Seeing as January 28 is Data Privacy Day, a day to promote data protection best practices (everyone's favourite kind of celebration), we thought it only fitting to have a refresher on data privacy and why you or your company should care about it.
Essentially, data privacy ensures that all of your information – be it bank info, medical records, or any IP documents – is protected. So why is it important? We are currently living in a data-based economy, so for all intent and purposes, data has immense value for both companies and individuals and a data breach can completely derail a company and leave it with irreparable damage.
Think about the size of the corporations that have been involved in some of the more public-facing data hacks of recent years. If it can happen at that level, then it's probably good to brush up a bit. Not to be too ominous here, but it’s probably a good idea to consider these basic steps to protect your more sensitive data so you can sleep better at night.
Organize your access
If your company’s sensitive data spans multiple people's computers, it's a good idea to get everyone on the same page. Using password management software like 1Password or LastPass will help to keep track of who has access to what info, while keeping it all under a high level of security. It's also important to be aware of all parties with whom you've shared any sensitive information, so that if you encounter any irregularities, you're already ahead of the game.
Install a VPN
Even if you don't realize it, your data is being collected and shared countless times throughout a single day of internet use. Using a VPN will prevent your activity from being monitored and effectively create a secure network to share data with your colleagues.
Encryption
If your work device was to go missing (or stolen), your data would be well within reach of someone poking around in your files. Thankfully, getting your computer encrypted will block any would-be hackers trying to dig into your info. When you encrypt your data, it will be automatically scrambled if someone attempts to access it without proper authorization. Then, when you log back in with your encryption key, everything you're looking for is decrypted so you can view it unscrambled.
Of course, the best place to start if you’re a company is to discuss with your employees/colleagues about the importance of what you’re doing to begin with. Once everyone has a clearer understanding of why, then the hows of protecting yourself will fall into place.
“It is important to continually review and evaluate your data storage, data transfer and security policies and procedures. You may be using the latest best practices, but you need to ensure that all your partners and suppliers are doing the same and that policies are being implemented and reviewed on an ongoing basis” says Megan, Patio’s Managing Director. “You also should take today to review what your data sharing settings are set to on your personal social media accounts, and make sure you are aware what data you are sharing with whom and if you want to continue to do that.”
To conduct a privacy checkup on Facebook follow these steps: www.facebook.com/help/443357099140264/?helpref=uf_share
To check your Chrome settings visit: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/114836?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop