Data is one of the most valuable assets that an enterprise has and can be utilized to make decisions from to sales and marketing. Therefore, it’s crucial for businesses to take the proper steps to keep their information secure from cyber-attacks by hackers and other hackers.

Whether you’re a large corporation or the latest start-up on the block, a data breach can have disastrous consequences. You may lose customers in the event that they aren’t confident giving their personal details to you. Luckily, even small entrepreneurs can protect themselves from data breaches with the proper security measures.

Make a list of all the data assets within your company and their locations. This will inform any preventative measures you decide to implement.

It is essential to classify data by its degree of sensitivity. This will allow you to determine if the data needs to be secured with the highest level of security, which could include encryption at all times. Classification is a continuous process and must be continuously reviewed when information is altered or updated. This will ensure that any modifications are done in accordance with the latest classifications.

Data protection at rest, i.e. when it is stored on your system, is as vital as data protection when it is in motion. In the ideal scenario, your company should be able track every access to crucial data from any device at any time. This will reduce the risk of human error, which Verizon’s 2022 vpn concentrator meaning DBIR discovered was the root cause of 82% of data breaches.