Digital Security – How to Protect Yourself

This is the fourth and final article in this mini-series on the security of your data. So far, we have seen several tools and techniques to prevent your private data from being disclosed. In this article, we present some tips on how to avoid unintentionally sharing confidential information.

1. Reread Your Emails

Never send personal information by email. (We could stop right here, but we'll go on 😊.) It is important to never share sensitive information by email, because your message can be intercepted (see the article: Four Simple Tips for Protecting Your Data), or sent to the wrong person.

A mistake is made so quickly, and that is why there are tools to help you monitor the content of your messages, documents and emails. Office 365 and Microsoft 365 provide complete protection from within your applications such as Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint. This protection notifies you, in real time, if you send a document including a credit card number or any other private information.

2 Be Prepared Against the Loss or Theft of Hardware

Whether the information involves clients or employees, it is a safe bet that in carrying out your tasks you will have access to confidential information. If this information is stored on your devices, what would happen if they were lost or stolen?

For this reason, we recommend that you always be prepared to remotely delete your confidential information stored on your various devices. Again, there is a functionality of Microsoft 365 which enables you to remotely erase any lost or stolen device.

3. Bluetooth Vulnerability

Bluetooth technology is present on most devices; on your phone or printer, or in your car. However, this technology offers a possible gateway for malicious attacks. In fact, it is possible to remotely take control of a device via the Bluetooth link and force the device to download malicious applications. To reduce the risks, remember to turn off your Bluetooth technology when it is not in use.

4. Create a Backup Copy on a Hard Drive

There is a rule in computer security called the 3-2-1 Backup Rule. It recommends the three following actions:

• Have three copies of your data;
• Store these copies on two different media;
• Keep a copy of the backup off site.

In this regard, we recommend that you always keep a backup copy that is not accessible via your computer network. Even better, make sure that this copy is not accessible via the internet. For example, make a copy of your important data on an external hard drive and disconnect it from your PC. This will prevent it from being reached if your IT infrastructure is compromised.

Four out of Four! Conclusion

Yes, that was the last article in this mini-series on the security of your online data. Remember that you can download our ebook on corporate IT security. It contains more advanced techniques regarding auditing and maintaining a secure computer park. You can also contact our IT security experts at: security@kezber.com