Keeping your client’s data safe and secure should be one of your biggest priorities as an agency.
Being an agency, it’s your job to protect your clients’ sensitive information, and if anything goes wrong, such as hacks or cyber threats, the buck stops with you. If you get this wrong, the consequences can be pretty severe.
Financial loss, reputational damage, and legal liabilities to name just a few. In an era where data breaches make daily headlines, maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of client data has become more critical than ever.
In this article, we’ll look at practical ways you can make sure client data stays safe and identify some of the common threats that might cause problems.
Risks of poor digital marketing security
Unfortunately, there are plenty of people out there who would love to get their hands on your clients’ sensitive data. Plus, with more and more people working remotely from public spaces like cafes, airports and co-working spaces, the risk of data exposure is increased.
Why? Because hackers love to target public Wi-Fi networks in these locations as it’s easier to exploit vulnerabilities and intercept sensitive information transmitted over unsecured connections.
That’s just one example of the risks posed by poor digital marketing security. Here’s a few more you need to look out for:
Cyberattacks
Cybercriminals are constantly evolving their tactics to exploit vulnerabilities in your digital marketing security measures. The average estimated cost of all cyber attacks in the last 12 months was £4,200 for all organizations, rising to £19,400 for medium and large businesses.
From phishing emails to malware attacks, they’ll use any means necessary to gain access to disrupt secure data exchanges and infiltrate your clients’ data.
Insider threats
In an ironic twist, sometimes the biggest threat comes from within your agency. Whether it’s intentional or accidental, employees with access to sensitive information can inadvertently compromise data security.
Data breaches
If your digital marketing security measures aren’t up to scratch, you run the risk of experiencing a data breach. This could result in sensitive client information being exposed or stolen, leading to severe consequences for your agency and your clients.
A study by Fortinet found that while 78 percent of organizations believe they are “very” or “extremely” prepared to mitigate an attack, 50 percent still fell victim to ransomware last year.
Legal compliance issues
Failing to adequately protect client data can also land you in hot water legally. Depending on where you operate, you may be subject to various data protection laws and regulations, such as GDPR or HIPAA. Violating these regulations can result in hefty fines and damage to your agency’s reputation.
An example could be one of your employees accidentally sends a proposal or internal document containing sensitive financial information or strategic insights to the wrong client, exposing your agency to potential legal and financial risks.
Reputational damage
Speaking of reputation, if your clients can’t trust you to keep their data safe, they’ll take their business elsewhere. A data breach or security incident can tarnish your agency’s reputation and make it difficult to attract new clients in the future.
6 simple ways to keep your client data secure
The good news is that with today’s technology, there are a number of great ways to help keep your client’s data secure.
Let’s look at six must-haves for any agency looking to fortify their clients’ data security.
1) Implement strong authentication measures
Require strong passwords that are difficult to guess and encourage the use of passphrases that include a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters.
Additionally, consider implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for added security. MFA requires users to provide two or more forms of verification, such as a password and a unique code sent to their mobile device, before accessing sensitive data.
This significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access, even if passwords are compromised.
2) Regularly update and patch systems
Regularly update and patch all software, operating systems, and applications to protect against known vulnerabilities. Hackers often exploit these vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to systems and sensitive client data. To further enhance your security posture, consider investing in insider threat solutions that monitor user behavior and detect potential risks proactively.
3) Educate employees on security best practices
Simple, but very effective.
Provide comprehensive training to employees on security best practices to raise awareness and promote a culture of security within your agency.
Training should cover topics such as how to recognize phishing emails, avoid clicking on suspicious links or attachments, and securely handle sensitive information.
4) Encrypt data
Encrypt sensitive client data both in transit and at rest to protect it from unauthorized access. Encryption converts data into an unreadable format using cryptographic algorithms, making it indecipherable to anyone without the encryption key. Utilizing encryption not only keeps your client information safe but also ensures secure data exchange.
