With the increasing amount of data being generated and the rise in cyber-attacks, it is essential to take measures to protect user data. To help you out, here are few tips that you can implement to safeguard your clients data, along with your own personal information.
1. Use Two-Factor Authentication:
Two-factor authentication is a security measure that requires users to provide two forms of identification to access accounts, like a password and a code sent to their phone or email. It adds an extra layer of security and makes it harder for attackers to gain access. As an individual, it would be useful to consider using it for your email provider and any other accounts containing information.
2. Privacy Policies & Consent:
Review and update your privacy policies to ensure they are clear, concise, and compliant with relevant regulations. Ensure you have an identified lawful basis before collecting or processing personal data. Where you carry out marketing activities, make sure you have obtained appropriate consent to do so.
3. Regular Audits & Assessments:
Conduct thorough audits of your data processing activities, including any third-party vendors you engage with. Continually assess your data protection practices, identifying potential weaknesses and addressing them promptly.
4. Implement Access Controls:
Access controls restrict access to sensitive data to authorised users. To achieve this, role-based access control assigns specific roles to users based on their job responsibilities. For instance, a client support agent may access client data but not financial data. Access controls reduce data leakage risk and ensure sensitive data is only accessible to those who need it.
5. Educate Your Staff:
Provide comprehensive training on data privacy and cyber security practices to all employees and foster a culture of data protection within your organisation and enhance your overall security by keeping best practices front of mind. For e.g.
- Locking your PC every time you leave it,
- implementing a clean desk policy
- ensuring staff don't take documents home with sensitive data.