Data Security Approach

Employees are continuing to use personal devices to access corporate data and systems. They demand anytime/anywhere access to data. This can open your business up to potential vulnerabilities such as viruses, malware, and ransomware(sophos-best-practices-for-securing-your-network-wp) if they are not addressed. Data security requires a strategic approach. It has to become part of the organization’s culture.

Summit can help you audit your security requirements and help you plan for a strong defense. We can help you implement systems, processes, and policies designed to keep your data safe.

Once your data security plan is in place, we have the experts to help manage to it. We offload daily tasks like antivirus definitions updates, managing corporate, and branch firewalls. We can also monitor your environment for you. Vulnerability assessments should also be completed on a regular basis to limit new threats.

Think before you click

Have you ever seen a link that looks a little off? It looks like something you’ve seen before, but it says you need to change or enter a password. Or maybe it asks you to verify personal information. It could be a text message or even a phone call. They may pretend to be your email service, your boss, your bank, a friend…. The message may claim it needs your information because you’ve been a victim of cybercrime.

It’s likely a phishing scheme:  a link or webpage that looks like a legitimate, but it’s a trick designed by bad actors to have you reveal your passwords, social security number, credit card numbers, or other sensitive information. Once they have that information, they can use it on legitimate sites. And they may try to get you to run malicious software, also known as malware. Sadly, we are more likely to fall for phishing than we think.

If it’s a link you don’t recognize, trust your instincts and think before you click.

Use strong passwords

Did you know the most common password is “password”? Followed by “123456”? Using your child’s name with their birthday isn’t much better.

Picking a password that is easy is like locking your door but hanging the key on the doorknob. Anyone can get in.

Here are some tips for creating a stronger password. Make sure it’s:

  • long – at least 16 characters,
  • unique – never used anywhere else,
  • and randomly generated – usually by a computer or password manager. They’re better than humans at being random.

Make sure you’re not recycling the same password across all your apps and websites. You can use a password manager to store all of your passwords. That way you don’t have to remember them all! If you go this route, make sure your master password is strong and memorable, and secure your password manager account with MFA!