With headlines dominating the news on security and identity theft related to data residing on stolen laptops, companies across the globe are looking for ways to ensure their data is safe and secure.
A recent article in Baseline Magazine summarized this very well in its 5 Steps to Prevent Data Loss:
1. Guard against human error. Use security technologies, such as data encryption, as a safety net for honest mistakes.
2. When in doubt, encrypt. All laptop hard drives should be encrypted.
3. Monitor outgoing messages. Use software to block e-mail messages or file transfers with confidential data.
4. Ensure security is easy to use. Otherwise, employees will find ways to get around it.
5. Audit security practices regularly. Experts say such reviews should happen at least monthly.
I’ll ask you the same question Baseline asked: What’s the best way to reduce the risk of data leaks, short of taking laptops away from users? Send me a note with your thoughts.