In considering data security, many of us are likely to associate with things like encryption, antivirus technology, and sophisticated hacking techniques. However, data security is often compromised by something far more commonplace: human error.
Although the news of massive data breaches regularly reminds us of the dangers of not taking data security seriously, end user carelessness continues to be the biggest threat to data security according to four out of five companies surveyed. Yet despite these concerns, about a third of U.S. companies still do not have a plan in place for responding to data security incidents.
Some of the top mistakes committed by employees include sharing passwords, leaving computers or devices unattended, carrying unnecessary sensitive information while travelling, and not deleting sensitive information when no longer necessary. With the rise of bring-your-own-device policies in many start-up environments, just about all of these mistakes are made all the more likely.
In the infographic below, created with the UAB Collat School of Business, you can learn more about these common data security mistakes, the statistics that explain how they’re impacting businesses today, and some tips on how to help prevent data security incidents at work in the future.
When a business understands the risks of poor data management and educates its employees about their accountability in handling sensitive data, the threat of a data breach doesn’t need to become an inevitability.
