Securing your data is important in all areas and industries, however it is especially important when it comes to your finances. With new fraud attempts and scams popping up almost every day, here are some practical tips for securing your data at home and at the office.

Securing your data on laptops

Laptops are at a very high risk of being lost or stolen due to their portable nature, so always prioritize security practices relative to these devices. First, encrypt and follow strong password protocols. Next, establish rules about what users can or can’t access on the laptop. Finally, actively maintain inventory records regarding all laptops, and ensure they are not left in homes or cars.

Securing your data on mobile phones

Smartphones hold so much data these days that you should consider them just as valuable as a company computer. Since they’re very easily lost or stolen, prioritize mobile device security as you would any other computer. Enable “remote wiping” in addition to encrypting and password protecting mobile devices.

Backing-up your data regularly

Regularly back up all data to an external hard drive, to the cloud, or both. Ransomware is so prevalent these days that having a recovery plan is a must to avoid painful financial losses. Additionally, back up all servers weekly and perform incremental backups daily. Lastly, backup all PCs weekly, with incremental backups a couple of times each week.

Prevention is often the easiest defense in terms of cybersecurity; don’t overlook the small steps all along the way. Diligently secure your data on the front end and help prevent data breaches and fraud for yourself and your company.

If finding a banking partner that prioritizes data security is important to you, we invite you to discover more about CommerceOne Bank.