Data delivery, data storage, and data security at every step of the process is vitally important. So why did nearly half (47%) of enterprises lose data in 2013 and another 66% struggle to get recovery software and operations to work in that same year? The answer is complex and, at the same time, simple. It all comes down to lack of management in data delivery services. Here are a few of the most common mistakes that can be prevented with responsible and quality data management in place:
What Is The Most Common Mistake? (Hint: Email Can Be A Big Problem)
“The single biggest cause of data breaches in 2014 was ‘miscellaneous errors,’ like a staffer emailing sensitive information to the wrong email address,” NBC News reports. In fact, these mistakes account for nearly one-third (30%) of all security breaches. In addition to emailing private information, employees have also accidentally published it to public webpages (accounting for 17% of all mistakes) and deleted or disposed of data incorrectly (making up 12% of errors).
It’s Not Always An Inside Job
Of course, not all data breaches can be traced back to the company itself. Viruses, bugs, cyber attacks, and phishing emails are still big problems that deserve your attention. According to Verizon’s yearly Data Breach Investigations Report, 23% of professionals opened phishing emails in 2014 and another 11% even clicked on attachments in suspicious emails.
What Can You Do?
The surprising information from Verizon’s report may be that the majority of threats come from within your company. Either way, there are still a number of data loss prevention solutions — whether accidents and breaches occur within your company or originate outside of it. First use symmetric or asymmetric (public or private key) encryption to protect data. Secondly, invest in managed file transfer services to oversee email file transfer and data delivery services. Data is one of the most important parts of any company, and it is wise to budget a significant amount to store, protect, and transfer that data.
According to Verizon’s annual data report, protecting sensitive information may start with carefully training employees to avoid common mistakes and errors that start with the company. Beyond that, managed file services can help keep track of company data and store and transfer it safely.
