| By Business Wire |
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| January 28, 2013 10:16 AM EST |
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According to Google Inc., the corporation comes across 9,500 new
malicious websites each day and responds by sending notifications to
webmasters. Nevertheless, these websites are just one of the many
dangers threatening data privacy. In recognition of Data Privacy Day,
observed on January 28, Hardware.com
is offering tips to help organizations mitigate data privacy risks and
increase corporate security.
“Without the proper precautions in place, an organization’s sensitive
data can easily fall into the wrong hands,” said Justin Hadler, Director
of Engineering at Hardware.com. “Whether information is financial,
medical, or just personal, it’s important for businesses of all sizes to
take steps to avoid these detrimental data breaches.”
Hardware.com’s tips for reducing data privacy risks include:
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Create a privacy policy.
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Having an established privacy policy in place is a simple way to
clearly define company expectations and tips for employees. Update
the plan as new threats and best practices are identified. Then,
conduct training sessions to educate employees about data privacy
risks and how they can maintain the privacy of company and client
data.
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Carefully manage all employee devices.
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Today many workers access company information using multiple
devices, including tablets, smartphones, and removable storage
devices such as USB flash drives. Data privacy can be compromised if
users lose these devices or share them with others. For this reason,
it’s crucial that all devices, not just computers or the primary
device, are carefully managed with password protections, encrypted
data, and antivirus software.
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Address social media threats.
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Employees often let their guard down when using social media sites
such as Twitter and Facebook. They need to be extremely careful
given the amount of spam available over the web. Warn employees to
avoid downloading third-party apps unless they are absolutely
necessary. They should also be advised to never click on suspicious
links, since these often contain malicious content capable of
harming computers and stealing login information. In some cases,
organizations may want to consider restricting access to social
networks altogether in order to maximize their network security.
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Install real-time protection.
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Sometimes a hacker strikes without anyone knowing until it is too
late. Identifying hackers before they attack web applications can
be accomplished with a solution such as Juniper’s
Mykonos Web Intrusion Prevention System. Using Mykonos,
organizations can detect, track, profile, and prevent hackers in
real-time.
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Don’t overlook the obvious.
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Certain threats and solutions can appear quite obvious and simple
but are easily overlooked. For example, be sure employee devices
conduct automatic updates, so the latest web browsers, operating
systems, and security software are installed. Additionally, disable
network access when a device becomes infected so that it doesn’t
spread malicious content to other devices. Lastly, don’t forget to
monitor outbound traffic, since employees may accidentally, or even
purposefully, send an email attachment containing sensitive
information to an unauthorized person.
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“According to the National Cyber Security Alliance, an organization is
only as secure as its least reliable employee,” Hadler added. “However,
by following a simple checklist to ensure employees are compliant and
security measures are up to date, businesses can better protect private
data from being mishandled internally or accessed by external threats.”
For more information about Hardware.com, visit http://us.hardware.com.
About Hardware.com
Founded in 2003, Hardware.com is a global leader in networking hardware,
architectures, procurement, and support. Headquartered in
Gloucestershire, England with operations across Europe and the U.S., the
company provides a valued information technology (IT) partnership to
organizations of all sizes. Hardware.com’s team of experienced and
distinguished consultants partner with companies to identify, implement,
and support advanced network infrastructures that align companies’
technological requirements with their business and economic goals. For
more information on the company’s products, services, and solutions,
visit http://us.hardware.com.
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