How to Detect and Prevent Data Theft

How to Detect and Prevent Data Theft

data theftAn organization will have huge amount of data, protecting this data is essential for the proper working of an organization. Data theft is the theft of a company’s intellectual property or theft of company’s relevant information. Data must be reliable and secure since data is the major and important part of an organization. Data theft is a huge problem that is faced by the organizations now a days, in order to protect data the companies are spending huge amount of money. Companies are installing high end software and security mechanisms to ensure data safety and security.

How to find out whether your data is at risk

Here are few ways to identify whether your data is being stolen. If any of these happened to your organization then beware, your data may be at risk.

If your employees are constantly asking permission to access pen drives or any other USB devices your data may be at risk. Keep monitoring your employees constantly especially if they have access to highly confidential data. Restrict the access of USB devices to employees who are about to leave the organization.

If you notice any changes in the network setting or if your server is constantly crashing then it may be a sign of data theft. The imposters may be trying to distract you by crashing your server, this may be due to some bugs in your system that is trying to crash your server.

If your employees are acting weirdly around the server of if they are sneaking around the secured area then try to secure the area or install any security mechanisms such as security cameras to monitor the unwanted access of the server rooms.

Check all the mails that have been send out of the organization, make sure that confidential information or your company’s contact database details are secure and are not at reach of every employee.

Increase in number of mails your organization receives, this is may be a sign of intruders trying to hack in to your mail server. If you are receiving unwanted frequent emails then increase your mail security, your important messages may be at a risk of bouncing.

If your checks are not accepted by any merchants or if you are not receiving any bills via mails then it is a proof that your data is being stolen, the imposters may be stealing your information and preventing them from receiving your mails.

Measures to prevent data theft

Data theft can be found out before hand and can be prevented, before your confidential data reaches the hands of the data thieves.

Install security cameras: Install security cameras to monitor every employee and other secured areas, especially the areas where secure and confidential data are kept.

Always monitor and check the security camera footage: Security camera footage should be carefully examined and checked for any signs of security breach, or for any mischievous acts around the office compound or around the data or server room.

Install Active firewall systems: To prevent theft of your confidential and secure information, install a high end security system. This security system will protect your server from malwares and other security threats.

Restrict server access: Restrict the access to server, do not allow everyone to access the server. If the access is permitted then control the data that can be viewed by them. Server maybe having your confidential and identity information, this data has to made secure from outsiders and unauthorized personnel’s for this control the access to server and to server room.

Restrict use of USB mass storage devices: Confidential data can be transferred by using USB devices like flash drives. The simplest and easiest way to transfer confidential data is by portable devices, these devices should be restricted in offices and access of these devices should be denied. There are software which can be installed to deny access of these USB devices or to monitor who all are accessing data using these devices.

Protect your mail: Several spam and other harmful messages come through mail, these harmful messages should be denied access and should be controlled. Mails should be cleaned properly and frequently, in order to prevent spam mails. There are mail cleanup systems which will clean all the spam mails and will clean all the unwanted mails.

 

Data should be protected, since data is the most important and integral part of an organization if data is stolen then company will be at risk. You should provide the necessary security measures to prevent data theft and other security hacks.

 

  • Written by Binoj, Mon Mar 23 2015
  • DATA SECURITYDATA THEFTOUTCOURCING