While it is difficult to remain 100% secure, we should all be 100% committed to defending against attempted breaches to our networks and systems.
Top 10 Threats to Data Security and Privacy for Businesses:
1. Data Breach Resulting From Poor Networking Choices
Many large businesses can afford the enterprise-level networking solutions that are found in large IT departments around the world. The price tags, however, price small or medium business out of the market. If these smaller businesses have networks at all, they may use networking devices targeted at home users. In these tough economic times it's tempting to skimp in this area...don't do it.
2. Data Breach Resulting From Improper Shredding Practices
Dumpster diving identity thieves target businesses that throw out paperwork without shredding it or with improper shredding protocols. Most home shredders will suffice for small businesses in a pinch, but a commercial shredder or a service is a wise investment if private information is printed and shredded daily.
3. Identity Theft Resulting From Public Databases
Individuals, especially business owners, often publish volumes of information about themselves in public databases. Many identity thieves can use information available to the general public to construct a complete identity.
4. Identity Theft Resulting from Using a Personal Name Instead of Filing a DBA
Sole-proprietors that do not take the time to file a "Doing Business As" application are at a far higher risk of identity theft due to their personal name, rather than their business names, being published publicly.
5. Tax Records Theft Around Tax Time
Businesses must ensure that tax returns are dropped off at the post office and refunds are collected promptly from the mailbox. Identity thieves often steal tax returns from an outbox or mailbox.
6. Bank Fraud Due To Gap in Protection or Monitoring
Business owners know that it is vital to balance their accounts every month to ensure that checks are not being written out of business funds by embezzlers, but many businesses rarely, if ever, check what kind of credit accounts have been opened under the business name. Monitoring services can alert business owners when new credit accounts are opened fraudulently.
7. Poor E-mailing Standards
Many businesses treat e-mails as confidential communications, but this is far from the case. They are available to a number of people other than the recipient. It's more appropriate to treat e-mails as postcards, rather than sealed letters.
8. Failing to Choose a Secure Password
In fact, many security experts are recommending the use of a pass phrase, rather than a pass word. Pass phrases are several words long, at least three, and are far more secure than passwords. A pass phrase like "friday blue jeans" can be typed far quicker than a complicated password, and it doesn't need to be written down on a post-it.
9. Not Securing New Computers or Hard Drives
Businesses that had their IT system professionally installed may opt to upgrade a computer or two by themselves. This is strongly discouraged on a business network, as new computers must be professionally secured or else they pose a serious threat and an entry point for hackers.
10. Social Engineering
Social engineers are individuals that call and claim they are from another organization. They may even claim to be with a firm that a business owner does business with. If someone you do not know calls on the phone, be sure that it is the person you think it is before revealing passwords or confidential information.
