Data breach is the exposure of sensitive customer information due to hacking, theft or the accidental release of data. Business owners are expected to be custodians of customer information and have a reasonable expectation to protect their customers’ data. A data breach is impactful for all businesses, but it can be devastating for a small business without the resources of a larger corporation. In this four-part blog series, we share what business owners need to know to diminish the possibility of a data breach and its destructive impact if one is experienced.
Data breach is the exposure of customer information, and should not be confused with identity theft – which is when thieves target individuals to obtain credit card and financial information – or cyber liability, which refers to the individual targeting of businesses to steal their financial information via hacking.
Preventing data breach is equal parts common sense and technical knowledge. It’s important to take a balanced approach because neither avenue alone can address all issues. Consider these tips: (more…)