The more digitized business becomes, the more data companies have on customers. This data is very important and helps businesses understand their customers much better and provide a smooth customer experience. However, storing customer data also opens businesses up to vulnerabilities. Whether we’re talking bank account info, recorded phone calls, emails, names, or addresses, any sort of data leak harms a business’s reputation.
If you own or work at a business that collects any kind of customer data, you must know how to protect it. In this article, you’ll learn seven steps to take if you want to protect your customers’ data from outsiders.
1. Set strong passwords
Setting strong passwords is one of the most effective steps to ensure your customers’ data protection. If a hacker wants to steal your customers’ data, the first thing they’ll do is try and crack your password. Using long and complicated passwords protects your business and all customer data from such attempts.
2. Collect no more than you need
Collecting and storing unnecessary customer data creates unnecessary vulnerabilities for your company. If you end up having a data leak, you want the amount of leaked data to be as small as possible. Every time you collect customer data, consider if it’s vital.
3. Delete what you don’t need
You already learned that you shouldn’t collect more data than you need. Well, you also shouldn’t retain any more data than you need. Do a thorough evaluation of the customer data that your business currently has and get rid of outdated customer data that is no longer relevant to your business.
4. Have a clear privacy policy
Transparency is key for customer data security and maintaining customer trust. Ensure that your website has a privacy policy that is easy to understand and clearly explains how, why, where, and how long customer data is stored. This will be useful in keeping customers informed and educating your staff. Employees should read their company’s privacy policy and follow it at all times to ensure maximum data protection.
5. Back up
If customer data gets deleted (or worse, stolen), a backup will ensure you can always retrieve it. If the data is simply deleted, a backup will ensure you can continue business operations smoothly. If it gets stolen, a backup will help figure out what data was stolen and how to communicate the data breach to customers.
6. Use encryption
When data is encrypted, it’s all scrambled up and impossible to read for hackers. Only the intended holders and recipients of the data can see it unencrypted. The first thing to do is check your wifi encryption. Your wifi likely has some level of encryption, but you should check how strong it is. Aim for the strongest encryption possible.
Another way to encrypt customer data is by getting an SSL certificate for your website. This certifies that all website traffic is encrypted and safe from outsiders. Finally, to ensure that customer data remains encrypted when you’re traveling or working remotely, install a VPN. This special tool encrypts all data coming to and from a device, even if it’s connected to an unencrypted wifi network.
7. Ensure endpoint protection
Endpoints refer to all devices connected to a company’s network, mainly work devices used by employees. These endpoints are commonly used as entry points for hackers if they aren’t sufficiently protected. By infecting one business device with a virus or other type of malware, it can spread through the whole organizations’ network and do all sorts of damage, including stealing customer data.
To protect company endpoints, all device controllers must follow certain cybersecurity precautions, like updating software, being careful about malicious links, and using a firewall.
8. Prepare for physical theft of business devices.
If someone from your company leaves their device unattended, loses it, or has it stolen, there are steps you can take to prevent a data leak. First, enable auto-lock after a very short period (like 30 seconds) of being unattended. Second, make sure that remote wipe is possible on all devices so that you can delete all business data from a stolen device immediately.
9. Control access to customer data
Once you collect customer data, don’t store it in general company databases. Store the data in an encrypted location accessible only to authorized people. This minimizes the risk of data leaks triggered by company insiders.
10. Be prepared for a data breach.
Your company might have some of the most advanced cybersecurity practices in place, but nothing is 100%. If a hacker is stubborn and skilled enough, they might still be successful. Heck, even companies like Marriot and Yahoo had data leaks in the past.
You need to have a good data breach response plan if you get hacked. For example, there should be a clear communication policy set in case a breach happens: management should be informed about the breach right away, and the customers whose data was leaked should be notified right away too. This will help maintain as much of your brand’s reputation as possible.
