As hacking becomes an increasing danger for businesses, secure data management is becoming a primary concern. Here are the five leading data security risks and how to avoid them:

1) Cloud Data Breaches

Cloud storage is an economical, efficient, and scalable data management option for businesses. As a result, many organisations prefer it to traditional storage methods. Unfortunately, cybercriminals can siphon information during the updating process. The solution is to choose a cloud storage service provider carefully. Additionally, upgrade the encryption of the cloud storage to block virtual machines that might try to steal data.

2) IT Asset Disposal Breaches

Businesses continuously update their hardware devices to meet their storage and performance needs. As a result, most decommissioned IT assets are still in good working order, and can be repurposed for resale in developing countries. Other businesses get rid of old assets through a free recycling service.

Unfortunately, it is possible to retrieve information from old assets, if it has only been removed by the standard delete commands. This can lead to the leakage of confidential customer information. Businesses can avoid this by outsourcing their asset disposal to certified data sanitisation experts such as Absolute ITAD. We not only ensure permanent deletion of data on the assets but also provide a certificate as a guarantee that all the information on the old devices is wiped. You can then resell, donate, recycle, or reuse the used IT assets.

3) Insider Breaches

There is also increasing concern over data security breaches from within. Former staff and malicious users are the primary sources of internal cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The best practice for minimising this risk is to train employees on how to protect the company’s data from external breaches, monitor their actions, and test for possible breaches.

The other cause of internal data security breaches is when IT assets that have been used at a high level of the organisation are recycled for use by junior staff members. In such a case, information suitable only for top-level management might become accessible to unauthorised staff members. A business can avoid this by adhering to permanent data sanitisation procedures.

4) Data Loss

As companies shift to different storage systems, data loss is becoming a key concern. It can lead to loss of income, loss of customers, and negatively affects your business reputation. Additionally, retrieving lost information can be extremely costly.

Businesses can avoid this by using tight API security and SSL encryption. Also, when using a data storage and management provider, evaluate the data protection and recovery policies of the company. A secure backup is also essential.

5) Backup System Vulnerabilities

Insecure backups are the leading cause of shadow IT system vulnerabilities. Since these systems are not central to the daily operation of most businesses, they receive little attention. Therefore, data loss monitoring and access controls are at a minimum, which makes them vulnerable to hacking. Companies should choose a reputable shadow IT service provider with an adequate data protection plan.

Be One Step Ahead Of The Cybercriminals

Modern cybercrime activities focus on stealing business data for blackmail purposes or nefarious use. Every business should take the necessary precautions to secure their data in active IT assets and properly wipe used IT assets. Choosing a reputable and certified ITAD partner like Absolute ITAD is the first step to effective business data protection. Get in touch to find out more.

Image source: Unsplash