Getting Back to the Basics with Data Security

We need to press restart on 2021 and get back to the basics with data security.

It’s only the first month of 2021, yet data breaches already dominate the news – from more details coming out about the SolarWinds data breach, to the hacking of gaming company Capcom. As the Wall Street Journal said of the former data breach, “It is the latest twist in a wide-ranging hack whose breadth and sophistication has alarmed security experts and government agencies.”

To combat the growing number of breaches, and ensure your organization is safe, here are four points to consider about securing your payments.

1. Implement a security plan for a post-COVID world.

The COVID-19 vaccine is rolling out around the world. It’s only a matter of time before industries that have been quiet for the past few months – such as brick-and-mortar retailers and travel companies – will experience an influx of customers.

Instead of waiting for a problem to find the right solution, work on a plan now. Test out your security systems to make sure that you’re prepared ahead of time. Put the right steps in place to handle any issues.

2. Set up two-factor authentication across company and employee accounts.

Two-factor, or multi-factor, authentication is a quick and easy way to protect employees’ accounts. While it takes a bit of extra effort to implement, it is well worth it.

Setting up two-factor authentication across company accounts adds another layer of protection so that hackers have a harder time.

You would keep sensitive company documents in a safe place in the ‘real’ world. Similarly, make sure that your digital documents and accounts are protected in cyberspace.

3. Ensure continued data security and privacy in an at-home environment.

For contact centres and other industries that may be ill-equipped to securely handle sensitive customer data from home, a simple measure to ensure better security is to improve the encryption of data.

Many companies may have already had a secure network set up in their office buildings. We can create the same environment in employees’ homes using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

Make sure that you set your employees up to have this in their remote workplace. This way they don’t have to worry about sensitive data being stolen across a public network.

4. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

Every business can benefit from improved data security by complying with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). In fact, the PCI DSS requires businesses to do so if they take card payments.

Being PCI compliant using PCI Pal ensures customer information remains safe even in the event of a data breach. This provides much-needed reassurance for your company and customers.

With January being the month to make resolutions, why not challenge yourself to be proactive about managing your company’s payment security?

Consider the recent data breaches your reminder to check in on your employees and internal systems. Make sure you are equipping everyone and everything to handle sensitive information.

After all, if the United States government can go months without noticing a data breach, none of us are safe without some added security measures.