Ten Steps to Avoid Misuse of Data

Ten Steps to Avoid Misuse of Data

Data misuse is a serious matter that can have long-lasting negative consequences to a company’s reputation and customer trust. Businesses that take an proactive approach to data governance and reevaluate their security policies will reduce the likelihood of data breaches and avoid legal action.

One of the best ways to safeguard your business against data breach is educating employees about proper data use and its consequences. This can be done either through creating an overall corporate policy on privacy and cybersecurity, along with internal procedures, or setting up educational courses for employees.

Employees are the key to creating a secure environment, so you must ensure everyone understands what constitutes acceptable online behavior. This can be accomplished by outlining which websites are appropriate for usage and informing employees of any consequences for breaking your company’s internet usage policies.

Privileged Users — Be mindful of any high-level staff or administrators who frequently have or gain extended access permissions to sensitive company data. This could include IT personnel, IT service providers, and any third parties working with your organization.

Modern user activity monitoring solutions with searchable video recordings allow you to detect suspicious behavior in real time and capture malicious insiders who might be wrongdoers. For instance, if someone attempts to access files or data they have never accessed before, you’ll receive an alert immediately and be able to take action to prevent the incident from escalating further.