The last thing you want is for a data breach to happen on your watch. But preventing data breaches can only be done when you have a solid plan. This guide will show you how to prevent data breaches to protect your business and clients.

When it comes to keeping your data safe, we have some bad news and good news.

First, the bad news. According to Verizon, there were over 53,000 incidents and more than 2,000 data breaches within the past year. To make matters worse, these numbers are only expected to rise in the coming years.

So what’s the good news? Your business doesn’t have to fall victim to cybercrime.

Here are some tips on how to prevent data breaches at your workplace and strengthen your team’s cybersecurity effortlessly:

Restrict Download and Website Access

Recent phishing scams are a great example of how cybercriminals are getting smarter every day. Take, for instance, the recent outbreak of fake Apple emails.

Users would receive an email stating that their Apple ID was compromised, with instructions to click a link to recoup their lost access.

However, once the unlucky recipient clicked on the embedded link and “changed” their account info, hackers could then access their Apple account information. That includes their credit card information.

It became such a problem that Apple had to get in front of the problem and create a guide to help users determine what was and wasn’t a legitimate email.

So how does this pertain to your workplace? Well, most scams aren’t always obvious. Even a tech-savvy individual could fall for a fake email if the sender’s address looks legit.

Improving your office’s web security can prevent employees from accidentally exposing important information. Restrict access to downloads (unless absolutely necessary) and keep an eye on your business list of trusted websites.

Educate Your Team on Cybersecurity Protocol

As the saying goes, the best type of offense is a great defense. Even if you have a great IT team, data breach prevention starts with employee education.

Once per quarter or so, gather your employees and brief them on cybersecurity trends. Include common types of scams as well as information on how they, as employees, can keep data safe.

Even if your meeting is brief, stress the importance of keeping company data secure.

This includes routinely checking password strength. If your employees are using weak passwords, they’re putting your entire system at risk.

Encourage employees to create complex passwords with alphanumeric and special characters.

Create a Breach Response Plan

What would you do if your company suffered a data breach at this moment?

If you don’t have an immediate answer to this question, it’s time to put together a data breach protocol plan.

Come up with an extensive strategy for how to handle the very real possibility of a data breach. Even if you never have to use this plan, just having the resources and information at your disposal can put your whole company at ease.

Learn How to Prevent Data Breaches

Want more specifics on how to prevent data breaches? Get in touch with our team at Immersion Security.

We’re dedicated to keeping your data right where it belongs. A few minutes of your time could save your business millions of dollars.