Essential Data Security
Data security is of paramount importance to all companies. Due to large-scale attacks, which occur again and again, it has become essential for every company to defend itself against attacks from the Internet. In addition to preventive protection, an emergency plan has also to be developed.
Continuous Exposure
Again and again you can read about large-scale attacks on companies and institutions, which makes you recall the meaning of data security. Only this summer the ransomware Wanna Cry caused an international stir. The problem is virus programs, which, unnoticed, infiltrate your system and subsequently encrypt its data. Afterwards blackmailers extort horrendous ransoms. Paying a ransom is seldom the right solution, however. It only increases the likelihood that you will be attacked once again. Apart from this threat, you are exposed to industrial espionage, which usually takes the form of hacker attacks, distributed denial of service (DDOS) attacks or data theft, particularly by phishing. If you fall victim to such attacks, then the Reporting and Analysis Centre for Information Assurance, in short MELANI, is a good place to go.
Highest Possible Protection
There are many various systems that promise you protection. It is an indispensible measure to take. But instructing your personnel properly is just as equally important. They should be made more aware of where risks lurk. For instance, that they should not open any attachments from unknown senders.
To ensure the best possible data security, companies should conduct individual risk assessments. Then questions should be answered such as: which of our data are particularly sensitive? Which systems are essential to ensure business operations? These areas require additional protection.
An Emergency Strategy is Necessary
However good your data protection is, it cannot be ensured 100% that you will not fall victim to a successful attack. You should therefore make a secure, encrypted backup of your data, which will also be stored protected against natural disasters such as flood, fire or lightning. The cloud is an attractive option here. Particularly when the operator has its servers in Switzerland as Swisscom does it. Professional providers protect their servers against natural disasters, which is also a big advantage. In addition, providers that operate from Switzerland are subject to the local data protection legislation, which ensures comprehensive protection.
Furthermore, each company has to think over its emergency strategy. Then questions should be answered such as: who should be informed? Which servers and systems are linked with each other and should therefore be disconnected from the mains? Which systems have to remain operational and be repaired first so that at least the core operations are maintained?
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