How Businesses Should Handle Sensitive Data in 2022

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article |Handle Sensitive Data|How Businesses Should Handle Sensitive Data in 2022Mishandling sensitive data can be fatal for your business. Not only is this data usually given to you in trust by your customers, but it’s something that you’re legally required to protect, keeping safe and secure. In this article, we’ll look at ways in which you should be handling all sensitive data internally. The tips below will ensure that you’re able to keep handling sensitive data – whether that’s credit card details or personally identifiable information – without being at risk of data breaches or leaks that could damage your business.

Training

All good data handling begins with training. All your staff should be trained in how to keep data secure and how to keep their logins and passwords safe. This might take a training day, with you bringing in external facilitators to show your staff how to best handle data. Alternatively, you could appoint a data manager who is ultimately in charge of how your data is handled internally. They’ll have the master key for your sensitive data, and they’ll be an employee that you can trust to know how to handle data without leaving it at risk of being stolen or exposed.

Transfers

Sometimes, you’ll need to transfer sensitive data from place to place. That might be from one physical server to another, from your business to another business, or from a physical server into the cloud. During these moments of transit, your data is more likely to be intercepted and exposed, which means that you should concentrate on finding ways to secure your data when it’s in transit. Use Globalscape secure file transfer technology to ensure that your data is moved from place to place without the risk of being intercepted by bad actors or leaked accidentally when you need to move data to a new location.


Cybersecurity

Even when your data is simply sitting in a database without being moved, it could be exposed by bad actors who hack into your systems. This has happened several times in the past year, often via ransomware attacks that steal company data and demand a ransom payment to have it returned to them. The best way to protect from these threats is to install a reliable cybersecurity system. These are sold to businesses in many shapes and sizes, so it’s well worth doing a little research before deciding on which package you should purchase. Many are tailored to businesses just like yours.

Data Hygiene

The final tip in this guide is to keep your data clean and readable at all times. If your data is scattered across different platforms, is difficult to read, and will take a lot of manual editing in order to understand and leverage, it’s more likely that your workers will have to access sensitive data on their laptops and work devices, instead of leaving that data protected within files and databases. If you practice good data hygiene and keep your data machine-readable, you’ll never have to expose your data in the first place – it’ll be read and processed automatically, which means you’ll rarely have to access it in the first place.

Use these tips to secure your sensitive data in the future.

Security Measures That All Business Owners Should Consider

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StrategyDriven Risk Management. Article |Security Measures|Security Measures That All Business Owners Should ConsiderAs a business owner, you have a lot on your plate. You’re responsible for keeping your employees safe, managing your finances, and ensuring that your products or services are of the highest quality. Therefore, security should be one of your top priorities.
There are a variety of security measures that all business owners should consider, from basic things like installing locks and alarm systems to more sophisticated measures like hiring security guards or using facial recognition software.

Here Are Just A Few Of The Most Essential Security Measures To Keep In Mind:

1. Install locks and alarms

One of the most basic but essential security measures is to install locks on all doors and windows, as well as an alarm system. This will deter burglars and help to keep your premises secure.

2. Use security cameras

Another good security measure is to install security cameras, both inside and outside of your premises. This will help you to monitor activity on your property and deter criminals.

3. Hire security guards

If you have the budget for it, another excellent security measure is to hire professional security guards. They can patrol your property and provide a visible deterrent to potential criminals.

4. Use facial recognition software

Facial recognition software is becoming increasingly popular as a security measure, as it can be used to track people who enter and exit your premises. This can be especially useful in identifying potential intruders.

5. Implement access control measures

One way to enhance security is to implement access control measures, such as requiring employees to wear ID badges or using key cards to enter certain areas. This can help you to keep track of who is on your property and prevent unauthorized people from gaining access.

6. Conduct background checks

If you’re hiring new employees, it is important to conduct background checks to ensure that they don’t have a criminal history. This will help you to avoid potential problems down the road.

7. Keep your premises clean and well-lit

A neat and well-lit premise is less likely to be targeted by criminals than a messy and dark one. So, keeping your property in good condition can act as a deterrent. In addition, it is important to trim back any bushes or trees that could provide cover for potential intruders.


8. Install a fence

If your premises are located in a high-crime area, you may want to consider installing a fence. This will help to deter potential criminals and make it more difficult for them to access your property.

