| When you operate an online business that accepts | | | | to protect the data. Best to have the data shredded |
| credit cards, you've got a significant responsibility in | | | | on site so you can monitor the destruction of the |
| ensuring the safety of your customers personal data. | | | | data. With electronic data, be sure to format the |
| Many folks think that it's just the big time businesses | | | | hard drives of any computer equipment you are |
| that are at risk of being hacked into and having data | | | | selling or otherwise getting rid of. Deleting the files |
| stolen. Nay, nay, my good friend. Smaller businesses | | | | isn't enough. There is also a software program |
| are normally more likely targets because of their less | | | | available at that will delete files permanently from |
| sophisticated systems. If your a hacker, where is | | | | your hard drive. |
| your time going to be best spent? Trying to get into | | | | 3. Add in additional layers of security |
| highly secure sites, or a site that employs very little | | | | Be sure you take the following steps on all of your |
| to no security measures? | | | | business related computers:a. Install anti virus |
| Protecting your customers data starts with you being | | | | software and be sure to keep it up to date.b. Backup |
| alert, informed and cautious. As part of these three | | | | your data regularly.c. Conduct routine security |
| components, you'll want to follow these six key | | | | checks.d. Use encryption tools to encode your |
| strategies while your customers data is in your | | | | customers information.e. Ensure that you've got |
| possession: | | | | firewalls installed and updated on all of your |
| 1. Storing Data | | | | machines.f. Be sure to keep an inventory of all your |
| In your business, you likely have two methods of | | | | filesg. Lock up all hard copy datah. Devise and |
| storing your customer's data. Online and via hard | | | | implement a security policy for your web site and for |
| copy. For hard copies, it's pretty simple. Keep the | | | | your company in general.i. Use a virtual private |
| data locked in cabinet that's in a locked room or | | | | network anytime you are sending information over a |
| storage facility. Limit access to yourself and high | | | | wireless connection. |
| ranking, trusted employees only. For electronic copies, | | | | 4. Implement a notification policy |
| be sure they are stored in a password protected | | | | While you are taking preventative measures against |
| area and that the computer they are stored on has | | | | data theft, you'll also want to set up a plan for |
| the latest in firewall protection. | | | | dealing with the worst - an actual theft. In addition to |
| 2. Get rid of data properly | | | | your privacy policy, consider adding an internal policy |
| When it's time to get rid of hard copy data, you can | | | | that describes how you will deal with any type of |
| shred them yourself, or depending on how much | | | | security breach. As part of this policy, be sure to |
| shredding needs to take place, you can call a | | | | include a process for notifying both your customers |
| company to come in and do this for you. Be sure | | | | and the authorities. |
| they are bonded and have security measures in place | | | | |