Data Security

Data Protection

It can be said that data is the most important business asset (after employees!) so great care must be taken of it, in terms of restricted access/processing, backup & recovery and location.

Policies, Policies…

With data protection policies are everything! Without which it hard to tell what the state/level of protect a business may have as to regard the data they hold and/or control. Therefore an effective data security policy is critical for any business that collects, stores, and processes sensitive information.

ITWise365 would be more than happy to review any current policy a business may have or help them build and importantly test one.

Benefits to a business of an effective data security policy:

1. Protection against data breaches: An effective data security policy helps protect sensitive data from cyber threats such as hacking, phishing, and malware attacks. This protection can prevent data breaches, which can be costly and damaging to a business’s reputation.

2. Compliance with regulations: Many industries have specific regulations that require businesses to have adequate data security measures in place. By having an effective data security policy, a business can ensure compliance with these regulations and avoid fines and legal consequences.

3. Customer trust: Customers want to do business with companies that they can trust to keep their personal and financial information safe. An effective data security policy can help build trust with customers and show them that the business takes their security seriously.

4. Enhanced reputation: A data breach can damage a business’s reputation and erode customer trust. By having an effective data security policy in place, a business can demonstrate its commitment to protecting customer data and enhance its reputation.

5. Improved data management: An effective data security policy can help a business improve its data management practices, including data backup and disaster recovery planning. This can improve business continuity and help ensure that data is available when needed.

Overall, investing in an effective data security policy is essential for any business that wants to protect its sensitive information, maintain compliance with regulations, build customer trust, and enhance its reputation.

Data Backup

Can you have too many backups? As a business probably not!

Some studies have shown that the impact of a major data loss can be significant, and in some cases, it can lead to business closure.

According to a study by the University of Texas, 43% of companies that suffer a major data loss never reopen, and 51% close within two years of the incident. The study also found that 90% of businesses that lose data as a result of a disaster and do not recover within five days are likely to go out of business.

Another study by the Disaster Recovery Preparedness Council found that only 28% of businesses have a plan in place to recover from a major data loss. This suggests that many businesses are not adequately prepared to handle a data loss, which can increase the risk of business closure.

Yes, there are costs to the storage/management of backups but as you can see the cost for not having the correct protection can/would be greater.

ITWise365 would more than happy to assist you in a review of your backup procedures to see if you are adequately protected, please contact us to discuss.

Data Recovery

While it’s all well and good to have backups, but how does a business know if they can restore/rebuild/recovery after a major data loss? This is where a disaster recovery policy/plan comes into play.

An effective disaster recovery policy  should be developed and implemented to ensure that a business can continue to operate in the event of a disaster. Here are some key steps required for an effective disaster recovery plan:

1. Identify critical business processes: The first step in developing a disaster recovery plan is to identify the critical business processes that need to be restored quickly in the event of a disaster. This includes identifying the systems, applications, and data that are essential to the business’s operations.

2. Develop a recovery strategy: Once critical business processes have been identified, a recovery strategy should be developed. This strategy should outline the steps required to restore systems, applications, and data, and prioritise them based on their importance to the business.

3. Establish backup and recovery procedures: To ensure that critical data and systems can be recovered in the event of a disaster, backup and recovery procedures should be established. This includes regular backups of data and applications, as well as procedures for restoring them in the event of a disaster.

4. Test the plan: It is important to test the disaster recovery plan regularly to ensure that it is effective and up-to-date. Testing should be conducted at least annually to identify any weaknesses in the plan and make necessary adjustments.

5. Establish communication procedures: In the event of a disaster, it is important to establish clear communication procedures to ensure that employees, customers, and other stakeholders are kept informed. This includes establishing an emergency communication system, such as a call tree or messaging system.

6. Train employees: Employees should be trained on the disaster recovery plan and their roles and responsibilities in the event of a disaster. This includes training on emergency procedures, communication protocols, and data backup and recovery procedures.

7. Update the plan regularly: Finally, the disaster recovery plan should be updated regularly to reflect changes in the business environment, such as new systems, applications, or data storage locations.

By following these steps, businesses can develop and implement an effective disaster recovery plan that ensures business continuity in the event of a disaster.