9. Use motion sensor lights

Another good security measure is to install motion sensor lights around your property. These will turn on automatically when someone approaches, making it more difficult for criminals to operate undetected.

10. Train your employees

It is also essential to train your employees in basic security measures, such as how to handle cash, how to use the alarm system, and what to do in the event of an emergency. This will help them to be more alert and less likely to fall victim to crime.
In addition, it is important to educate your employees about security measures and make sure they know what to do in the event of an emergency. This includes things like knowing how to lock doors and windows, being aware of who is on the premises, and knowing where the fire exits are located.

11. Stay up-to-date on security trends

Security is an ever-changing field, so it’s crucial to stay up-to-date on the latest trends. This will help you to identify new threats and take steps to protect your business.

12. Review your insurance policy

Finally, make sure that you have a comprehensive insurance policy in place. This will cover you in the event that your property is damaged or destroyed by crime.

13. Invest in security

Ultimately, the best way to protect your business is to invest in security. This includes both physical security measures and cyber security measures. It’s also a good idea to review your security measures on a regular basis to ensure that they’re still effective. This will help you to identify any potential weaknesses and take steps to address them. By taking steps to secure your premises and data, you can help to keep your business safe from harm.

In today’s day and age, there’s something else you need to be thinking about:

Cyber Security.

The reason cyber security is so crucial for businesses is because hackers are becoming more and more sophisticated. They’re constantly finding new ways to break into systems and steal sensitive data. And if they can get their hands on your customer’s information, they can wreak havoc on their lives.

So what can you do to protect your business from these cyber threats?

Here Are A Few Things To Consider:

Invest in a good cyber security system:

This is one of the most important things you can do to protect your business. There are a lot of different cyber security systems out there, so do some research and find one that fits your needs.

Educate your employees:

Your employees are one of your biggest assets, but they can also be one of your biggest vulnerabilities. Make sure they know how to spot a phishing email or a suspicious website. And teach them not to click on links or attachments from people they don’t know.

Keep your software up to date:

Software updates often include security patches that can help protect your system from new threats. So make sure you’re always running the latest version of your operating system and applications.

Backup your data:

If hackers do manage to get into your system, they could delete or encrypt your data. That’s why it’s essential to have all your critical data to amazon backup security. That way, if the worst does happen, you’ll be able to recover it.

In Closing

These are just a few things to consider when it comes to cyber security. But ultimately, the best way to protect your business is to stay informed and stay vigilant. Cyber threats are constantly evolving, so you need to be prepared for anything.

High Court Enforcement Officers Explained

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article |High Court Enforcement Officers|High Court Enforcement Officers ExplainedWhen it comes to dealing with business debts, there are two high courts. They are the County Court and the High Court. The County Court deals with smaller claims, while the focus on the High Court is to deal with bigger debts. If a debt is greater than £50,000, it will be issued to the High Court.

A judgement made in the County Court can be sent up to the High Court if necessary. High Court Enforcement Officers are officers that have been authorised specifically by the High Court, and these officers have more power than that of a standard bailiff or enforcement officer. High Court Enforcement officers are bound by a code of practice and have agreed to abide by the High Court Enforcement Officer’s Association’s code of professional conduct. If you are faced with the threat of one of these offices, you” have to pay high court enforcement fees.

Bailiffs vs HCEOs

There are some key differences between bailiffs and high court enforcement services. Bailiffs, also known as simply ‘enforcement officers’ have the legal ability to collect debts for the county court and may take goods as part of that process. These officers are often employed by civil enforcement agencies, but it is also possible for them to work with the court directly. they do not have the same powers as HCEOs, however.

Bailiffs have the job of obtaining payment from debtors. They can do this either by collecting the payment directly, or through what’s known as a controlled goods agreement. If the debtor refuses to pay, bailiffs can visit their business to seize goods. The bailiff must give seven days notice before visiting a business premises. They do not have automatic right of entry. Anyone who is visited by a bailiff should ask for proof of ID from them. Debt collecting agencies often have their workers pose as bailiffs, when they are simply agency employees who do not have the same legal powers.


What Does a HCEO Have The Power to Do?

If a HCEO comes to a business’ premises, they can look to see if there are any goods that can be seized. They must obtain “permission to attend” from the courts before visiting, and must also give sufficient notice. Once at the property, the HCEO will give the debtor the opportunity to pay the debt or enter into a controlled goods agreement. If the debtor does not agree to do either of these things, the HCEO has the right to seize goods immediately, for the purposes of paying the debt.

