Keeping business data safe from online security threats
Online security threats can compromise a company's productivity, reputation and compliance standing, among other things. But to guard against these external attacks, it may be best to start with strong and clear internal management policies.
One of the first challenges in establishing solid online security defenses is inspiring all employees to take the issue seriously and heed the advice of their IT colleagues. This problems manifests itself among companies both large and small, but it is important to remember that no one party is to blame, and responsibility for improvement should be shared across an organization.
"In general, it is quite hard to make people comply with something which they don't understand," data security expert Sorin Mustaca told BusinessNewsDaily. "Most people wouldn't understand something like 'create a good password because someone might break into your account and steal your data' because they can't perceive this as a real threat."
This discrepancy may explain some of the recent research finding from the field. Statistics from a survey conducted by Mustaca's firm revealed that just 39 percent of respondents adhere to all workplace security policies. An additional 35 percent admitted that they didn't feel as though anyone particularly cared if company computing rules were broken.
To reverse this trend, IT managers will need to construct their policies with a combination of education and technology.
"Don't just tell them that they have to protect their data, but tell them why," industry expert Sean Glynn told the news source. "Regularly email all employees about security issues and highlight success stories. If they see how it will benefit them, they're more likely to do it."
For example, specifically outlining the process for managing and retaining company files could go a long way for eliminating online security vulnerabilities and improving workforce productivity, according to Information-Management. By establishing clear guidelines as to how files are exchanged across the network and how they are stored may help prevent dangerous data leaks that could put a company in a compromising position.
Most importantly, IT decision-makers must be willing to take extra measures to address the issue of careless or stubborn employees that refuse to reform their ways. Instead of encouraging workers to routinely change their passwords in vain, it may be smarter to employ password manager software across the network. Plugging gaps with technology may ruffle a few feathers, but the benefits far outweigh the consequences of inaction in most cases.
