backup solutions that can backup data. They don’t cost much, can be simple to implement and manage and could literally save your business.
Ignoring warnings
In the majority of situations, hard drives and servers do not fail without warning you first. Whether that’s a Event Viewer warning, a SMART hard drive warning or an alert from your server, hardware failure is increasingly predictable and therefore preventable.
If you don’t have an IT guy or team, get one. Or use a third party to configure your system for email alerts or use third party monitoring instead.
Insufficient security
Hacks, viruses, malware and ransomware are all good ways to lose data. Data can be maliciously deleted for many reasons and once it’s gone it is gone for good. Few data recovery platforms can help if ransomware deletes your drives. Hardware firewalls, antivirus, server security and endpoint security go a long way to protecting you from these threats but they are not omnipotent.
Maximising your network security to the best it can be can mitigate many threats while training staff on those threats covers the human element.
Giving staff too much freedom
Admin privileges should only be given to system admins. Network access should only be provided to staff or guests on a guest network. Staff should not have freedom of travel throughout your network or servers and should be limited to what they need to use for their role.
Locking down user access may seem draconian but it is very effective at preventing accidental or malicious data theft or loss.
Not asking for help when you need it
You might think an IT service provider wouldn’t be interested in your small business but you would be wrong. Many smaller businesses don’t have the expertise on hand to mitigate risks to data or theft and that can cost you dear.
There is nothing wrong with asking for help and absolutely nothing wrong with admitting ignorance on certain subjects. Nobody is expert at everything and a good business owner will recognise their limitations and work within them. That means knowing what you don’t know and engaging with experts when you need them.
Experts such as Excalibur. We help hundreds of small businesses secure their networks and protect themselves from data loss. Perhaps we could help you too.
