Protect Your Company Data After Theft

WannaCry

Bad Rabbit

The Dark Overlord

These are among the top hacker groups of 2017 that deployed hard-hitting malware around the globe to swipe sensitive company information for ransom.

While crooks have new tricks to phish data out of the digital workspace we all reside in to some degree, traditional theft is still alive and well. Not only do you have to worry about a stranger breaking in and collecting your electronics, but, in some cases, the people closest to your business.  

Or what if an employee or vendor goes rouge? In 2016, Hiscox, a worldwide insurer strategist, calculated from a total of $1.13 million, small to medium sized organizations accounted from 68 percent of employee theft in the U.S.

What can you do right now to guard you and your company when your organization’s electronics are stolen?

Encryption

Password protection can be deceptive if you don’t disable the guest account option. Thieves can easily enter into your system using this visitor function or even remove your hard drive and place it into another computer to gain access to employee and customer bank account information, social security numbers and other sensitive information needed for identity theft.

Encryption, the process of converting information or data into a code, especially to prevent unauthorized access, can keep email correspondence locked and secure and cloud storage safe, making it the most reliable format of protection against physical theft.

Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is not a novelty idea. Amazon, Google and Facebook for example have multi-step verification sending texts to your mobile device when you change your email address to ensure it’s you. The same idea can be applied to your company mobile devices to barricade your sensitive documents and files.   

Find My Device

Having your computer’s serial number is pivotal when reporting missing property to the police. Unfortunately sharing specific document names and details as proof that the company computer is yours, doesn’t always work as thieves can erase data from your device without proper protection.

And while police may keep an eye out for it, you can increase your chances of finding company computers or devices by installing location-tracking programs, some of which are free. If too much time passes and you’re worried about the loss of valuable data “remote wipe” software can be installed to erase every detail from your work electronics. Although this doesn’t stop thieves from selling your computer or phone, in a worst-case situation, this may be the best scenario.

Further resources for review:

Check out a few of these articles to further education.

Encrypting Your Laptop Like You Mean It

Find, Lock or Erase your Lost Phone or Computer

This article was handcrafted by WIRED National, a full-service IT provider for franchises.

Get your free quote today. Connect with WIRED National at info@wiredtelcom.com or 315-326-0001.