Is Your Company’s Data Encrypted? It Should Be

Data might be the most important aspect of your organization, but how well do you protect it throughout your network? Every organization has data like personally identifiable information and financial credentials stashed away somewhere on the network, so security isn’t something that you can ignore. One of the best ways you can safeguard your data is through the use of encryption.

Encryption is a solid way of keeping hackers from using data that they’ve stolen from you to their benefit. While other security solutions like firewalls and spam blockers try to limit the number of threats that make their way onto your network, encryption focuses on being a last-ditch effort to save your data from being used against you. Encryption jumbles your data, making it difficult--if not impossible--for hackers to use. Therefore, encryption works best when combined with other security measures.

Here are three of the ways in which encryption benefits any business prioritizing data security.

Encryption Maximizes Security
Encryption is a priority for a business that wants to keep security at the max. Taking risks is simply unacceptable, and encryption has a chance to make any attempts made by a hacker a moot point. Data encryption works by scrambling your data, only unlocking it when it’s exposed to a specific security key. Hackers prefer going after data that’s easy to access, so encrypted data is sure to be an asset for your organization.

Encryption Augments Compliance
While encryption isn’t officially required by compliance laws like HIPAA, it certainly protects your interests by having it. Compliance laws generally only need your organization to implement preventative solutions like firewalls and antiviruses, but encryption is still of the utmost importance. Encryption is mainly useful for making sure that any breaches don’t result in compromised data, as hackers likely won’t be able to decrypt your data anyway.

Encryption is, More or Less, Expected
It’s understandable that you want encryption for your own data, but if you are a service-type business that provides products to clients, they are going to expect that you’ll take good care of their data, as well. For example, if you use a service like PayPal or Amazon, you expect them to use encryption to keep your payment information safe and secure. You can safely assume that your own clients will want to believe their data is safe in your hands. If their information is stolen and it’s your fault, they won’t take kindly to it, and you will lose points with them in the long run.

If you want to use encryption for your business (and you should), Washington Works can help. To get started, give us a call at 301-571-5040.