What is Data Protection Day?
The annual celebration of all things privacy and data protection was first introduced by the Council of Europe on April 26, 2006. Data Protection Day is celebrated on January 28 each year to commemorate Convention 108 – the first legally binding international treaty on data protection, signed in 1981. It is a day to raise awareness of the importance of data privacy and to promote data protection practices.
For organizations, Data Privacy Day can be a great opportunity to educate employees about the measures that are taken to ensure personal information is kept safe.
By implementing data protection, organizations guard themselves and their customers against identity theft and phishing scams. Some main types of data organizations aim to protect include:
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Email addresses
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Phone numbers
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Names
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Medical information
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Bank and credit card details
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Home addresses
What Can You Do to Keep Your Data Safe?
- Keep your software up-to-date: Ransomware attacks are one of the most common types of malware attacks today and often result in negative publicity and reputational harm. Ransomware denies legitimate users access to their systems (login to computers, email access, access to files etc.) and requires a payment, or ransom (a hefty sum) to regain access. To help protect against a ransomware attack, make sure to turn on automatic updates on your computer and systems (try not to keep postponing to a later date!); and make sure to use web browsers with automatic security updates.
- Use Antivirus Protection and a Firewall: Antivirus software is probably the most successful tools to fight malicious attacks. Antivirus software protects against malicious viruses and blocks malware from entering the system. A firewall also plays an important role in blocking viruses and malwares from entering your system. A good firewall will stop hackers, block malware, and other malicious viruses before you ever see them. ACS partner with Trend Micro and SonicWall for their superior products and solutions for AV software and firewalls.
- Use strong passwords! We know how annoying it can be to have a different password for every app, site, and portal you log in to… but, strong passwords are critical to keeping hackers out of your data. Ask yourself, how many apps and websites have the same password or a variation of the same one? Useful tip: your phone security will tell you how many apps and sites are using the same password and from there you can choose to change, or delete a password, especially if it’s one you don’t use any more. Use suggested strong passwords and a password management tool to keep track and make your life a bit easier.
- Use two-factor authentication: Yes, we know it’s also an annoying one to have to continually enter a code from your phone to access a site or app. But again, it’s for your own safety and the safety of your data. Remember, this is what hackers want… they want your personal information to sell on the black market, and even more valuable to them is your customer data! Imagine, 100s or 1000s of names, emails, phone numbers, and so much more. Turn on two-factor authentication where possible and keep a close management on who is logging in to your data.
- Educate yourself on Phishing scams: We’ve purposely left this one till last, as it is the most common type of cyber security attack a person, business, or company will experience. And, unfortunately, it comes from people not being cyber aware. Phishing scams are responsible for 90% of ransomware attacks. They are often disguised as emails or phone calls from someone who looks legitimate… they send an email with an invoice attachment or PDF of a brochure etc., but inside is something far more sinister. We could go on for days about phishing scams, but please educate yourself, don’t open any emails or attachments from someone you don’t know. If you’re suspicious of something you received, just delete it or call the business who is claiming to send you something and find out if it is real or not.
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