Did you know that the United States doesn’t have any state or federal laws requiring data protection in the cloud? That seems shocking due to the massive number of data breaches worldwide.
30,000 websites are hacked every year. No matter if you run a global enterprise or a small business, you should be aware that hackers are always honing their skills to steal customer data for profit.
The good news is that you don’t have to sit by and let them take advantage of your business. Read on as we discuss five data protection tips to promote rigid data security throughout your company.
- Reduce the Data You Collect From Users
The data you store is valuable to hackers, according to experts like those at certus.software/en/itad/. The less data you have, the less there is to lose in a data breach. You should collect only the data that’s absolutely necessary for business purposes.
Make sure to erase all data that are no longer needed and review your data collection practices on a regular basis. You may also want to consider anonymizing data wherever possible.
This will make it much harder for hackers to exploit customer information even if they do manage to steal it. Anonymizing data can be done by removing identifying information like names, addresses, and birthdates from your database.
- Inform Customers How Their Data Is Being Used
Be transparent with your customers about how you’re using their data. Customers have a right to know what data you’re collecting and why you’re collecting it.
You should also inform them of how their data will be used, stored, and protected. This builds trust between you and your customers and makes them more likely to do business with you.
It’s also a good idea to give customers the option to opt out of having their data collected or shared.
- Eliminate Data Silos
Data silos are a major security risk. They occur when data is spread out across different departments or platforms and isn’t properly integrated.
Data silos can also lead to data duplication, which wastes time and money. It’s important to have a central repository for all your data where it can be easily accessed and managed.
- Create a Cloud Backup
You should always have a backup of your data in case of a breach. A cloud backup is the best option because it’s stored off-site and is less likely to be compromised.
Make sure to encrypt your data before storing it in the cloud. This will make it much more difficult for hackers to access your data even if they do manage to get their hands on it.
- Follow GDPR Standards
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a set of data protection standards that businesses must follow if they operate in the European Union (EU).
Even if you don’t do business in the EU, following GDPR standards is a good idea. It shows that you’re serious about data protection and sets a good precedent for other data protection laws in the future.
Implementing these data protection tips will help to keep your customer data safe and secure.
Learn More About Data Protection in the Cloud
Storing data in the cloud isn’t a surefire way of keeping vital user information safe. By following these tips, you can maximize data protection in the cloud and eliminate the chance of a scandal.
With that said, do you want to learn more helpful technology tips? If so, check out our blog for more articles.