Building a business from scratch requires a lot of dedication and endless hours of hard work. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous people who would take advantage of that hard work and try to steal proprietary ideas or personal information from employees and customers. In today’s age of technology, it’s more important than ever to take steps to protect both physical and digital data. Here are five ways to keep your business safer.

1.Physical Security and Surveillance

All business owners must take steps to secure their property. Physical wards are the first line of defense and security guards can be employed to increase security. In the event that an intruder gains access to a business and steals sensitive information, it is important to be able to recover that information. Surveillance systems are often critical when it comes to identifying a suspect. For added security, use video and audio recording devices and stream recordings to secure off-site storage.

2. Document destruction services

Many companies don’t know how much of their sensitive data is being disclosed through their discarded paperwork. Employee and customer names, credit card information, and even trade secrets can be found by going through an organization’s discarded documents. While some businesses may consider shredding these papers, they may not be aware that they can use document shredding services to perform this function. Using document shredding services eliminates the fact that an employee spends valuable time shredding paperwork. It also avoids putting undue strain on an office paper shredder that is often only designed to process small batches of paperwork.

3. Internet safety

Internet access is a security vulnerability for many businesses, but there are steps that can help prevent access to sensitive information through computer systems. Security software is more advanced than ever, and the protection it offers is well worth it. Firewalls, strong passwords, up-to-date antivirus software, and encryption technology to protect outgoing email are recommended protection features. Also, if a business provides free public Internet access, this must be a separate connection from the one used to transmit business data.

4. Financial Monitoring

Business credit protection can save a business a fortune in the long run. Many organizations use credit cards or maintain open lines of credit with financiers, and businesses are credit-scored just like individuals. As with personal identity theft, someone posing as a business representative can cause serious financial damage. A credit protection service can monitor any suspicious activity and alert the business to possible fraud, saving it from loss.

5. Confidentiality agreements

Unfortunately, a great deal of leaked information comes from within an organization. Having employees sign non-disclosure agreements before they come into contact with trade secrets can give the company legal recourse in the event sensitive data is exposed. It is generally advisable to have a lawyer draft these documents ahead of time and then have all workers sign the agreements as soon as they are hired.

Intellectual, digital and physical values ​​are essential for modern companies. Following these rules can help protect the interests of businesses of any size.