When a customer purchases goods or services from you they expect their financial data to be safeguarded from external threats. However, most do not actively consider what kind of security measures you implement in protecting their financial information. Despite this, as soon as they make any kind of transaction they provide you with their credit card information, name, and potentially their home address, telephone number, email address, and maybe even banking and routing numbers. This all depends on the method of payment you accept. Holding onto and protecting this information is a great responsibility on your part.
Failure to secure customer data puts their very financial integrity at risk. If a hacker obtains this information they can sell it across the web, sign up for credit cards or harm your customer’s credit report. And if a data breach occurs under your watch, it can prove catastrophic for your business as well. From customers cutting ties with you to levying out lawsuits, all of this may eventually push your company into bankruptcy and financial ruin.
Thankfully, if you know how to secure customer data and you take the necessary precautions you will limit potential threats and safeguard not only your customer data but your company’s liability as well.
Update And Evolve
Cyber threats are constantly changing. The viruses, malware, ransomware, and other methods of stealing personal information from a few years ago have evolved into more potent threats. Hackers have learned what works and what doesn’t. They know how to poke and prod for weaknesses within a network. Due to this, if you fail to update and evolve your own network security you run the risk of falling behind cybercriminals. And when you fall behind it makes it that much easier to lose customer data. This is why, when it comes to how to secure customer data, one of the most important steps in protecting your business and your customer’s personal information, is to stay on top of system updates. Plus, don’t forget to constantly be on the lookout for new methods of protection.
With the help of an IT professional, you will have access to a knowledgeable individual who understands what is needed to improve your network security and how it needs to grow, adapt, and change over time.
If A Data Breach Does Happen, Let Your Customers Know
It’s difficult to admit mistakes. Yet sometimes you will do everything in your power to protect clients from hacks and still suffer a data breach. While you need to do whatever you can to collect the lost information, you need to let your customers know about the data breach. They need to know so they can take the necessary precautions of monitoring their own financial information, credit score, and other data. Failure to notify them of the breach may cost them. They won’t know to double-check their credit score and monitor for possible adjustments on their charge cards. Due to this, by the time they realize anything is wrong, there may be thousands of dollars of fraudulent charges stacking up. It’s never easy to tell someone, but it’s better to be transparent than to hide it.
Industry Regulations
Many industries have specific regulations that need to be followed. The medical industry, for example, has some of the strictest data regulations out there. This is because you not only are in charge of safeguarding financial records but also medical records as well. However, whatever industry you are in it is necessary to do whatever you can to meet (and exceed) industry regulations.
The IT professionals at Charlotte IT Solutions will help make sure you’re able to do just that. No matter what industry you’re in or the size of your business, if there are industry-wide regulations you will always meet and surpass the data security requirements.
Always Be Monitoring (And Testing)
The only way to actually know if you’re staying ahead of hackers and external threats is to constantly test your current security measures. You need to look at the weakest links of your own network and then do what you can to improve the security in these areas. Of course, if you’re not an IT professional you may not know how to do this. Charlotte IT Solutions can help.
With a skilled IT professional on hand, they can monitor network activity and flag anything that is unusual. This might be something happening within the network or requests attempting to push through your system firewall. By monitoring the network an IT professional will be able to pinpoint these weaker areas of your network. They can then implement upgrades and changes. By constantly monitoring, testing, and implementing new security features it becomes that much easier to prevent the loss of customer data.
It’s Time To Take Securing Customer Data Seriously
When it comes to how to secure customer data you need to take it seriously. It isn’t a recommendation or a suggestion. You absolutely need to do everything in your power to protect customer financial information. It doesn’t matter the size of your business or the kind of products you sell, failure to safeguard customer information will result in all kinds of issues for both your business and your customers. While you can follow through these general instructions for how to secure customer data, the very best method is to bring in the professionals at Charlotte IT Solutions. The team will customize a data network security system specifically for your business, your point of sales, the software, and all the technology you use for your business.
No network security system should be one-size-fits-all. What you need differs from what the company across the street needs. But when you buy standardized software from an outlet or download an application through your computer that’s exactly what you’re getting. You need network security that fits your business like a glove and Charlotte IT Solutions will give it to you. So, if you’re ready to take control of your network security and do everything in your power to secure customer data, now is the time to contact the experts at Charlotte IT Solutions.