Click here to provide your location

1-855-439-2889 Shop Now

Call now to order 1-855-439-2889

Looking for Business Solutions?
  • Blogs
  • Fight Back Against the Hack
Articles

Fight Back Against the Hack

Tip #1 – Don’t Collect Data You Don’t Need

Kind of like the sage advice “If you don’t want to get bitten by a shark, don’t go in the water,” the best way to keep thieves from stealing sensitive customer data is to simply not have the data in the first place. Only collect customer data that you really need, and only keep it for as long as you need it.

Tip #2 – For Credit Card Info, Phone a Friend

It’s best to avoid collecting and storing customer credit card information on your own servers. Credit card info is like that warm pie cooling on a windowsill that thieves (and cartoon characters) can’t help but try to steal. An easy way to eliminate the threat and fallout of a data breach is to use a third-party system like Square or PayPal. Or, if you’d rather not pay their transaction fees, you could opt for something like a Managed Network Security solution from Kinetic Business by Windstream and take advantage of advanced, PCI-compliant security measures and 24/7 customer support.

Tip #3 – Use SSL on Web Pages That Collect Customer Info

What does “SSL” stand for? Secure Sockets Layer. What does that mean exactly? Don’t worry about it. Just make sure that SSL certificates are being used on your website’s checkout, signup, and customer login pages. You—and your customers—will be able to tell because your URLs will start with “https.” As customers are becoming more aware of credit card and identity theft, showing them that you prioritize their security will help build trust in your brand. If you aren’t currently using SSL, talk to your web hosting provider or IT guy to get everything squared away.

Tip #4 – Encrypt ErryThang

Don’t take any chances. Always encrypt your passwords and all sensitive information in case your data ends up in places it shouldn’t. If you need to store customer data on your laptop or computer, encrypt your hard drive. This way, even if your computer is stolen or lost, your customers’ data won’t be compromised.

Tip #5 – Keep Your Software Fresh and Clean

We know that those easily ignorable software update alerts can be annoying, but delaying updates can put your business at risk. Software updates often include fixes for bugs that could leave you exposed—and since bugs are bad, fixing them ASAP is good. It’s especially important to update any credit card or shopping cart applications you may be using.           

Tip #6 – Require Customers to Use Strong PaS$wordsX905#3_7

When creating accounts on your site, make sure that customers are using strong passwords with a set minimum number of characters. Ideally, passwords will be at least 8 characters and contain a combination of numbers, symbols, and both upper and lowercase letters. Advise customers to not create frequently used passwords they may have for other accounts. For additional account protection, you can add two-step verification (often via text or email).

Tip #7 – Keep Data on a Need-to-Know Basis

Review your employee authorizations, and make sure that people have access only to the data they need. If employees keep data on their personal computers, consider restricting them from taking them home. Employees who work with sensitive data should be knowledgeable about best practices for storing and disposing of data (including Tip #1).

Tip #8 – Don’t Let Your Guard Down

Most likely, keeping your online security up to date is not a top priority. (In fact, it probably falls somewhere between “identify who keeps leaving dirty dishes in the sink” and “order new business cards.”) But it is of the utmost importance to your customers and, therefore, to your business. Schedule regular checks and balances to make sure your system isn’t compromised. If you or any team members are unable to routinely manage security, you may want to consider outsourcing or a managed service. The time and investment you make now will be much cheaper (and less damaging) than the cost of a cyberattack or lost costumers.

The Cyber Hero You Deserve

Whether you manage data security in-house or outsource it, it’s important to have a capable ally standing guard. To enlist the help of a Security Super Team or patch up any weak points, check out Kinetic Business by Windstream’s network security solutions.

Related Entries

Articles

Case Study: How Appalachian Regional Healthcare Nursed Their Network Back to Health


The Challenge
ARH has always been first to respond to the changing demands of rural healthcare. As the largest provider of care and single largest employer in southeastern Kentucky, as well as the third largest private employer in southern West Virginia, ARH has continuously invested in new technology and medical capabilities to carry out its mission of improving the health and well-being of all people within their surrounding community.
The rural nature of ARH’s hospitals and clinics had contributed to a discernible challenge of acquiring consistent connectivity and network redundancy to support their employees and patients. So, when ARH began implementing an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) application into their network, the organization knew network connections at many locations would not support new high-bandwidth demands. Because locations were single-threaded and lacked the redundancy of having a second connection, outages were not uncommon.
On top of that, ARH was lacking the visibility necessary to monitor networks proactively, resulting in reactive responses to outages and network issues. They needed a solution stat—one that encompassed monitoring and maintenance from a Network Operating Center (NOC) to ensure all locations were always up and running. ARH knew they wanted a solution that would integrate all of their facilities into a single network to streamline infrastructure management moving forward.
Read More
Articles

Women in Business Spotlight: Rowena Yeager

Rowena Yeager, owner of Studio Wish Salon in Twinsburg, Ohio, is an entrepreneur, leader and active member of the beauty industry. With 34 years of experience, she is well-respected among her peers and proudly serves on the Ohio State Board of Cosmetology and the Professional Beauty Association board of advisory councils.
Read More
this is the content