Securing
customer data isn’t just the law of the land, it’s also the ethical thing for
companies to do. A report from the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA)
reveals that consumers worry more about data privacy than loss of personal
income. How do your data protection practices compare with this sampling from
IT experts?
1) Make Privacy a Priority. After creating a robust
data-handling policy, educate employees about it, including how you intend to
enforce it.
2) Limit Access to customer data. The number of
support staff truly requiring access to customers’ personal information is
probably smaller than you think. Assess who has viewing privileges and pare
down their ranks, if possible.
3) Collect the Minimum. Gather only the data you need
for business purposes and nothing more. Streamlining collection not only saves
time and resources, it also gives hackers a much smaller target to aim for.
4) Delete When Finished. When you’ve concluded
transacting with customers, consider destroying their information, rather than
letting it sit idly on some server, waiting to be nabbed.