How to Protect Your Business Data: A Practical Guide

By Andrii Iakovenko, R&D Director at Olsys

In today’s world, business data is everywhere — in emails, shared documents, cloud services, laptops, and even smartphones. Whether it’s customer contact details, payment information, or project files, this data plays a big role in keeping your business running.

Many companies now follow standards like ISO 27001, which is a well-known framework for managing information security. It helps businesses build a system for protecting data by identifying risks, putting in the right controls, and regularly reviewing what’s working (and what’s not). Even if your company isn’t aiming for full certification, the ideas behind ISO 27001 — like knowing where your data is and who has access to it — are useful for any organization.

Let’s go over some everyday ways to keep your business data safe — what works well and what to avoid.

Why Data Protection Matters

Protecting your data isn’t just a tech issue — it’s a business issue. Good data protection can help you:

• Prevent financial loss. Data breaches can lead to costly downtime, legal fees, or penalties.
• Maintain customer trust. If clients know their information is safe with you, they’re more likely to stick around.
• Stay compliant. Regulations like GDPR, CCPA, or HIPAA often require you to handle personal or sensitive data with care.
• Protect your ideas. Internal documents, designs, or code should stay within your company — not in the hands of competitors.

Improve Password Security

Weak or shared passwords are still one of the most common ways attackers get access to systems. A few simple steps can help lower the risk:

• Encourage complex passwords that mix uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
• Turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA), so even if a password gets stolen, there’s another layer of protection — like a code sent to a phone.
• Ask teammates to change their passwords every 180–360 days, especially if there’s been any suspicious activity.
• Make it clear that passwords shouldn’t be shared, even with coworkers. Everyone should have access only to the systems they need.

Good practice:

• Using a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Ensuring sufficient password length (at least 12–15 characters is often recommended). Avoiding personal information (names, birthdays, addresses, pet names). Using passphrases (a string of random words), as they are often longer and easier to remember, but still complex.
• Use a different, strong password for every online account, application, and system.
• Regularly updating passwords, especially for critical accounts (e.g., banking, email). Implementing forced password resets periodically according to organizational policy.
• Utilizing a reputable password manager to securely store and generate strong, unique passwords. Enabling Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on the password manager itself.
• Establishing clear policies against sharing passwords. Utilizing secure methods for temporary credential sharing when absolutely necessary (e.g., through password managers or one-time share mechanisms).

Bad practice:

• Using short passwords (less than 8 characters). Including easily guessable personal information. Using common words or dictionary words. Using sequential numbers or letters (e.g., “123456”, “abcdef”).
• Reusing the same password across multiple accounts.
• Writing down passwords on sticky notes, in unprotected documents, or saving them in plain text. Sharing passwords via insecure channels (email, chat). Relying solely on memory for numerous complex passwords.
• Keeping login info in a shared spreadsheet or emailing it to teammates.

Use Security Software — and Keep It Updated

Security software forms the foundation of your defense. Even basic tools can go a long way if they’re installed properly and regularly updated:

• Antivirus and anti-malware tools help catch threats before they spread.
• Firewalls can stop unauthorized traffic from reaching your internal systems.
• Endpoint protection helps secure devices like laptops, phones, and tablets, especially those used outside the office.
• Encryption ensures that sensitive data stays protected, even if it’s intercepted during transfer or someone loses a device.

Good practice:

• Choosing reputable security software vendors with a proven track record and positive independent reviews.
• Installing security software on all relevant devices and systems (desktops, laptops, servers, mobile devices). Configuring software with strong, default settings enabled.
• Enabling automatic updates for all security software components (signature databases, engine, application). Regularly verifying that updates are being applied successfully.
• Educating users on the purpose and importance of security software. Training them on how to recognize alerts and report suspicious activity.

Bad practice:

• Installing free or pirated security software from untrusted sources.
• Relying on outdated or unsupported security software.
• Disabling antivirus tools to speed up a computer, or ignoring update reminders for weeks.
• Disabling automatic updates or delaying updates for extended periods.

Back Up Data Regularly

Even with good security, things can still go wrong. A solid backup plan can save the day after a cyberattack, hardware failure, or accidental deletion.

To be safe, consider these habits:

• Use automated backups so they happen on schedule, not just when someone remembers.
• Follow the 3-2-1 rule: Keep three copies of your data, store two on different types of devices, and one in a separate location (like the cloud).
• Test your backups now and then to make sure you can actually restore files if needed.
• Cloud backups are a good option — they’re secure, scalable, and can be accessed from anywhere in case of emergency.

Good practice:

• Schedule automatic daily backups and test your restore process every quarter.
• Encrypting backups both in transit and at rest protects against unauthorized access.
• Implementing a mix of full, incremental, and differential backups to optimize storage space and backup/restore times.

Bad practice:

• Infrequent backups (e.g., monthly or less). Manual backups are often skipped or forgotten.
• Storing all backups in the same physical location as the primary data makes them vulnerable to the same disasters.
• Assuming backups are working without periodic testing. Lack of documented restoration procedures.
• Treating backups as a standalone solution without considering the overall disaster recovery process.

Help Your Team Understand Security

Most data leaks happen because of human error, not because someone “hacked in.” Training your team is one of the most effective things you can do.

Some ideas:

• Run short, practical training sessions about phishing emails, fake websites, or common social engineering tricks.
• Create a simple cybersecurity policy. It should cover topics like acceptable use, how to handle sensitive files, and what to do if something seems suspicious.

