When you think about threats to your data security, you probably consider things like Malware, viruses, DDOS attacks, or the latest high-profile breach. But the biggest threat to your data security is also the most surprising one: It’s your employees.
In the vast majority of cases, employees are not intentionally allowing data theft to occur (or committing the crimes themselves). They are simply unaware of how seemingly minor actions can put your network and information at risk. Of course, that means the task of educating them and enforcing clear boundaries regarding internet use will fall on you as their manager.
Share clear virus prevention protocol. It’s hard to believe that in 2022, many people are still uneducated about links in emails, but you should absolutely remind your employees not to click any links within emails unless they are absolutely certain of the sender and the purpose of the email. In addition, they should not download any unauthorized or personal software programs to company computers.
Install ad blockers within your browsers. All company equipment should have ad blockers installed within browsers, because a large portion of malware comes from dubious ads. Taking this step will also prevent ads from adult entertainment sites and other potentially offensive content from showing up on screens at work.
Update your anti-virus subscriptions. Your software can’t do its job unless you’re running the latest version. In addition to keeping subscriptions active, remember to run anti-virus scans at least once per week. If you enroll in our monthly service, we can provide this ongoing protection.
Advise employees on appropriate use of devices. With so many people working remotely these days, we must all take care not to use work devices for personal reasons, or to allow anyone else to access these devices.
Create and enforce consequences. Many companies now publish employee handbooks to share rules and proper procedures on internet use, access to company devices, and data security. This is a great way to clearly state policies and back them up with action if necessary.
And of course, working with a data protection specialist can help you stay current on the latest threats and protection measures. Give us a call at 888-RING-MY-TECH so that we can answer your questions and install additional data security measures that might be necessary.
