Secure Confidential Information with these 5 Best Practices

Keeping confidential information secure requires a strong security culture that involves everyone at your small business. In addition to investing in the right technology and having an up-to-date privacy policy in place, it’s necessary that employees are aware of the practical role they play in safeguarding confidential information. In this blog post, we’ll outline five best practices businesses should adopt to keep confidential information secure. 
 
Confidential information is any sensitive data that needs to be protected from unauthorized access. Confidentiality is the ability to keep that data protected. Exposing sensitive information, whether intentionally or unintentionally, can lead to irreversible consequences, therefore it's important that your organization limits and protects access to confidential information.  
 
Secure Confidential Information with these Five Best Practices  
 
Limit Access: The “Need-to-Know” Principle 

It’s no secret that your organization wants to keep certain information… well, secret. By limiting an individual's access to information, you're limiting the risk of exposing that information. This is referred to as the "Need-to-Know" principle.   

“This principle states that a user shall only have access to the information that their job function requires, regardless of their security clearance level or other approvals.”

-Microsoft 

Adhering to this best practice can reduce the risk of information unintentionally being leaked and it can prevent rogue employees from stealing it.  

Lock n’Roll 
 
Employees should always lock their computer when leaving it unattended, regardless of their location. Yes, even while working remotely, data breaches can happen. Manually locking the display screen will protect the information stored on or accessible from a device. This prevents anyone, even a family member in a remote environment, from viewing confidential data. 
 
Protect Physical Information 
 
Not all sensitive information is digital. Protecting physical copies of sensitive information is just as important to be classified and properly protected. Think about who may have access to your office building, or employees’ home offices. Always ensure that sensitive documents are physically protected in a safe and secure place when not in use. 

Limit Downloads 
 
Your organization can make it harder for security leaks to happen by limiting how information can be downloaded and shared. Keeping sensitive information behind secure portals, and limiting the ability to download, can help keep info confidential secure. 
 
Classify Data 
 
Not all data is created equally. Your organization should have a data classification program to identify the sensitivity level of data. This should include a distinction between public and non-public information and how to store, protect, and dispose of sensitive information. 
 
Protecting confidential information at your small business in everyone’s responsibility; we all play a part in building a security culture. A Managed Service Provider can assist you in implementing technologies and policies that will reduce the risk of data breaches. Reach out to us to learn more about how we can help.