The HCEO is permitted to take business furniture, stock, machinery, vehicles, financial assets such as shares and bonds, and money. They may also take goods that are on finance, however, the finance company must first agree to the sale of those goods.

The HCEO can only take things belonging to the business. They can’t take personal items. They’re also not permitted to remove:

  • Perishable goods
  • Goods leased or hired
  • Assets under third-party ownership
  • Tools, up to a value of £1,350, required by the debtor to conduct their trade

The HCEO can’t force entry into a secured premises, nor can they take goods from a third party unless they have a good reason to believe the business was storing their goods there. Anything taken by the HCEO will usually be sold at public auction, either through a general auction house or the officer’s own auctions. If the goods are not suitable for public auction, the HCEO may apply for permission to conduct a private sale. The debtor will be liable for any fees incurred during the process of removing and selling any items owned by the business.

Taking Your Business Security to Another Level

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article |Business Security|Taking Your Business Security to Another LevelBusiness security is vital for protecting assets, employees, and intellectual property. And your company is under constant threat from hackers. So here are some practical protection tips.

Exercise Access Controls

Access control is an excellent tool for restricting specific people from areas of a physical site or server. You can control physical access controls using simple yet powerful key card entry systems. Key cards are programmable, meaning a user without the correct credentials imprinted on a key card cannot access a mismatched lock. Kind of like the security levels you see in the movies. For your business network, you can also implement something similar. Your network administrators can restrict access to specific drives and folders with OS policies and user levels.

Install Facial Recognition

CCTV cameras have come a long way since the choppy, low-resolution, inter-frame devices of the 1990s. Today, you can install Wi-Fi enabled, 24 fps, 4K, smart cameras for relatively little. These are supremely clear and have advanced features like high-detail zooming. However, you can go one step further and install high-tech cameras with facial recognition software. Suppose you manage a store and have banned someone for stealing. Facial recognition cameras can spot them and alert you. Or warn you to a face entering your site that isn’t in the staff database.

Boost Business Security with Non-Lethal Arms

Most countries don’t allow security to carry firearms. Yet, in some places, the killing of private security staff is double that of police. But there are non-lethal options you can use. These are much cheaper, have less chance of severe injury, and are mostly legal. Additionally, they hurt enough that they will stop a violent criminal in their tracks. Examples include pepper spray, tasers, and rubber bullets or bean bags. Many of these non-lethal alternatives also look a lot like real guns. And in most cases, just the presence of these weapons is enough to deter a criminal.


Invest in the Latest Technology

Like most things, security technology is constantly evolving. Modern advancements include facial recognition and key card access. However, there are more technologically advanced controls than these that you can invest in. Some aren’t as new, and others are in their infancy. Examples include biometrics for scanning the eyes, fingerprints, and palms. However, you can take your cameras mobile with security drones. Models like the Easy Aerial SAMS are designed for remote control and perimeter scanning with a high-quality camera and advanced recognition.

Implement Strict Cybersecurity

There is a genuine threat of a cyberattack on your business. And your business size doesn’t mitigate risk. Almost 60% of attempted hacks each year target small to medium businesses. These include data theft, ransomware, and DDoS attacks. Any of these is disastrous for a company of any size. Therefore, you must spend some money on cybersecurity. The best cybersecurity plans for businesses include physical and software firewalls, regular data backups, and employee education. You could use an IT service or hire an expert security team.

Summary

It pays to invest in business security to protect your company and employees. User access control, non-lethal deterrents, and cybersecurity protocols are all excellent methods.

Some Of The Best Insurance Tips To Help Manage Construction Risk

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StrategyDriven Risk Management Article |Insurance tips|Some Of The Best Insurance Tips To Help Manage Construction RiskConstruction always has risk attached to it. This is true with any kind of construction. Because of this, the risks need to be effectively managed. The most common and perhaps best way is by getting Advantage Insurance. Here are some of the best tips to help with this.

Tips:

1. Contract

The construction contract is the number one thing that needs to be ironclad for better risk management. Everything in the contract needs to detail the plan. The contract and its related documents should have the risk allocation plan in them. This includes any insured provisions, exculpation, and indemnity clauses.

