All businesses, large and small, store some sort of confidential customer information that needs to be secured to make sure that it is kept safe from outside threats. Because lost or stolen information can cause loss in consumer confidence and loss of future business, the San Diego IT and computer support specialists at Syndeo wanted to share some steps you should follow to keep sensitive data safe. 

1. Keep track of all sensitive customer information. Always keep track of this type of information to make sure that it is always accounted for and is safe from the public. This means taking inventory of computers, external storage devices, and information stored on the server. It also means keeping track of who has access to these assets and information. Knowing where data is and who has access to it can greatly improve internal security of a company.
2. Make sure all customer data is secure. Making sure that all customer data that is stored by the company is secured is an important step in data security. Keeping standard security principals in place like firewalls, encryption, antivirus and limiting access to information by using passwords will go a long way in keeping data safe. A network is only as secure as the least secure device that is operating on it. Click here to learn more about professional network security for San Diego businesses.
3. Only keep data that is currently needed for business operations. Disposing of unneeded customer data will limit liability and decrease the chances of data being lost or stolen. Also, making sure that you are not keeping more data than is needed will help to decrease risk and liability.
4. Train employees in IT security best practices. Training employees in recognizing security threats and how to prevent breaches can also greatly help with data security. Background checks on certain employees that have access to sensitive information can help make sure that employees can be trusted. Keeping track of contractors and other outside entities to make sure that they are only accessing information that they need is also a good guideline to follow.
5. The last step is to have a contingency plan in place incase all of the above fails. Companies should know what to do if a data breach does occur so that they will be prepared and equipped to respond. They should also know whom to contact in the event that data is stolen. Whether it be the bank or the customer themselves, this information should be documented and accessible at a moment’s notice. There should also be a plan to prevent further data breaches from an ongoing threat. This could mean disconnecting servers and databases from the network to isolate a data leak. 

Keeping data safe from outside threats is not an easy task but must always be done to make sure that customer information is safe. Keeping a customer’s confidence is imperative to maintaining good relationships and continued business from long-term customers. If a customer knows that their data is safe they will be more likely to continue doing business in the future. To learn more about safeguarding important customer data, call Syndeo Communications San Diego at 760-650-3300 and speak with one of our IT consulting specialists.