The Smart Guide to Protecting Your Confidential Data

Your customer and business data is digital currency. 

Think about it: cybercriminals breach businesses because they want to steal the personal data of said business. They steal customer data so that they can either sell it for a hefty price on the dark web, or use that data to steal identities and/or steal money.

Even though you’re a small to medium sized business, this doesn’t mean that the customer data you have on file is any less valuable than the data a huge corporation might keep. To cybercriminals, the only difference is that one business is so much easier to breach than the other. 

This is exactly why small business data breaches are on the rise, and you need to know how to protect yourself, especially as cyberthreats evolve and get smarter. 

In this blog, we’re going to teach you how to protect your confidential data without breaking the bank. 

Step 1: The foundations of data protection

Protecting your confidential data starts with taking a closer look at your network security. When you consider that anyone who has access to your network could have access to all of the devices on that network, this step will make a lot more sense. 

Most of us connect to and use Wi-Fi assuming that it’s inherently secure. We don’t understand the inner workings of it so it’s hard to see how this essential business tool can be dangerous if the wrong person has access. You don’t want unauthorized users connecting to your Wi-Fi—ever.

A great place to start is by using a really strong Wi-Fi password that can’t be guessed easily. Then you want to make sure that you have strong encryption protocols like WPA3 in place so that only authorized users can access your network. This prevents cybercriminals from intercepting confidential data. 

The thing to implement is role-based access control (RBAC). This adds another layer of protection by assigning permissions to your data based on job roles. Not every employee needs access to all company data, especially if you regularly work with third-parties or contractors. 

After RBAC, make sure to implement VLANs (virtual local area networks). This isolates critical systems like payment processing or customer databases from less secure areas like guest Wi-Fi or IoT devices. This not only prevents unauthorized access, but it minimizes the impact if one of your “lanes” is breached. Bonus points for the improved network performance you’ll experience once this is implemented. 

For more in-depth information on network security, check out this blog.

Step 2: Proactive threat monitoring and prevention

We’ve all heard the old adage, better safe than sorry and that couldn’t be more true than when it comes to protecting your confidential data. If you are ever breached, especially as a small business, it could spell the end. Not just because of the financial loss but also because a breach means that your reputation will be destroyed (we don’t have a nicer way of saying it).

The truth is that preventing cyber threats starts with constant vigilance. This is where 24/7 network uptime monitoring comes in. It ensures that any potential issues—like hardware failures, cyberattacks, or performance bottlenecks—are detected before they can do any real damage to your business. 

Threat detection and real-time alerts add another layer of defense by ringing the bell on suspicious activity, effectively nipping a potential breach in the bud. Early detection and intervention can mean the difference between a little speed bump and a full blown 10 car pileup in the form of a customer data breach.

Step 3: Man the doors

The digital part of your business is still a building with a whole lot of doors and windows in the form of digital devices. You wouldn’t leave your physical business unlocked with windows wide open overnight, so why are you doing that to the digital version?

Without locked doors, security cameras, and guards, anyone can just waltz right in and take what they want. This is where managed firewalls and endpoint detection and response (EDR) come in. A managed firewall is the first line of defense. It’s the security guard at the front desk, filtering traffic and blocking threats before they reach your systems.

But what if a threat takes an unlocked backdoor in? What if it wears a disguise that gets it smoothly past your managed firewall security guard?

EDR, please come to the front of the class. 

Think of EDR as an undercover security team stationed inside your business, ready to catch and isolate anything suspicious before it spreads. It keeps a close watch on computers and servers, identifying threats in real-time and stopping them before they can do damage. And with the right setup, EDR can even provide insights into other devices on your network, giving you an extra layer of awareness.

The last step is one that will make your life as an SMB owner so much easier.

Step 4: You need a partner that ‘gets’ it

Cybersecurity can feel overwhelming, especially when there’s no single solution that covers everything. A firewall alone won’t stop phishing attacks, encryption won’t protect against malware, and endpoint security won’t help if your employees fall for a scam. Threats evolve constantly, and trying to manage them all in-house can feel like a full-time job.

This is exactly why managed IT services exist, to simplify security and keep your business protected without the hassle of trying to do it all on your own. At Network Thinking Solutions, we take the IT burden off your shoulders by taking care of everything from network security to uptime monitoring, making sure that cybercriminals can’t get in to steal your confidential data. 

With NTS, you don’t have to juggle multiple solutions or tear your hair out trying to navigate the complexities of IT because we do it for you.

“Cybersecurity isn’t a luxury; it’s the trust currency in our digital landscape. In a world where a single breach can crash reputations and disrupt lives, reliable cybersecurity is what keeps your business secure and your operations running,” says Viktoriia, IT admin at Network Thinking Solutions.

Cybersecurity shouldn’t be a burden. With NTS, you get the expertise, tools, and proactive protection you need all in one place. 

Ready to stop worrying about cyberthreats and get back to scaling your business? Contact us to learn more.