To make sure all data is safe from unauthorized access, almost all companies take various data security measures. It doesn’t matter whether the data is personal or general. Data security measures aim to protect all data.
In this article, you will learn why data security is such a high priority for companies. We’ll also give you some practical examples, including an innovative anti-spam solution that we’ve developed ourselves.
We want to enable you to decide which data protection measures you want to take in the future to protect yourself or your company against unauthorized access to valuable data.
How Is Data Security Defined?
The term data security basically covers all data, regardless of the form it takes. Both digital and analog data security fall under it.
The terms data protection, data security and information security are often used as synonyms. However, these are fundamentally different terms, but all belong to the topic area of data security.
- Data Security: Protection of all data against loss, misuse and theft.
- Data Protection: Protection of personal data during storage and processing.
- Information Security: This term essentially means the protection of information in all its forms.
Data Security Measures for Your Company
There are several effective measures available to ensure data security in companies. We have picked out the 9 most important ones. In the end, you will have to decide which of our advice you want to implement and what you think you can do without. Ideally, you should implement all of our data security measures.
Our examples of data security measures are divided into two areas. On the one hand, there are organizational measures that can increase data security. And there are technical measures that can ensure data security in companies.
Determine Which Data Is Important
The first step is to develop an information strategy and determine which data is worth protecting. These must be protected against misuse and theft with further data protection measures.
Regular Updates
What many people take for granted in their private lives, companies should not neglect. Regular measures should include updates in all relevant systems. Software developers are constantly working to close security gaps. Maximum security can only be achieved if all patches are installed.
Install a Firewall as Virus Protection
Attacks by Trojans, viruses and worms are commonplace. Only if you install an up-to-date and effective firewall as a company, you can fend them off. In addition to the firewall, high-quality virus protection should also be part of the standard equipment of every company.
Define User Roles
Not every employee needs access to all data to complete their tasks. When companies distinguish and limit access rights, the risk of improper handling is reduced. Only employees who process data and who are trained in handling the information should have access to it.
Encryption of Data
One of the most important data security measures is encrypting data. Every time data is transferred, there is a risk that it will be intercepted. Even when communicating between two locations within a company.
Data stored on servers should also be encrypted. This way, they become unusable in case someone has intercepted data without authorization and wants to read it.
Secure Ways to Exchange Data
Whenever possible, e-mail should not be used to exchange data with customers. Significantly more secure are platforms for data exchange, such as a shared cloud. The topic of data security measures should be discussed openly with your business partners.
All Employees Must Participate
Among our data security measures examples, this one seems particularly trivial. But it is extremely important. You should make all employees aware of data security at regular intervals. All data security measures are only effective if they are applied conscientiously.
Many employees are not aware of the damage they can cause if they do not comply with data security requirements. Regular training will raise awareness.
Put Your Business Partners Under the Microscope
Even if you have done a lot to ensure data security in your own company, data that needs to be protected can still fall into the hands of others. That’s why, before you send sensitive information to a business partner, you should check their data security. If the business partner is unable to fend off a cyberattack, the customer data would also be at risk.
Protection Against Spam and Bots
To ward off messages from bots and spam, you should install a security barrier for every contact form, registration form and login form on your website. You’ve probably had to confirm that you’re not a bot and probably click a few images.
With our cloud-based solution Friendly Captcha, this happens completely automatically in the background. It’s much faster for the user and the company is protected from unwanted spam from robots.
Conclusion: Data Security Is Important for All Companies
International studies show that most companies still have some catching up to do when it comes to data security [1]. Precisely because the number of cyberattacks is steadily increasing, every company should deal with the issue intensively. While large companies employ their own experts in their IT department, smaller and medium-sized companies can avail themselves of the help and advice of external service providers.
We are happy to help you and your company and support you in the defense against spam messages and bots. For this purpose, we have developed an innovative captcha solution. This solution does not require any action on the part of the customer or potential customer. While the potential customer enters his data and formulates a message, he runs through a test in the background, which confirms that it is not a spam message from a robot.
Of course, our cloud-based captcha solution is Schrems II and GDPR compliant. We offer different packages for customers of different sizes. Find out without obligation how you can use our solution to protect your business from unwanted messages and make your website more user-friendly at the same time.