How to Keep Your Business Documents Secure

In today’s business world, there’s endless different files of confidential information that need to be stored and secured. This is data that needs maximum protection against security breaches, especially sensitive information about your individual clients, customers, or workers. 

It’s your duty as a business owner to handle data security properly. Your proficient management is key for not letting things slip through the cracks. 

So how do you protect internal data? What can you do to keep customer files and important documents safe and secure from risks such as theft, loss, or damage?

Well, whether it’s protecting digital data or hard-copy paper records, here’s 5 things you should be doing to safeguard your most important documents. 

1. Remember That Passwords Are Your First Line of Defense

You must secure any digital documents and files with an unguessable password, especially if they’re saved on a personal computer hard drive. Using an add-on password security feature adds an extra level of security too. This will prevent attackers from being able to open, print, edit, or copy your most sensitive files. Never underestimate the skill of hackers.

2. Create Substantial Internal Policies

As a business owner, you should develop a set of internal security policies that all employees must comply with, no ifs, no buts. These will act as mandatory practices across the entire company with no exceptions. Your staff must all be fully aware of them and understand why the policies are so integral to data security.

Some of these policies and procedures might include:

■ Never leave documents on a shared printer for someone else to pick up.

■ Evoke an ex-employees access to the network straight after they’ve left.

■ Include a non-disclosure agreement clause in employment contracts.

■ Always use your best individual judgment on what can and can’t be shared. 

Remember that new employees must be trained on the policies right away as part of their induction process. 

3. Make Copies of Everything 

Cloud-based storage is the best way to make sure you never lose important files and documents. Securely saving files externally on remote servers means you have a backup if anything goes wrong with your own internal hard-drive systems, such as a break-in or natural disaster (flood, fire, etc). Not to worry, cloud-based storage is always safe and easily-trackable, meaning you know who has accessed the files and where. 

4. Limit Access 

That leads us to our next tip…Limit access to your sensitive information and confidential files. Access to such files should only be granted to the need-to-know staff members. For example, the personal assistant to the CEO shouldn’t be able to access customer data that your customer service team can gain entry to.

5. Don’t Forget About Paper Documents Too

Last but not least, back up your paper documents and hard copies. Are these sorts of files secure? Can unauthorized persons easily gain entry? A padlocked filing cabinet simply won’t cut it either. Make sure you shred paper documents and remember it’s always best to digitize paper records too.  

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