Do not provide any one employee with access to all data systems. Instead, employees should only be given access to the specific data systems needed to perform their job duties. No employee should be able to install software without permission. Java should be disabled unless absolutely necessary for the employees to accomplish their daily work.
Limit physical and logical access to your computers Prevent access or use of business computers by unauthorized individuals. Lock up laptops when not in use and ensure staff report lost or stolen equipment. Create a separate user account for each employee and require strong passwords. Ban outside USB devices and put endpoint device control measures in place to prevent unauthorized use of USB flash drives by employees. Administrative privileges should only be granted to the IT staff and key personnel who require that level of access.
reduce your risk of becoming the victim of a data breach. Restrict employee payment card access Credit or Debit cards issued to employees pose an additional risk to your business. Determine what spending behaviors are necessary for employees to perform their job duties while reducing unnecessary exposure in the event that their card is compromised. By simply lowering the credit limit, restricting merchant category codes, or by limiting cash advances you mitigate these risks by reducing the fraudster’s opportunity to steal.
Shield your Wi-Fi networks from unauthorized access If you have a Wi-Fi network for your workplace, use the highest possible level of encryption and hide the network from attackers. To hide your Wi-Fi network, set up your wireless access point or router so it does not broadcast the network name, known as the Service Set Identifier (SSID). Ensure the router is not set up with the default administrative password as this is a common weakness of Wi-Fi.
Be cognizant of the mobile threat Mobile devices can create significant security and management challenges, especially if they hold confidential information or can access the corporate network. Require users to password protect their devices, encrypt their data and install anti-virus and security applications. Establish reporting procedures for timely notification of lost or stolen equipment.
Secure your payment processing terminals Work with banks like First National Bank Alaska to ensure that your credit card terminals and procedures for accepting card payments are in compliance with industry standards. Using approved terminals, encrypting transmitted data, and protecting stored payment information are some of the basic steps that will significantly
Regularly backup all important business data Regularly backup the data on all computers to an encrypted location. Critical data includes business documents, electronic spreadsheets, databases, financial data, and human resources files. Backup data automatically and take steps to mitigate the risks of intentional or inadvertent data loss or compromise. 2014 Alaska Business Resource Guide Page 23