We share sensitive information all the time: when we pay bills, send emails, apply for a new position, purchase things online or allow administrative systems to talk to each other. The constant exchange of personal and business data across digital systems makes data security and data processing more important than ever before – both at home and at work. Here we delve into the importance of secure data processing in a modern, digital world – and give tips to avoid hacking and phishing.
What is data processing and data protection all about?
Data processing concerns how data is collected, stored, processed and shared. And if we are not careful – in both a private and corporate context, that data can quickly end up in the hands of the wrong people.
- Protection of customer trust: The customer expects their data to be treated securely. Any security breach can lead to loss of customer trust and reputation.
- Legal compliance: There are strict data protection laws such as GDPR and CCPA that require companies to protect customer data. Violations of these laws can result in serious fines and legal consequences.
- Protection of sensitive or confidential company information: IT companies often store sensitive information about their products and services. Data security is essential to protect these trade secrets from competitors and hackers.
Furthermore, as a company, you should continuously review these data processing processes and optimize them according to the current regulations and the changing threat landscape.
How to secure your data
As both a company and an individual, there are several things you can do to protect personal, confidential and sensitive data.
How to secure company data
Here are some steps you as a business owner or data protection officer in your company can take to minimize the risk of phishing attacks against your company:
- Education and Awareness:
- Train your employees to recognize phishing emails and suspicious behavior online.
- Keep up-to-date on the latest threats and attack methods.
- Strong passwords
- Require employees to use complex, unique passwords and update them regularly.
- Implement 2-factor authentication or multi-factor authentication for added security.
- Email Security:
- Use advanced email filtering solutions to detect and block phishing emails.
- Update software:
- Keep all your systems, programs and devices up to date with the latest security patches.
- Use auto-update whenever possible.
- Safety-conscious behavior:
- Maintain a culture where employees prioritize data security and report suspicious activity.
- Create clear guidelines and policies for safe use of technology and the Internet.
- Choose secure management systems
- Make sure that the system providers that process your confidential company and employee data – such as e.g. bank account information, information about illness, documents about special employment conditions and any sensitive information about the product – comply with current data protection regulations.
How to secure your data as a private person
Here are some steps you can take to minimize the risk of phishing attacks against yourself as an employee or individual:
- Be aware of phishing attacks:
- Learn to recognize signs of phishing emails, such as spelling mistakes, bad grammar and unknown senders.
- Be skeptical of emails that ask for personal or financial information or encourage quick actions such as opening attachments or clicking on suspicious links.
- Use email filtering:
- Enable spam filters and email filtering on your email account and use your email provider’s built-in security features.
- Check the identity of the sender:
- Be sure of the identity of the sender, especially when receiving emails that ask for sensitive information.
- Never provide sensitive information such as passwords, credit card information or account numbers in replies to emails.
- Use strong passwords:
- Create complex and unique passwords for each account. Consider using a password manager to help manage passwords.
- Use 2-factor authentication whenever possible to add an extra layer of security to your online accounts.
- Update software:
- Keep your devices and software up to date with the latest security patches to close vulnerabilities.
- Monitor your accounts:
- Regularly check your bank and credit card details for unauthorized transactions.
- Protect your devices:
- Use antivirus software as well as a firewall to protect your devices.
Your data is safe with Intempus
Intempus handles the processing of personal data in connection with the Intempus time registration platform for our customers. When we handle this data – regardless of whether the data only exists in our system or whether the customers have integrations to ERP, payroll or financial systems – we always comply with the EU’s personal data legislation (GDPR), or in Danish the “Data Protection Regulation”. Intempus also has an ISAE 3000 TYPE 2 declaration.
You can therefore be sure that your data is safe with us.
Do you have questions about IT security at Intempus?
If you have questions about data security in Intempus or how a solution from us can facilitate your work processes, feel free to call us on +45 26 390 400, or book a non-binding demo:
Sources: datatilsynet.dk
