A company’s biggest security threat does not come in the form of outside sources such as break-ins or malware. More likely than not, it comes from employees inside the company. A lost laptop containing confidential company and employee information or a misplaced disk with account information can be detrimental to a company’s security. Protect your company against such internal threats and loss of information by taking specific measures to reduce potential risks.
Diminish the risk of a possible security breach by taking preventative steps such as these:
- Conduct background checks on every employee. An exhaustive employee screening, including reference, credit and background checks, should occur before every hiring. These screenings give the employer a better understanding of the person they are hiring and a heads-up to any potential problems.
- Establish a social contract. People are not as loyal to their employees as they once were. Part of the reason for this is that the employee no longer feels valued or appreciated by their employer. One way to establish a loyal work force is to paying attention to the way employees are treated on a regular basis. Good treatment of employees can boost the company morale and diminish security breaches.
- Make employees aware of confidentiality policies. Periodically inform employees of the company’s confidentiality policies, especially in regard to email. While including this information in an employee handbook is valuable, go a step further and make sure that employees are trained on under these policies.
- Adapt company policies to new technologies. Keep up with technology. Stay informed about the trends and adjust your policies accordingly. Cell phones with cameras and external hard drives that can easily download company information are such technologies. Protect your company against potential security breaches by periodically updating your policies to include new forms of technology.
Read more about the biggest threat to your company’s security here.