Data Breaches have become an alarmingly common and costly issue for businesses around the globe. In 2023, a single data breach in an ASEAN country caused an all-time high average of US$3.05 million in damages. This figure is rapidly increasing, and without proper measures to defend against breaches, companies are vulnerable to malicious hackers and data thieves. With the cost and frequency of these breaches on the rise, it is imperative for companies to proactively implement security measures and best practices to prevent unauthorised access to their sensitive information.

Improving Security

In order to safeguard an organisation’s assets and customer data, general preventative strategies are necessary. An essential part of this process involves the implementation of robust Firewalls which act as a barrier and provides improved access control. By filtering incoming and outgoing traffic based on established trust, firewalls serve to prevent unauthorised access to network resources. 

Establish Best Practices For Employees

Employees are a weak link when it comes to an organisation’s cyber security defence. It’s estimated that close to 20% of these data breaches happen because of employee negligence, whether it’s falling prey to phishing and social engineering, or the exploitation of their unsecured devices or accounts.

Adopting Best Practices for data breach prevention minimises the risk of sensitive information being compromised. By cultivating this culture among employees and equipping them with the right knowledge and tools, it becomes easier for them to recognise and prevent security threats. Committing to these protective measures is a necessity for a modern enterprise:

Regular Training: Regular training sessions on data breach awareness can ensure that employees are aware of possible avenues of attack. These include recent phishing schemes, training on how to identify suspicious email links, and emphasis on keeping sensitive data private.

Device and Account Management: Establish clear policies for the use of personal devices. Employees should be aware of the risks associated with accessing company data on unsecured networks. A business should also maintain strong password policies and the use of password managers for company accounts. Regular updates and the use of multi-factor authentication is also ideal.

Access Control: Employees should not have excessive information access privileges. By ensuring the best practice of information control, user activity monitoring, and regular audits, potential breaches can be detected.

Reporting Mechanisms: Though it may not directly prevent a breach, it’s vital to create a culture where employees feel comfortable reporting potential security threats without fear of retribution. By drafting an incident response plan that outlines steps for employees to follow in suspected breaches, you encourage employees to come forward and make efforts to mitigate the dangers of stolen data, instead of waiting for data leak detection to activate.

Adherence to these best practices can markedly reduce the risk of data breaches stemming from employee actions, helping create a trustworthy reputation in an organisation.

Remote Monitoring

An effective data breach prevention plan requires upkeep and constant monitoring, in order to detect and thwart potential threats before they cause damage. Businesses must remain vigilant and adaptable, and by implementing 24/7 oversight, businesses can detect and respond to security threats with greater speed and efficiency. This strategy involves remote monitoring and round-the-clock surveillance.

However, maintaining in-house surveillance may be expensive and difficult to execute, For organisations without the capacity to manage round-the-clock surveillance on-premise, partnering with Managed Security Service Providers can offer a solution. These partnerships give you access to specialised security expertise and advanced monitoring tools, allowing you to achieve cost efficiency while obtaining consistent remote monitoring. SPTel’s Managed Security solutions come with the added support for a world class Security Operations Centre (SOC) operated by ST Engineering to provide active monitoring and fast response to threats.

Regularly Audit and Evaluate

Conducting regular audits is crucial for detecting potential vulnerabilities within an organization’s IT infrastructure. It’s important to examine how sensitive data is handled and stored, ensuring compliance with current regulations and standards. These regular checks allow for the identification of areas where security measures may be outdated or missing. Audits should assess all layers of security, from physical access controls to network security protocols.

An effective tool in this process is a Web Application Firewall (WAF), which provides proactive defences against web-based threats and remains up-do-date through constant management. These services have comprehensive reporting capabilities that help you analyse traffic, identify threats, and inform you of security events. Regular reporting and auditing is a built-in feature of SPTel’s managed Web Application Firewall, making it an ideal choice for businesses looking to regularly re-examine their data protection methods.

Establish Best Practices For Data Security With SPTel

To maintain a secure position in the face of these rising cyber threats, organisations must take steps to safeguard their data. These best practices help an organisation form a robust and reliable protection plan, meeting their modern-day information protection needs.

SPTel is a digital solutions provider that has a wide range of Managed Security services to offer, from Managed Perimeter Protection (Virtual or Appliance based Firewall), Web Application Firewall services, DDOS Protection and Mitigation services. To find out about what we can offer, contact us today.