If your company is the target of identity thieves, it could put your employees, vendors and customers in danger. Even if one person is affected, it could cost your company millions of dollars to settle potential lawsuits and put new systems into place. Therefore, it is critical that you know whether your company could be the target of those who wish to steal your identity or that of anyone related to your organization.
Do You Have Disgruntled Employees?
A disgruntled employee is always at risk for wanting revenge on his or her employer. While most people accept a termination or layoff gracefully, some may try to hurt you as much as possible. In some cases, this means physical violence against yourself or others within the company. However, it could also mean that a former IT professional or someone associated with an IT professional may try to steal personal information and use it to ruin as many lives as possible.
Is There Suspicious Activity on Your Network?
If your network is not properly secured or you don’t check who has access to your network, it may enable people to access information that they shouldn’t have access to. As soon as you notice any suspicious activity on your network, your first priority should be to secure it (though prevention is better than damage control, so don’t wait to secure your network). Your second priority should be to talk to all of your employees to find out who may be trying to get on your network and why. Because of security concerns, employers should not let their employees use their personal phones or other connected devices at work.
Is There Anything Anybody Could Want?
An important question to ask is if there is anything an identity thief would want. For instance, is there a piece of intellectual property that a competitor maybe after? Is there information about your personal life or a family member’s personal life that someone could be after? If there is anything at all that you think could be of value to another person or entity, it would be a good idea to talk to an IT professional. A tech support company can create, secure and maintain servers that will provide a firewall against a possible intrusion.
Your IT Team Can Tell You If Anything Is Amiss
Working with an IT team can make it easier to stay ahead of potential security threats. For instance, a security professional can monitor your network and alert you to unusual activity or take care of it for you. It may also be possible to scan for viruses and malware that hackers may try to use in an effort to exploit a vulnerability. Having a professional tech team on your side may be the best investment you can make, with regards to your network security, as you could be hacked without even knowing it unless you have experts on your side.
Identity theft is a serious problem that any company needs to be aware of. Working with professionals, knowing your employees and having a proactive attitude toward security may help ensure that no one has to become a victim.