As a business, there’s a lot at stake when it comes to data privacy. In the wrong hands, information from a security breach can cost your business, clients, customers and even vendors a lot of money. Part of your job as a company is ensuring business data is secure and out of reach of unauthorized users. Every February, people around the world participate in Safer Internet Day to make the internet a safe place for young adults. Use this day as a chance to secure your information from outsiders.

Utilize Multifactor Authentication

Multifactor authentication (MFA) is a security system that uses more than one method of identifying a user. Some of the most popular methods include biometric retina or fingerprint scanners or facial recognition. There are also several free applications, such as Google Authenticator, that prompt you to enter a numeric code that’s sent via text to your phone once you sign in to your account. The single-use code is only accessible from the registered phone on the account.

Follow Best Password Practices

Educate employees on best password procedures to ensure information remains secure.

• Don’t use personal information like family names, birth dates, pet names, phone numbers or anything that could be easy to guess.
• Create long, complex passwords that mix numbers, letters and special characters.
• Avoid using the same password across multiple platforms.
• Change your passwords at least once every three months.
• Use a password management app like LastPass or RoboForm to help make your passwords more secure.

Incorporate Data Encryption

File and disk encryption help protect the data stored on your computer and network. There are several types of data encryption, including individual file and folder encryption that only encrypts what you tell it to. Volume encryption saves all files and folders in a specific area, while full-disc or whole-disk encryption saves all files and folders on a computer or a network.

Most operating systems have built-in encryption programs, but you can add a third-party program like VeraCrypt that is free to download and use.

Use a Secure Network

Consider the use of a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN encrypts all data between the user’s computer and the VPN server it’s connected to, which makes it virtually impossible to intercept the data locally.

Data security keeps important information out of the hands of unauthorized users. Train your employees on safe practices and utilize them consistently.