10 Lessons From The Past
Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. As we launch into a new year, we must be mindful of the lessons from the past.
Below are a few things that every business must do to keep safe:
- Use multifactor authentication wherever possible.
- Use strong, unique passwords for EVERY application and never reuse old ones.
- Regularly purge data when no longer needed, especially files containing sensitive information.
- Make sure you review configurations of applications containing data that you expose in the public cloud.
- Keep up on the latest technology changes and how they affect your IT. Things change, better technology comes along, tried and true tech becomes obsolete or breached. Always make sure that the apps you’re using are still safe.
- Frequently check financial statements (banks, credit cards, credit reports, etc.) for anomalies.
- Control where your documents are. Make sure that all company-related documents are saved on a protected server and not on individual employee workstations.
- Security and privacy are not “nice to haves” but are required in business today. The GDPR in Europe was the first wakeup call to far-reaching privacy legislation. Since then, other countries and individual states within the U.S. have enacted similar laws with stiff penalties for those who ignore them. Make sure you understand the regulations that you are subject to and comply (i.e. GDPR, California Consumer Privacy Act, New York’s SHIELD Act, etc.).
- ALWAYS backup your data and save one (1) copy onsite for super-fast restores, and Two (2) copies offsite in geographically dispersed cloud data centers for archival purposes should your site become damaged or destroyed in a catastrophe.
- Don’t go it alone. If you do not have an IT department, then hire a Managed Services Provider (MSP) to manage your company’s network. An MSP will give you access to expert support, and will monitor, maintain, and secure your network. Today’s cyber-landscape is dangerous and without good IT support, your business is only a click away from disaster.
Take action to protect your business and your customers. Breaches are serious, can cost thousands of dollars in fines and lost revenue, and do irreputable damage to a company’s reputation. Make security your mantra. Good luck.
XSolutions is an Elite Partner of Datto, the world leader in Hybrid-Cloud Business Continuity solutions. We provide Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS), Backup as a Service (BaaS), Cloud Data Protection (CDP), and Managed I.T. Services (MSP). Call (845) 362-9675 for a free consultation. Backup & Disaster Recovery| Cloud Data Protection |Managed I.T. Services
