Operating systems and applications can always be reinstalled, but your information is the most crucial component of your computer or network because it is so special.
” Companies must now maintain robust protection measures, including clear privacy laws, opt-out operations, and compliance with consumer protection rules, to mitigate financial and reputational dangers”, said IEEE Senior Member Kayne McGladrey in an email to TechRepublic.
What ten ways can you use to safeguard that information from lost and illicit access?
1. Retain all with credentials
Password protection is your first line of defense against illicit access to your information; it also improves your system’s layered security by combining password protection with additional security measures. Some organizations are required to use password security in compliance with laws like the General Data Protection Regulation.
Implement a rigid password policy to make sure employees can create complex passwords in order to protect your business information. Also, you should have them update their credentials often.
2. Back up constantly
An important part of a data loss prevention method is to backup your data shortly and frequently. Data loss can occur due to attacks, natural disasters, human failure, and other activities. When you backup your data, you may recover it after deleting it.
Although manual backup is effective, you should also think about data backup programs that can quickly backup data according to a schedule you can set up. You can choose the files to copy using more advanced storage tools.
3. Update enterprise software is important.
Keep your business technology up-to-date with the most recent protection updates, bug fixes, and other improvements to safeguard against both new and existing cybersecurity threats. Be vigilant in updating your business applications to the most recent version because the majority of cyberattacks exploit recently discovered security flaws.
Notice: Hazard stars hack conceptual AI to use it to create phishing emails, ignoring safeguards.
4. Apply a VPN
Virtual private networks are excellent for protecting your company’s information. A VPN makes your data an encrypted tunnel, shielding it from hackers and other heinous people. It also helps you reduce your net footprint.
People who connect to business VPNs or access sensitive data from their homes or travels are required to have VPNs. While you can use a complimentary VPN support, ultimately, you should spend invest in a paid VPN license from a reputable company. Paid VPN variations offer more dependable contacts, dedicated servers, and other advanced features.
5. Install virus program
Modern browser software helps protect information from malware, spyware, Trojan horses, browser hijackers, and different virtual challenges. While a company may pay a fee for antivirus software, the price is manageable.
If you’re using Windows 10 or higher, you already have antivirus program installed. Mac computers have a fairly closed ecology and built-in ransomware protection, but you can also purchase additional antivirus defenses independently.
Browser security is even more important in the era of relational AI. Concern actors may use Artificial models in attacks, or compromised data may poison the design if it is trained.
” After it’s destructive information, the AI agent that you’re trying to train is going to learn using harmful content as well”, said Ravi Srinivasan, chief executive officer of data security firm Votiro, in an email to TechRepublic.
6. Use multifactor authentication
Multi-factor authentication on connected devices to the business network is a reliable method of data protection. Users who use MFA must enter a password and a one-time passcode to access another device. This way, the user needs at least two devices, or “factors”, to log into the system.
MFA is a necessary component of cybersecurity protocols for businesses because it provides additional layer of security for your data. Without MFA, your data is still vulnerable to unauthorized access as a result of lost devices or misplaced credentials.
” Even if an organization goes passwordless”, said Srinivasan, “you’re still going to have, external users, external third-party contractors, and service providers that might still be accessing your services using passwords as a default”.
Therefore, he said, tech leaders should think of MFA as part of the solution to an access problem. Have access and identity control of some kind in place whatever method your organization uses to secure its accounts.
SEE: Here’s everything IT leaders need to know about multifactor authentication.
7. Make use of a public key infrastructure
A public key infrastructure is a system for managing public/private key pairs and digital certificates. Certificate-based security is stronger because keys and certificates are issued by a trustworthy third party ( i .e. a certification authority, either an internal one installed on a certificate server on your network or a public one ).
By encrypting the data with the public key of the intended recipient, which is accessible to anyone, you can protect the information you want to share with someone else. The only person able to decrypt it is the one who holds the private key that matches that public key.
8. Hide data with steganography
Steganography software can be used to conceal data inside other data. For instance, you could hide a text message inside a.JPG graphics file, an.MP3 music file, or even inside another text file. The latter is challenging because text files don’t typically have much redundant data that can be replaced with the hidden message.
Steganography doesn’t encrypt the message, so it’s often used with encryption software. The data is encrypted first, before being hidden inside a second file using steganography software.
Some steganographic techniques call for the exchange of a secret key. Others use public and private key cryptography. A popular example of steganography software is StegoMagic, a freeware download that will encrypt messages and hide them in.TXT ,.WAV, or.BMP files.
Hiding data may be particularly important if” The organization us]es ] real personal data ( from customers, patients, employees, and anyone else ) for testing and/or training AI tools”, said IEEE member Rebecca Herold.
9. Educate yourself and your employees about cybersecurity
In order to protect your data, it is important to educate both yourself and your staff about cybersecurity. When using any unfamiliar website, email, or message, you must adopt a skeptical mindset. This includes understanding the importance of adhering to the best practices for data protection, such as not opening emails from unrecognized senders and not clicking on suspicious attachments.
SEE: TechRepublic Academy offers a cybersecurity training package.
10. Seek professional guidance
To determine the security flaws in your system and how to fix them, you can use security consulting firms.
If you need more comprehensive protection for your data, consider hiring a managed security service provider, they offer a variety of security services, including 24/7 security monitoring and incident management. Additionally, if you want to insure your digital assets, consider purchasing a cybersecurity insurance policy.
Generative AI brings new data privacy considerations
generative AI also has the same rules as generative AI, but the trendy new technology also raises new issues with data privacy.
” Every enterprise integrating AI faces an unprecedented privacy challenge: they’re essentially creating a bridge between their company’s confidential data and public AI models”, said Oliver Friedrichs, chief executive officer and co-founder of cybersecurity firm Pangea, in an email to TechRepublic.
Proper authorization is essential when it comes to AI.
In an email, Rob Truesdell, chief product officer at Pangea, wrote that “in 2025, we’re seeing a worrying trend where sensitive data exposure through AI isn’t primarily coming from sophisticated attacks; it’s happening through basic oversights in authorization and data access controls.” Organizations are discovering that their AI systems are unintentionally sharing sensitive information because they haven’t defined who should have access to what.
According to Srinivasan, the transition to AI calls for data privacy considerations beyond what organizations had in mind before 2022, and may include using business data to train internal models. To prevent private data from accumulating in the model’s output, organizations must be aware of data masking or anonymization.
” The next generation privacy-preserving data sharing technologies, such as de-identification and anonymization, are being developed to address the data privacy challenge posed by generative AI”, said IEEE Fellow Houbing Herbert Song.
How can organizations ask,” How do you train it first, then?” Srinivasan said.
Comprehending the limitations and potential misuse of AI products, McGladrey said,” Companies should conduct thorough risk assessments to identify and mitigate potential harms associated with AI products.” ” Maintaining clear documentation of AI system metrics and methodologies, along with disclosing any known risks or limitations to customers, is essential for transparency”.
Transparency about what generative AI can and can’t do is key, said McGladrey, as is compliance with state and federal privacy mandates.
