Data is a valuable asset that is used in every aspect from marketing to sales and making decisions. It’s vital for businesses to take the appropriate steps to keep their data secure from cyber-attacks, hackers and other threats.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a large company or the latest start-up on the block, a data breach can have devastating consequences. Not only will it tarnish your reputation, but you may also lose customers who don’t feel straight from the source confident that their personal data is secure with you. Luckily, even small entrepreneurs can protect themselves from data breaches with the right security measures.

Start by creating a comprehensive list of your organisation’s data assets and where it is located. This will inform any preventative measures you decide to implement.

It is essential to classify data according to its sensitivity. This will let you decide if it needs to be secured in the most sensitive way that includes encrypting it at all times. Classification is a process that is constantly changing and should be continually reevaluated when information is altered or updated. This will ensure that any changes are made in accordance with the most recent classifications.

Data protection at rest, i.e. when it is stored on your system, is just as crucial as data protection in motion. Ideally, your company will be able to monitor all access to critical data from any device at any moment. This will help to limit risk from human error, which Verizon’s 2022 DBIR found was the reason for of 82 percent of data breaches.