Use encryption protocols such as Transport Layer Security (TLS) for data transmitted over networks and encryption algorithms like Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) for data stored on servers or in the cloud. This ensures that even if data is intercepted or stolen, it remains secure and confidential.
5) Limit access to least privilege
Restrict user access to only the data and resources necessary for their job responsibilities. Implement the principle of least privilege, which means granting users the minimum level of access required to perform their tasks effectively.
Regularly review and update access permissions to ensure that only authorized individuals have access to sensitive information. By limiting access to least privilege, you can minimize the risk of insider threats, accidental data exposure, and unauthorized access to client data.
6) Regular security audits
Conducting regular security audits helps identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in your data security measures. For instance, you can use vulnerability scanning tools like Nessus or Qualys to scan your network for known vulnerabilities and prioritize patching them. Additionally, penetration testing, where ethical hackers simulate real-world attacks, can help uncover hidden security flaws before malicious actors exploit them.
Tom Hart, Head of SEO at KAU Media Group, believes that regular security audits are an essential component to keeping their clients’ data secure:
“Safeguarding client data is paramount. By employing robust encryption protocols we can protect sensitive information during transmission and storage. Regular security audits ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations.
Our team undergoes comprehensive training on data handling practices, emphasizing confidentiality and integrity. Access controls and multi-factor authentication further fortify our defenses against unauthorized access. Continuous monitoring and swift response to emerging threats guarantee the security and trust our clients deserve.”
7 steps to respond to security incidents
This is never a nice scenario to be in, but not knowing how to rectify the situation is far worse.
Despite your best efforts to prevent them, security incidents can still happen. In these instances, you need to have a well-defined incident response plan in place.
While every threat comes with its own specific problems, the below should help you tackle most of them well:
1) Identify and assess the incident
First off, find out what is actually going on. Gather information on the affected systems, the nature of the attack, and any compromised data. It’s easy to panic at this stage, but keeping a cool head and maintaining a systematic approach is crucial.
2) Contain the incident
Once you’ve figured out what’s happened, take immediate action to contain the incident and prevent further unauthorized access or data loss. This may involve isolating affected systems, disabling compromised accounts, or temporarily shutting down network services if necessary.
3) Notify relevant stakeholders
It’s easy to try and hide a security threat from a client to stop them from worrying, but this can have the opposite effect. Keeping clients informed ensures they are aware of the situation and can take any necessary precautions to protect themselves.
From here, you can communicate the incident to relevant internal stakeholders, including management, IT personnel, and legal counsel. Depending on the severity and nature of the incident, you may also need to notify external parties, such as clients, regulatory agencies, or law enforcement authorities.
4) Mitigate and remediate
Once the incident is contained, focus on mitigating the impact and remediating any vulnerabilities or weaknesses that contributed to the breach. This may involve applying security patches, reviewing secure data exchange protocols, restoring backups, or implementing additional security controls.
5) Document and report the incident
Thoroughly document all aspects of the incident, including the timeline of events, actions taken, and any evidence collected. This documentation will be invaluable for post-incident analysis, regulatory compliance, and legal purposes. Additionally, report the incident to relevant regulatory authorities or industry bodies as required by law.
6) Conduct post-incident analysis
After the incident has been resolved, conduct a comprehensive post-incident analysis to identify lessons learned and areas for improvement in your incident response process. Use this analysis to update and refine your incident response plan to better prepare for future incidents.
7) Keep stakeholders posted
Maintain open and transparent communication with affected parties throughout the incident response process. Provide timely updates on the status of the incident, the actions being taken to address it, and any measures they can take to protect themselves.
Conclusion
Keeping your clients’ data secure should always be one of your main priorities. The risks of data being exposed or stolen are just too great to ignore.
As an agency, you should see information security as an ongoing effort, not a reactionary response. By proactively implementing strong security measures, regularly assessing risks, and staying informed about new cyber threats, you’ll be far more prepared to handle a cyber attack as and when it happens.
Remember, it’s not just about preventing breaches but also about building trust with your clients and upholding your agency’s reputation as a trustworthy protector of client data.
