How Important Is Document and Data Security?

Document and data security is a trending topic these days – and for good reason. Both contain valuable information which may be exploited by malicious actors, something which is happening at a frighteningly high rate. Businesses need to keep their documents and data safe. Whether it’s employee information, customer data, trade secrets, or something else entirely, one thing is clear in all of the research and literature by leading cybersecurity experts: document and data security are exceedingly important.

Every company needs to assess the state of their document and data security as well as develop a strategy to protect both. Here’s why, and how document management improves security. 

Cyberattacks Are a Threat

Cyberattacks are not a new phenomenon, and they’re not going away any time soon. According to Verizon, 43 percent of all breach attempts happen to small businesses. That means a company has a two in five chance of becoming a victim to a malicious actor. 

According to Cisco, small and medium businesses are at an increased risk for a cyberattack because hackers rightfully assume that these entities aren’t capable of defending themselves. They would be right. According to Hiscox, about 73 percent of small businesses aren’t prepared to handle a cybersecurity threat. In the report, many indicated that they lacked even a basic firewall or antivirus to protect employees and devices connected to the internet. 

Likewise, it’s not just our devices that are at risk. Malicious individuals also prey upon employees who are too busy, or not educated, about social engineering tactics like phishing. Last year, at least 62 percent of all phishing attacks targeted employees. Phishing occurs when a hacker successfully tricks an employee into handing over sensitive information or login credentials by crafting a convincing but phony email. 

With all of this data derived from surveys of thousands of businesses, it’s easy to feel alarmed. However, there are many ways for companies to avoid becoming a part of a statistic. Documents and data can be adequately protected from hackers. Here’s how. 

How to Protect Documents and Information

Cybersecurity is a vast industry, but there are many simple steps which businesses can take to implement methods to protect themselves. Security experts such as Cisco and Hiscox recommend tips including:

 

  • Practice good password management. No password used for any company device or login should ever appear on a most common passwords list. Instead, opt for something stronger. To make them easier to remember, it’s helpful to choose a meaningful word and replace letters with numbers, uppercase letters, and special characters. Then, make sure it’s recorded in a secure location – not a sticky note on the monitor or a Notepad file on the desktop.
  • Update the antivirus. Like their biological counterparts, viruses evolve constantly. It’s important to keep the antivirus updated to prevent anything from slipping through and infecting a system.
  • Keep files backed up at all times. More and more companies are falling prey to ransomware, a type of hack which steals files and demands money in exchange for their return. Secure backups thwart this and support business continuity.
  • Educate staff on cybersecurity. Reduce the attack surface available to hackers by training staff on spotting suspicious emails, fake links, and good privacy practices for physical devices. 
  • Implement document management. A solid document management strategy can significantly improve data security. 

 

Document Management Improves Data Security

A document management strategy is an excellent way to improve document and data security across an entire organization while improving the office workflow in the process. Document management improves data security through:

 

  • Increased visibility of the document lifecycle. Documents enter, are edited, transmitted, pass through, and stored within an organization. Knowing where, when, how, and why these occur will go a long way to spotting unauthorized use or access long before it can cause any damage. 
  • Guidance on secure solutions. As businesses digitize, they’re excited to implement new solutions such as cloud storage or document apps. A managed IT services provider can provide expert guidance on the best and most secure tools to use. 
  • Improved access policies. Document management solutions help control access to documents from document capture through archival. Sensitive information is available only to those who need to access it. 

 

Virginia Business Systems Designs Document Management Solutions

In today’s world, data security matters tremendously. When it comes to document and data security, businesses cannot afford to forego security. SMBs especially are targets for opportunistic and malicious actors seeking to profit from their lack of expertise. However, partnering with a document management solutions provider can go a long way to ensuring that documents and data remain safe.

Virginia Business Systems is a leading provider in document management solutions for an array of company types and sizes. Start a conversation with a specialist today to get started securing your documents and data. 

 

September 9th 2019