The last 12 months have been another huge reminder that data security and information safety is imperative to business. As you will no doubt have seen in the news many times over the last few months, even the biggest businesses in the world aren’t safe from either security breaches or the significant financial cost of not reacting to them.

As technology progresses, cybercriminals become increasingly adept at finding ways around the system. Here are several ways to make sure you don’t suffer a security breach in 2019.

Be vigilant – you will always be a target

Unfortunately, it’s not just the large businesses with the ability to pay enormous fines that are targeted, either. Small businesses and SMEs are regularly in the crosshairs, and perceived as much weaker targets due to the less complicated nature of their businesses infrastructure.

Paranoia actually pays here, so expect that your most important information may also be important to someone else. Also, bear in mind that 75% of data breaches are caused by external attackers, meaning 1 in 4 attackers come from within the company.

Create the strongest passwords

This is just one of many reasons why all of your passwords – plus those used by all of your staff – need to be as complicated, and “un-guessable” as possible. For good practice, make sure these are updated periodically and never shared – even with other staff or employees.

Develop internal policies that cover use of assets, outline violation procedures and enable you to swiftly react to any unauthorized access or data loss.

Keep your software up to date

Antivirus and cybersecurity software is an essential. Not only your first line of defense against a data breach, it is also the first target for someone who is looking to exploit your information.

According to Security Intelligence, businesses are now more likely to experience a data breach than a person is likely to get the flu during winter. The software can be expensive, but consider it an investment in your safety. Plus, the developers themselves are constantly looking for ways to break into their own software – so, when they release an update, you’ll know it’s important!

Educate your employees

When you update the software, make sure everyone else does. If you hear about a new threat, tell them all to expect it. Make sure your network of computers and telephones are up to the task of protecting all of you from a carefully-orchestrated data breach. Many businesses are opting to modernize their internal and external communications networks for this reason. The company Gamma is a popular suppliers of hosted phone systems and data services – including Cloud backup.

Be responsive to any suspicion

This is crucial. If you have any inkling either that your data and information are not safe, or that there has been a breach, investigate the situation swiftly and thoroughly.

This is one of the many ways in which having one supplier of all your communications, plus your data backup, can prove to be so effective. With 24/7 customer support and real-time data available to you, you can ensure that you have support available for dealing with almost any data security problem you encounter.