3 Keys To Preventing Data Theft From Exiting Employees
How To Prevent Data Theft By Employees
Employees are a business’s biggest assets when working collectively and as a team towards the set goals and business objectives; however, they can quickly turn into a big liability, especially if you part ways unceremoniously. Ex-employees engaging in data theft is an ever-growing risk. As a business owner, learning how to identify, mitigate and prevent data theft will save you a lot of money that would otherwise go towards covering for losses accrued. With the evolution of digital technology, it is almost impossible to fully seal all loopholes.
Here are three keys to preventing data theft from exiting employees
- Completely disable access
When an employee of your business decided to leave, resign or retire, it is always important to immediately disable their access to business software, accounts, systems and any other access they may have to your business. By disabling access, you are building a viable wall against unwarranted intrusions. Important to note too is that if you do not disable access for exiting employees, a data breach coming from their end may or may not be known to them. A third party may gain access to their devices and since they are still active on your systems and since they are still active in your systems and software, your data will still be compromised.
- Disallow private data storage
Another key step to preventing data theft by exiting employees is to completely disallow the storage of data on private devices or reproducing it on memory sticks and CDs. All employees of your business should adhere to a strict data policy in place. If data has to be reproduced or stored on any devices outside of business software and systems, it has to purely for business reasons. Allowing employees to have too much information including client data and important billing information on their private devices is a platform for disaster, especially if they exit the business, with all the data and information on their private devices.
- Instil a strict access and data policy
During recruitment and the entire course of employment, you should effectively communicate all sets of business data policies. These should include laid out procedures, conditions and provisions for access to company software and systems as well as utilization. These should guard against the stealing of data and general unauthorized use, including copying it on private devices. This will help lay open all types of data generated by the business, how long it will be available for access as well as what devices are accessing it.
As times change, people’s lifestyles are also changing significantly. Today and in the recent past, the most profitable businesses, locally and internationally, have been those that have effectively utilised digital platforms. It is perhaps for this very reason that hackers have become more aggressive in their pursuit of classified business data. When an employee leaves your business, you never know who will approach them with a mouth-watering offer to give up important business information or, worse still, maliciously access it and share it, at a price, with the said hackers.
We have put in place strict measures to ensure that all businesses hosted with us get the best value for their investment in cybersecurity. We provide highly effective SSL Certificates to help keep out malicious attacks, some of which may be aided by disgruntled former employees. What’s more! Our support team is always on hand to handle all your queries and advise accordingly in cases of unauthorised intrusions.
