Is Your Data Safe?

Cynthia Kay

Is Your Data Safe?

The controversy over the hacking of SONY continues to be in the news for many reasons. There is the release of information about celebrities, the discussion about theaters refusing to show the movie and of course the US sanctions imposed on North Korea. Central to this story is the security of data and protecting data from cyberattacks. While this discussion continues to evolve it brought another thought to my mind. Many small businesses do not protect or back-up their data and do not believe that they will be the target of a cyberattack.

Why? Small businesses often do not understand that data is valuable.  The loss of data, whether it is from a natural disaster like a storm or a more sinister event like being hacked, can have a significant effect on a business. This infographic provided by US Signal www.ussignal.com says it all.

http://www.thinkck.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/InfoGraphic2SAFE-DATA.jpg

The graphic shows the common causes of data loss. I was surprised that theft was not at the top of the list but many experts believe that small business will be a bigger target in 2015. What I do see is that much of the “pain” is preventable. However, many smaller organizations do not have a strategy to protect their data. It may be a financial issue. It costs money for IT experts or companies to help with security issues or the upgrades that are necessary.  Some small businesses do not want to make capital investments right now.There are models where you can get the back-up and disaster recovery services you need and there is no hardware to purchase. You use your existing Internet connection to ship backup data offsite to a secure facility.

Cost is a consideration but the loss of data can cost you dearly in other ways. Think about what happens if you have a business or service interruption. Think about the damage to the reputation of your business if a data loss puts you customer’s data at risk. This is one of those times when small business needs to think like a big business. Seek out a source that can work with you to find the best option to protect your company. Believe me, you will sleep better at night.