2. Builder’s Risk Insurance

This insurance is very important. This type of insurance can be purchased with a much more broad policy that doesn’t have to be overly expensive. With this insurance in place, you can protect yourself from any potential damage that incurs on the site or any lost profits from various problems that could crop up.

3. Don’t Buy Insurance Coverage Unless Necessary

You will want to ensure that you are hiring an experienced and knowledgeable broker. Find someone that has direct experience working with these types of projects. You want someone that has direct knowledge of the work that’s to be done. Someone with experience will know the right questions to ask and they will know how to minimize risk. You will find that some insurance isn’t necessary for specific projects. You want to figure out what insurance is needed and why it’s needed for each project you do. Try not to assume anything on your own. If you don’t know, then you don’t know. You don’t want to purchase insurance if it’s not going to help. You want to save your money for when insurance can help.

4. Read The Policy

Don’t make the mistake of not looking over the policy. You want to read the policy right when you get it. Reading the policy and going over it will help you figure out what it covers and what it doesn’t. There is no substitute for reading it. You need to do the legwork to ensure that you know what you are getting into. You cannot rely on the certificate. You need to read the policy yourself and try to comprehend what it entails. Anyone that is a policyholder needs to know what they are signing up for. You want to read it as soon as possible and reject it if the terms aren’t to your liking. You want to ensure that the policy matches what you were told.

5. Mind Your Prepositions

There was at least one court that ended up ruling that a blanket additional insured endorsement did not necessarily extend the coverage to someone who was a prime contractor of the project. This is true even though the holder of the policy agreed to extend the coverage within the contract itself. They even issued a certificate of insurance showcasing that there was mutually agreed insurance in place. The court ruled that the prime contractor is a legal entity to whom the holder agreed to extend coverage, but it didn’t meet the legal “with whom” requirement that was set forth within the policy.


6. Be Crystal Clear About Who Qualifies As “Another Party”

The majority of CGL insurance policies don’t offer coverage for contract-based claims. The exception is where the claim comes out of an “insured contract” agreement. This is an agreement where the holder of the policy assumed the liability of “another party” to pay for any resulting property damage or personal injury to someone deemed a third party. Some courts have narrowed the view of what qualifies as “another party.” This is typically used as an exception in a contract and it’s usually limited to the holder’s contractual counter-party. This ends up excluding the insurance coverage for a GC’s liability to the owner coming from any third-party negligence. This is true even though the GC assumed the liability in the original contract. This is a situation that should be handled through an endorsement amending the contractual definition of “insured contract.”

7. Understand The Restrictions In Endorsements

The coverage can be restricted in numerous ways when it comes to additional insured endorsements. One of the newer changes is the limiting of how much coverage was available to those who are additional insured. There are limits in place and anyone deemed additional insured could access more significant policy limits by clearly specifying within the contract that the greater number would apply when comparing the minimum specified and the actual limits.

8. Keep An Eye On Waivers Of Subrogation

This is something that can end up relinquishing the right to recover from various losses that would normally be covered under the insurance policy. This is sometimes an action that takes place between a couple or more parties that are involved in a construction project. It’s important to be wary of these because some of the policies out there will end up penalizing the holder of the policy for waiving subrogation. You want to ensure that everyone involved is doing it properly.

9. Excess Of Wrap-Up Endorsement

This is something that can bring a lot of benefits to everyone involved. It can help with the risk management of a construction project. Contractor-controlled insurance programs or “wrap-ups” can help to minimize finger-pointing, help with cost savings, and more. However, you do need to understand the limits of wrap-ups and that they are equally shared among those involved. Thus, they may not necessarily be the best option to protect the interests of everyone involved with the construction project. A lot of the newer corporate insurance programs have some wrap-up exclusions attached. Therefore, you’ll want to speak with your hired broker to endorse your insurance program to apply excess wrap-ups if you do participate.

10. Ensure Your Risk Management Matches The Scope Of The Project

You need to ensure that your risk management is scaled properly with the project itself. Keep in mind, that the “guaranteed maximum price” is not going to be any more guaranteed than something deemed an “all-in lump sum.” The price that ends up getting paid out is always subject to expansion. It can also be subject to a reduction in some cases. You need to look at the work needed and ensure that all of the risks are mitigated. When deemed appropriate, try to transfer the risk to the insurance. You want to attempt to get “claw-back” provisions in place if the total cost of the future work insured isn’t yet known.