As we mulled over our resolutions in December, it may not have occurred to many of us to think about our data privacy goals for 2018, yet cybersecurity is a critical component of the health of your business.

Data Privacy Day, which is on January 28, is an opportunity to focus on this crucial priority. It probably comes as no surprise to you that 2017 was yet another big year for data breaches. In today’s environment, companies hold more and more consumer data for marketing and other business purposes in their databases, and that valuable, sensitive data is being targeted daily. Brands like Equifax and Uber were some of the prominent targets in 2017, but your small business is unfortunately not small enough to fly under the hacking radar.

Data breaches cause severe harm to your company’s reputation and compromise the trust your clients place in you. How do you protect your business, your employees, and your clients?

First, know the warning signs. Then, devise a plan. Some warning signs include:

Slowed Internet Speed

No, that’s not your employees using all your bandwidth by secretly streaming movies at work. Drastically reduced internet speeds are a sign that hackers could be invading your network and stealing your data.

Redirects

Is your browser being redirected to an unfamiliar site? Hackers may be sending you to malicious websites to try to trick you into giving up sensitive data, like phone numbers, passwords, or social security numbers.

Unfamiliar Installs

If you see an unfamiliar program on your device, call Layered Systems. Don’t assume you installed it and forgot. Don’t brush it off as something that may have come with an update. If you don’t recognize the program, it may have been put there by hackers to collect your data. Let caution guide you. When you notice anything out of the ordinary, it’s time to contact your trusted IT resource.

We can talk you through other warning signs that your sensitive data has been breached. You won’t be the company who didn’t know about your data breach until law enforcement or a third-party security researcher informs you. Layered Systems will work with you to monitor for these breaches so that if one occurs, you will be the first to know. We are on your team.

Resolve to use Data Privacy Day to contact Layered Systems and make preventing data breaches likes these one of your top business priorities for this year.