Cyberattacks like phishing and malware can cause major financial loss and ruin customer trust in businesses, so shoring up defenses is essential. Data protection starts with proper employee training. If you want to keep your online accounts and information more secure, here are some important steps to share with your team.

How Employees Can Protect Your Company’s Data

1. Create Strong Passwords & Authentication Methods

Passwords are the gatekeeper of most online accounts and hardware devices. Allowing people to log into secure servers or networks using “password” or “1234” means basically inviting hackers to view all of your sensitive data.

While strong passwords were necessary in the past, even stronger versions are needed today. Avoid issues by requiring or asking employees to set up secure passwords that include a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. They should also change passwords regularly, avoid using the same one for multiple accounts, and use two-factor authentication when it’s available.

2. Avoid Clicking Unknown Links

Employees can accidentally invite malware into your devices or network by clicking suspicious links on websites or in emails. To avoid this, ask team members to only click links or attachments from trusted sources. You should also keep them updated on the latest scams since hackers often try to trick people into believing that a link isn’t suspicious.

3. Keep Devices Secure

People can also break into networks or steal sensitive data by accessing tangible devices. If you allow employees to take laptops, tablets, or smartphones home that have access to your company information, make sure they know how to protect those devices. For example, they should avoid leaving them unattended and set up password protection on each of them.

If you’re looking for help with data protection, UCXmarket in Chicago can help. The company provides a marketplace for buyers and sellers of cloud services. From data protection solutions to network connectivity assistance, businesses can find a wide array of data management and cloud storage options to support their operations with peace of mind. Visit the website to see a full list of available offerings. To discuss your needs with a team member, call (312) 448-6064.