Cybersecurity and data breaches are a growing concern to everyone--not just those of us who work in the field of IT and network security. Even people who are rarely online have heard of significant data breaches such as those that hit Target, Macy’s, and of course, Equifax. According to the Washington Post, almost half the population of the United States was affected by the data breach that hit Equifax last year.
In light of this rising tide of cyber-attacks on vulnerable personal information, many non-profit organizations are reasonably becoming more nervous about protecting their donors’ information. When a cyber attack steals information from a business, it always damages that business’s profits. Business Insider reports that 19% of customers stop shopping at a retail company that has had a data breach, and 33% stop shopping there for an extended period.
Donors to non-profits have similar anxieties. If they hear that a charitable organization has suffered a data breach, they are much less likely to donate to that group. It’s vital to reassure your donors that you’re protecting their information by detailing all the steps you’ve taken to keep their personal information safe and secure.
One of the first steps you need to take to protect donor information is the same step you should take to protect all of your digital information: use security software. This software includes firewalls, spyware, antivirus, and intrusion detection. If you’re using good security software, you’ve already taken a big step toward keeping your data safe.
It’s vital that your network uses end-to-end encryption for all of your sensitive data. Tools are available to encrypt hard drives, and VPNs, otherwise known as Virtual Private Networks, can be used when sending information across the internet.
Maybe you’re shaking your head and smiling at this one, but weak passwords are still an ongoing issue for security. The most popular passwords in 2017 were, believe it or not, 123456 and Password. Always implement strong passwords and make sure everyone on your staff does too.
Speaking of your staff, it’s always useful to make sure they are up-to-date on the best practices for IT security. Inform them of the latest threats, train them not to download information from unknown senders via email, and stay current on the newest tactics used in phishing schemes and other attacks on your data.
These two are a bit like flossing your teeth--everyone knows they should do it daily, but many of us neglect these essential items. Updating your security software daily is a must. Hackers continually develop ways to exploit weaknesses that security software combats with updates. But you won’t benefit from the updates if you don’t download them. Backing up all of your data is crucial in case you ever do suffer from a breach or other attack. We recently covered this topic in a blog post showing three statistics that reveal how important data backups are.
If you have any further questions or concerns regarding security or how to protect sensitive information, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at 859-746-1030.
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