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Preventing Security Breaches

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Preventing Security Breaches

There have been many large security breaches in the past few years, including such huge corporations as JP Morgan, Home Depot and Target. According to a report published by Ponemon Institute in September of 2014, almost half of all U.S. companies experienced a security breach of some kind in the past year. On top of that, an Identity Theft Resource Center report found more security attacks in the U.S. in 2014 than in any previous year. What can be done to prevent the release of potentially sensitive information? There are several precautions that can make a big difference when it comes to security breaches. Three of the most important are keeping software up-to-date, securing your network and properly training your employees.
Keep Software Up-to-date Earlier this year, thousands of Oregonians who used state websites to pay child support, file unemployment claims and renew their vehicle registration were left vulnerable to attackers who could intercept Social Security numbers and other sensitive information. This vulnerability was due to the use of outdated encryption protocols on the state of Oregon’s websites. One of the easiest ways to avoid security breaches is simply to keep all software and systems up-to-date. Using outdated encryption, last year’s virus protection software or an operating system from 1998 is a recipe for disaster.
Secure Your Network During late 2014, the State Department revealed that hackers had breached its unclassified email system. While the government claims that no sensitive information was lost, we have to wonder: why wasn’t this “unclassified” network encrypted with the same strength as its other networks? Securing networks by password protecting them and encrypting them is another easy way to avoid data breaches. Hackers are far more likely to take advantage of “low hanging fruit” than

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