If you’re using Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive or any other consumer-grade file sync and share cloud apps, if ya know what’s good for ya, ya’ll listen up! Capiche?

These applications – which are called shadow apps by the IT industry - can pose a huge threat to your business because your data can be spread far and wide without anybody managing what information is being shared, and with who. Since over 7 MILLION Dropbox accounts have been hacked, that hack may have given cyber crooks a path right into your business’s network.

This is even MORE important if your company has access to and/or stores sensitive data, such as first and/or last name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother‘s maiden name, or other biometric records; and any other information that is linked or linkable to an individual, such as medical, educational, financial, and employment information.

This is, by the way, no means a complete list of the data YOU are required to protect.

Using file-sharing apps like these are a clear and DIRECT VIOLATION of data breach and compliance laws, including PCI which are your credit card processing regulations.

So, what’s the bottom line?

DON’T USE UNSECURE FILE SYNC & SHARE APPS FOR COMPANY DATA and use only company-approved, secure, business-grade file-sharing applications in your business.

How do you choose a file sync & share app?

 Whether your business has to comply with HIPAA or not, the file sync & share apps that comply with HIPAA requirements will provide the best security, and will assure your data is secure at rest and in transit, meaning where it is stored and when you are moving it. Yah, it’s a little bit more money, but not anywhere near what it’s going cost you if you have a data breach.

Likely more than $45,000 per incident. And maybe over $100,000.

The courts have stated that your client database doesn’t belong to you. You are just the custodian of that data. And it is YOUR RESPNSIBILITY to protect that data, or else! So do the right thing and protect the data properly.

If you don’t got a clue on what to do, or what to use, give us a call at (636) 542-8653 today, or take your chances with tha cyber crooks, and the fines, civil suits, reputation damage and everything else associated with a data breach.

That’s it for Tip #10

Next week’s Tip will be “DON’T Use Public Wi-Fi Until You Read or Watch This”

Remember – It ain’t poisonal...  it's jus bidness.

‘Til next time.