The digital age has transformed and enhanced opportunities for entrepreneurs, but constant innovation brings new dangers. Keeping sensitive data secure takes specific knowledge and strategies, presenting one of the most significant challenges for SMEs using e-commerce platforms.
Keeping client data secure is an important part of your corporate responsibility. Ensuring that you remain compliant with the Data Protection Act means that you need to notify colleagues, clients, and suppliers about how you intend to use and store their sensitive information.
Whether you’ve just set up shop or you’re moving operations online this year, it’s always worth knowing some of the best ways to safeguard your business.
Which industries are most at risk of data breaches?
As traditional industries transition to digitised processes, they risk making critical errors. Inexperience and rushed decisions can lead to severe data breaches. When a company that relied on typical ‘analogue’ techniques moves to digital processes without outsourcing professional advice, the consequences can be serious.
A few of the industries most at risk include:
- Healthcare and pharmacy
Miscellaneous human error, basic hacking attacks and system intrusion pose serious and frequent threats to the healthcare industry. Medical records can be accidentally exposed, which leaves personal data compromised. All employees must know the core principles of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to keep the industry safe.
- Transport and logistics
With drivers operating nationally or further afield, most logistics companies operate with a central headquarters. Vital messages can be delayed, miscommunicated or lost, making it easy for criminals to intervene. For peace of mind, many logistics bosses choose transport insurance that could cover against unforeseen data breaches.
- Finance and insurance
Financial firms and insurance brokers rely on automated systems and processes. Highly skilled cyber criminals often know how to target and attack the companies with weaker or outdated security measures. Basic web application attacks are alarmingly common in this industry, so comprehensive training is vital.
What are the biggest digital threats?
- Phishing attacks
Social engineering poses a constant threat to businesses across all sectors. Hackers use techniques that typically convey an urgent message or request to company colleagues, often by email. This message will contain a malicious link that, when clicked, will trick the user into providing sensitive information belonging to either themselves or their company.
- Corrupted data
Alongside the constant external risk faced by hackers and other online criminals, authorised employees can make genuine mistakes that lead to data corruption. Whether it’s lost, incorrectly configured, or moved to an incorrect location, it’s surprising how quickly data can be mishandled at the hands of a trusted employee. Thorough data protection training is a necessity.
- Contingent system failures
When businesses rely on external systems or networks to keep them running, there’s an added risk of contingent system failure. When outsourced networks go down or fail to provide a reliable service, the paying client company might not fulfil ordinary operations. From customer checkout to product distribution, an array of functions can be threatened.
No matter your niche, your business will be under constant threat from hackers and data corruption. Ensuring a solid and impenetrable cybersecurity strategy is key to continued compliance and functionality, alongside future-proofing your business.
