In the day-to-day business operations of any company, large or small, employee data is always present. With personal data, such as social security numbers and banking information, corporate networks are a treasure chest for hackers looking for data to sell.
Since employee data will always be necessary, how does a company safeguard this critical data not only to protect employees but also to prevent lawsuits and violations of federal regulations such as HIPAA?
Separate Personal Employee Data from the Rest of Your Network
Where possible, use segregated networks for employee data and for business operations. This segregation can prevent many headaches and can isolate damage in the event of a breach.
Evaluate Third Party Risk for Vendors
Many breaches occur from outside an organization through subcontractors and vendors. Subcontractors or vendors that have access to your network and those that process highly sensitive data (such as health insurance providers) must especially be vetted and evaluated regarding their security practices.
Perform Penetration Testing Annually
Conducted annually, penetration testing can be a real eye-opener. When done correctly, penetration tests can find vulnerabilities before a hacker can, allowing your organization to address vulnerabilities before they become breaches. One caveat is that testing should be performed by an independent third party with verifiable credentials.
Encrypt Data When Possible
Encrypting data is an extra safeguard to limit the damage caused by breaches. Today’s technology makes properly encrypting data easy and cost-effective. There’s very little reason not to encrypt highly sensitive data such as employee Personally Identifiable Information.
Address Breaches Quickly and Inform Employees
If an organization does experience a breach, it’s best to address it quickly. Having an in-place incident response plan is vital in this situation. Additionally, it’s best to notify affected employees as soon as possible. If you experience a breach, it’s a good idea to provide affected employees with credit monitoring services for at least 12 months. This shows that an organization is concerned with employee protection and is a gesture of goodwill. It can also serve to insulate an organization from potential legal issues down the road.
Planning Ahead
It’s best to plan ahead and have reliable and tested security practices in place to prevent the breach of employee data. When in doubt consult a professional solutions provider to aid in the creation and implementation of security plans and protocols.