Use access controls to limit what people can see or do based on their job role — the “least privilege” model. That way, if an account is compromised, the damage is limited.

Good practice:

• Fostering a culture where security is seen as everyone’s responsibility, not just the IT department’s.
• Make training part of onboarding and repeat it a few times per year.
• Communicating security policies, procedures, and updates clearly, concisely, and in plain language.
• Establishing clear channels for reporting security incidents or concerns.
• Security leaders and management are demonstrating strong security practices in their own work.
• Encouraging open communication about security concerns without fear of blame.

Bad practice:

• Expecting people to just “know” what to do without ever being shown.
• Generic, one-size-fits-all training content.
• Relying solely on passive methods (e.g., sending out policy documents).
• Making training optional or not tracking participation.
• Communicating security information using overly technical language or jargon.
• Blaming individuals for security mistakes without focusing on learning and improvement.

Protect Remote Work with a VPN

More people are working remotely now, and that often means using unsecured Wi-Fi or personal devices. You don’t need to block remote access — just make it safer.

• A VPN encrypts the connection between the user’s device and your business systems. This helps protect data from snooping on public Wi-Fi.
• Many VPNs also enforce company-wide access rules, making it easier to manage who connects from where.
• Consider implementing Zero Trust principles, where every device and user must be verified before getting access, even inside your network.

Good practice:

• Provide secure company laptops with VPN access and managed security settings.

Bad practice:

• Letting team members access critical systems from personal laptops without any controls in place.

Monitor and Review Access to Data

Knowing who’s accessing your data — and when — can help you catch problems early or investigate after an incident.

• Keep access logs that track which users accessed what files or systems.
• Use real-time alerts to flag unusual behavior, like someone logging in from a new country or downloading large amounts of data.
• Perform regular audits to review access permissions and make adjustments when roles or projects change.

Good practice:

• Review user access quarterly, and after someone leaves the company.
• Implementing comprehensive logging of all data access attempts, including successful and failed logins, data viewed, data modified, and data transferred.
• Implementing real-time monitoring tools to detect unusual or suspicious access patterns.
• Implementing PAM (Privileged Access Management) solutions to control and monitor access to privileged accounts.

Bad practice:

• Give everyone full access “just in case” and never remove old accounts.
• Only logging successful logins.
• Not capturing details about data viewed or modified.
• Storing logs in an easily accessible and modifiable location without proper security.

Have a Plan for Security Incidents

Even with strong protection, no system is 100% secure. That’s why you should prepare for how you’ll respond if something goes wrong.

• Set up an incident response team — even if it’s just two or three people who know what to do.
• Write down the steps to take when a breach is detected. That might include isolating systems, investigating what happened, and informing affected users.
• Depending on the kind of data involved, make sure you know who to contact—such as legal advisors or regulators.
• After each incident (or even a test drill), update the plan based on what you learned.

Good practice:

• Run a tabletop exercise to test your plan.

Bad practice:

• Googling “how to respond to a data breach” while it’s happening.

Follow Data Privacy Laws

Many countries now have rules about how businesses handle personal information. These laws apply even if you’re a small company, especially if you serve customers in different regions.

Some of the most common regulations include:

• GDPR – Covers the data of EU citizens. Requires clear consent, the right to be forgotten, and strong data handling.
• CCPA – Gives California residents the right to know what data is collected and request its deletion.
• HIPAA – Applies to healthcare data in the US. Includes strict controls on access and sharing.

To stay compliant:

• Know what kind of data you collect, where it’s stored, and who can see it.
• Review your processes regularly — especially if laws change or your business grows.

Good practice:

• Clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of individuals and teams involved in incident response.
• Establishing escalation paths for different types of incidents.
• Appoint someone to track privacy requirements and manage data protection practices.

Bad practice:

• Assuming compliance doesn’t apply because “we’re not a big company.”
• Key stakeholders are not involved in the planning process.

Consider Data Loss Prevention Tools

If you handle a lot of sensitive data, DLP (Data Loss Prevention) tools can help reduce accidental or intentional data leaks.

These tools can:

• Monitor how data moves within and outside your company, like email attachments or file uploads.
• Classify sensitive data (e.g., personal info, financial data) so it gets extra protection.
• Control USB access to prevent data from being copied to unapproved devices.

Good practice:

• Clearly defining the organization’s data protection goals and identifying the types of sensitive data that need protection.
• Use DLP to gently warn users when they’re doing something risky, not just to block actions.

Bad practice:

• Relying only on DLP tools without teaching people how to avoid mistakes.

Empowering Teams Through Security Awareness: The Olsys Approach

At Olsys, we take this seriously. We’ve developed a dedicated security training program tailored to real-world threats such as phishing, social engineering, and secure data handling.

All current team members have completed this training, reinforcing a consistent security-first mindset across the organization.

We’ve also integrated this program into our onboarding process, ensuring every new hire is aligned with our security standards from day one.

Our approach aligns with key industry best practices:

• Promoting a culture where security is everyone’s responsibility
• Providing clear, accessible security policies and procedures
• Implementing the principle of least privilege to limit exposure
• Encouraging transparent reporting without fear of blame
• Leading by example — from leadership down
  

Final Thoughts

  
 
Protecting business data is an ongoing task, not a one-time setup. The good news is that you don’t have to fix everything at once. Start with the basics: improve passwords, run backups, and help your team stay alert.