As the world becomes more and more dependent on online resources to complete daily tasks, such as work meetings, grocery shopping, and even exercising, the risk of cyber attacks, data breaches, and information stealing increases. If you’re not already protecting your personal information online, now is the perfect time to start, as Data Privacy Weeks kicks off.
Led by the National Cyber Security Alliance, Data Privacy Week is observed annually from January 24-28, with the intention of educating people about the importance of cyber security, protecting data, and taking back control of their privacy.
Data Privacy Week is not only meant to empower the general public but also companies who may be putting their customers at risk. If your company’s information has been compromised, the breach is just the beginning of the damage that can be inflicted.
According to a report by IBM, 44% of data breaches in 2020 exposed customers’ personal data, such as name, email, and password. Additionally, data breaches cost companies $4.24 million on average per incident. Data is something you can’t afford not to protect.
One way to start protecting your data is by managing your privacy settings; Data Privacy Week makes it easy to do that with their directory of the top websites, services, and apps storing your data. You can take part in the webinars, roundtables, fireside chats, and other events all week long.
But, it’s important to remember that you need more than just updated privacy settings. You need strong cybersecurity protocols and protections in place to ensure that the pathways into your networks are secure. Employees need to be trained to recognize things like phishing attempts, understand social engineering, and prevent email fraud.
With 2021 being a record year for company data breaches, cybersecurity has never been more important. Both the National Cybersecurity Alliance and Agari hope Data Privacy Week will not only educate but also enable people to take hold of their online security and protect themselves against cybercriminals.
For more information on how you can protect your data and privacy online, visit: https://staysafeonline.org/data-privacy-week/