All businesses that accept credit card payments are at risk for experiencing a data breach. Often, these incidents are reported in the news – but not always, which means that these cybercrimes happen more often that people think. Large businesses have the resources to recover from these data breaches when they occur, but the same isn’t true of smaller businesses. Often, a data breach of even a small number of credit cards can cause the business to lose too much revenue and eventually need to close.
However, no matter the size of the businesses, the ideal situation would be to prevent these cybercrimes from happening in the first place. By taking a few preventative measures, such as continually monitoring networks and to maintain PCI compliance, it is possible to prevent these data breaches in the first place. Here’s a closer look at what can be done:
Maintain PCI-DSS Standards When Creating Internal Policies
It is critical that all businesses maintain PCI-DSS, or Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, when formulating internal policies for the process of taking payments and handling customer data. These standards are in place to protect both the customer and the businesses, and compliant with them is crucial for safeguarding this information. It is also important to educate all staff members not only concerning these policies, but also on how to properly handle sensitive customer information.
Establish a Plan for Monitoring Networks
Businesses need a solid plan for monitoring all company networks in order to decrease the chances that they’ll become the victim of a cybercrime. Most businesses need a Security Monitoring Appliance in there network to monitor, detect and report on suspicious activity and to assess if there is an existing vulnerability that needs to be addressed, or even if there is a data breach that is already occurring. The idea behind early detection of suspicious activity is to identify possible breaches before they ever start or when they are in the early stages. Here at Roan Solutions we can provide network monitoring and suspicious activity detection 24/7.
Keep All Company Systems Up to Date
One of the things that can make a business’s sensitive data vulnerable is out of date equipment and software. It is crucial for IT departments to keep systems patched and to also keep antivirus programs updated and constantly online. When software systems remain unpatched, this enables hackers to find ways to easily breach the system. Antivirus software offers another layer of protection but it needs to remain updated to be effective.
By following these steps, it is possible to prevent these potentially devastating cyber security breaches from occurring in the first place. This is especially important for small businesses that may not have the resources large businesses have access to. Please contact us for more information on how we help businesses protect their credit card data, keep their sensitive data safe, and help insure PCI compliance.
