Confidential data, whether it’s personal (like an employee’s Social Security Number) or proprietary (like secrets recipes or patented technology), is one of the most important assets a company can have. The protection of this data is a legal requirement and could have serious reputational or financial consequences in the event of a breach.
It’s crucial to consider the regulations such as HIPAA in determining what information is confidential. HIPAA requires strict standards in the handling of health information of patients (PHI). It’s also important to take into consideration the privacy policies and guidelines of a particular company. It is important to ensure that all employees are aware of what PHI is and how it should be handled. This is a good way to prevent accidental or deliberate disclosures which could have serious consequences.
To limit access, businesses should only divulge sensitive information to employees on a limited basis. This can be enforced through access control protocols for both main principles of digital security in business hard and soft copies, making sure that information isn’t accessible to anyone other than of a team member who is authorized. This is also true for external partners as well, and it is important that the protocols and expectations are clearly stated before work starts.
Businesses should think about encryption when keeping confidential documents. This adds an extra layer of security to the files stored online. It prevents them from being access even if intercepted during transport. It is also recommended to use secure email tools and only send files to recipients that you are sure to be trustworthy.