As we revel in a digital age where more of our business practices are conducted in cyberspace than ever, there seems to be an inevitability to the rise in cybercrime that runs alongside. Speed, efficiency and performance are all expected by our customers as they use their connected devices to procure out digital services and in order to reap the benefits of this and to stay competitive it’s imperative that we protect our core assets; our digital infrastructures and most importantly, our data, from the hackers, malware, viruses, and cyber-baddies.
Without taking care of that precious data, we risk financial disaster, often of the irrevocable kind and without due care how can we expect our customers to have faith in us to ensure that their most personal details and their financial bond with us remain safe and unbroken?
The insidious rise of the data thief
Without proper protection in place, it’s sadly very easy for the nefarious data thief to obtain personal details over the Internet. Well placed, sophisticated and stealthy malware is set free with the single task of scouring loosely-secured email accounts looking for a way in.
Once they have entered your system the damage can happen quickly; data is shipped out at light speed and shifted into the hands of those who know how to peddle it on the dark web, making a fortune by turning what used to be your trusting customer’s personal data into a fake ID, sold to the highest bidder.
Data loss equates to significant financial loss
The US alone suffers over 140k broken hard drives every year and 100% of the data that isn’t backed up safely is lost forever, along with the value of that data and the trust of the owners (and the reputation of those charged with it’s care).
You don’t want to be amongst those whose data fails without a back-up plan as the numbers are stacked even more against you, with over 60% of businesses that suffer a big data loss event going out of business within just twelve months. Always make sure that your data is safely backed up, preferably more than once and stored in multiple locations.
You can never be too safe. If you don’t have a security policy in place, then it’s a good idea to reach out to the professionals; cyber security and IT network systems specialists can work with you to ensure that your network and your data is secure.
Don’t lose the faith
The problem with trust is that it can take a long time to earn and just a moment to lose. The digital services industries have spent decades convincing consumers that their data is safe, that their credit card numbers are sufficiently scrambled and that they can rely on them being kept secure from cybercriminals.
If that hard-earned faith is tested, then the repercussions can be significant. The press and social media love a good, destructive gossip about brands who were negligent with their customer’s personal details, so make sure that you keep your reputation intact by preventing a situation before it can occur.
