For business owners, your most critical assets aren’t your office or your inventory; it’s your data. Every client list, financial record, and strategic plan forms the makeup of your company. Protecting this data, due to its importance, isn't just an IT issue—it's an essential business function.
With everything that is going on, we have come to believe that proactive technology management is a key component to finding secure and sustainable growth. One of the key components to keeping data secure is encryption. This month, we thought we’d take a deeper look at the ways in which encryption can be used to keep your organization’s data safe.
Imagine a thriving local business—let's say a marketing agency. They have contracts, client campaign strategies, and sensitive customer data stored across their systems. One morning, they arrive to find their operations completely paralyzed. Their files are scrambled and inaccessible, replaced with a single message: pay us, or lose everything forever. Even worse, the attackers claim to have copied all their client data.
The immediate crisis isn't just the financial demand; it's the catastrophic loss of trust. How do they notify their clients that their sensitive information is now in the hands of criminals? This scenario, known as a ransomware attack, is an all-too-common reality that has forced countless businesses to shut their doors for good. The financial cost is steep, but the reputational damage can be permanent.
Put simply, encryption is the process of taking data and scrambling it into an unreadable code. Only someone with the correct digital key can unlock and read the information. For an unauthorized party, your most sensitive data is nothing more than meaningless gibberish.
To be effective, this digital vault must protect your data in three distinct states:
Implementing data encryption is more than just a technical task; it's a strategic business decision that, with all the current threats, is imperative to your long-term security. It is a fundamental practice for mitigating risk and upholding your responsibility to protect client information.
You don't need to be a cybersecurity expert to prioritize security, but you do need a proactive plan. At Preferred, we specialize in managing these technological complexities for businesses, allowing them to focus on what they do best.
If you're ready to ensure your company's digital vault is truly locked and secure, let's have a straightforward conversation about how to maximize your business security stance and mitigate risk. Call us today at 708-781-7110.
Preferred is once again, honored for being a Best Place to Work for the fifth straight year! Our team is what makes Preferred a Best Place to Work.
Daily Herald Suburban Business 2024 Best Places to Work Honorees The Daily Herald Suburban Business has announced the names of 51 companies, in 5 categories of competition, that are honored as the 2024 Best Places to Work in Illinois. This statewide survey and awards program was designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Illinois, benefiting the state's economy, its workforce and businesses.
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