Richard Blech, an expert in online safety and security is one of the best people to turn to for advice on this topic. With the increased usage of online documents and forms where you will sit at your computer and enter all of your personal information then you expect that the company that you are completing them for have taken every step to ensure that they will be held safely.
There are obviously steps that a company needs to take to ensure that the data is secure. At the bare minimum this list must include
- Password security
- Antivirus & malware/ spyware protection
- Firewall
- Network & WiFi security
- Regular updates
It can also include:
- Encryption
- Internet filtering
- Advanced email security
- Multi-factor Authentication
- Screen auto-lock
In this article we are going to look at the extra steps that a company can take in order to keep their clients data safe. Firstly encryption
Encryption is a very useful tool when it comes to protecting any type of data. It is a way of encoding information in such a way that only people who are authorized, i.e. those who also have the code can unravel the message. You are able to encrypt many different things which include the machine, the server, certain documents and emails. Encrypting laptops, as a whole, when you are carrying them a lot is an excellent idea as if they do end up in the wrong hands they will not be able to access the sensitive information that was stored on as they would not have the encryption key.
Internet filtering is when you set up your PC to let you know if there appears to be any problems on certain sites, e.g. if they are infected by a virus. This can be beneficial for you and also the other site, sometimes major companies’ sites will have been hit by a virus and you may be able to let them know in this way. Advanced email security is used so that your network can recognize fishing scams and other cybercriminal activities. It is a way of making harmful emails look like ones from recognized business sources. Staff training and awareness is also a big part of keeping this kind of problem at bay as some phishing emails can look very authentic.
Multi facer authentication is a way of verifying who you are when you log into a device. For example some machines, especially phones, now have finger print recognition technology. Others require the usual username and password and then a pin will be sent to another of your devices such as a home phone or mobile phone and then this acts as a double security message, as only you should have access to both of these devices.
Screen auto lock is when your machine will automatically lock itself should you be away for it for longer than a set time. This is because you may have sensitive data open on your machine. Best practice is to lock your machine every time that you step away from it and get into this practice but the auto lock will add as a double measure should you get taken away from your computer unexpectedly.