Mitigating business risk

One thing that every company has in common is their vulnerability to risk. We are all susceptible to hackers and individuals that want to steal our data and information. So, how can we defend ourselves? There are three tops ways to mitigate risk for your business. Let’s break it down.

First, let’s take a look at what two-factor authentication, or 2FA, is and why it’s important. I bet that most of you reading this have used two-factor authentication at some point in time. Have you ever tried to log into one of your accounts and had a numeric code sent to your cell phone? You are prompted to enter those four or six digits into the website and only then will you be let into your account? That’s a form of 2FA.

Two factor authentication can come in different forms. For you to utilize 2FA, you have to have two (shocker) of the following: something you know, have, or are. Something you know could be a password or security question; something you have could be your phone; and finally, something you are could be a fingerprint scan or a face ID. Implementing 2FA keeps your organization’s data much safer from hackers who are looking to gain access into your network by adding an additional barrier before entry. Decoding a password isn’t very difficult anymore, but 2FA builds more doors between your business and information thefts.

You may be wondering what data at rest is and why it needs to be encrypted. To understand that, you need to know that there are three types of data: data in use, data in transit, and data at rest. Because they all pretty much mean what they seem to mean, we’ll go over them briefly. Data in use is active data; data in transit is data that’s moving from one device to another; and data at rest is inactive data that is stored in a database, on a drive, in a spreadsheet, or something similar.

Data at rest is especially susceptible to security threats specifically because it’s stored on devices that can be transmitted from place to place. Encrypting this type of data keeps your information safe even if a flash drive, cell phone, or something similar is stolen or lost. There are also programs that can preserve data encryption when passwords and usernames fail.

Patching software is of the utmost importance in securing your data and alleviating risk. Patches can be used for anything from fixing a software bug to to addressing new security issues. All of the software that your company uses needs to be patched, including software on servers, PCs, and mobile devices. You can schedule regular patchings and plan for them to occur at least once a month to ensure that your information is secure.

After learning more about patching, encrypting data at rest, and two-factor authentication, you are better equipped to make decisions in implementing measures designed to mitigate security risks within your organization.

Plow can help you develop a management technique that will minimize your organization’s risk. Contact us today.

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