Keeping your Data Secure

Your business data is one of your most important assets. So, when this information is spread across several locations and available on a variety of mobile devices, it can and should cause concern.

How do you keep your data secure when accessible across different locations and on multiple mobile devices? 

Data security, the process of keeping your important data safe, is one key to your business's success.

The information you share with your staff may include your customer database, marketing materials, and financial records – often even your customers' banking details.

How would your business cope if you thought hackers or a disgruntled former employee could access this information? 

If the answer makes you nervous then you should consider engaging an outsourcing IT company to help you manage security.

At Microsolve we use internationally respected partners to help you implement the latest technology to secure your data, particularly when shared data is available in different locations and on mobile devices.

There are many strategies which you can employ to allay your fears of not having secure data.

Three tips to manage data security

Consider the following three options to help manage data security internally:

Tip 1: Discourage employees from saving data on their own computers

In general, the risk of data loss increases the more places the data is stored so you should discourage employees from saving important data on their own computers. A single laptop theft or virus infection could be disastrous.

Tip 2: Using a central filing system

Consider setting up a central filing system and giving each employee named folders on your server, which are made available to them remotely. This will have the added advantages of ensuring data is easy to find and is not lost if an employee leaves.

Tip 3: Managing data access levels

If your staff cannot access data, they cannot change or delete it — whether deliberately or by mistake. Therefore we suggest you make sure every employee has access only to the data they need to do their job. Always use secure logins to provide different access levels.

Five ways to protect your data

The following five precautions can help you protect your data across multiple devices:

1. If data is kept on a system connected to the internet, use both software and hardware firewalls to keep out hackers.
2. Install up-to-date security software on all your computers, server and mobile devices and scan regularly for viruses.
3. Mobile access can be a headache when it comes to security. Consider providing a virtual private network (VPN) so employees can securely connect to your company systems from outside the business.
4. Microsolve’s "Virtual Office Hosting” addresses the business requirement of secure, reliable access to corporate data and applications from almost any device worldwide.
5. Implementing the best Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution increases business productivity and efficiency by keeping mobile workers reliably and securely connected with your business or organisation.

If you’re not sure about your data security or want to discuss the topic in more detail, get in touch. At Microsolve we work hard to help you safeguard your business by defending your network and data with world-class security.