Stop Giving Away Gold: Treating Your PPI as an Asset
Data is as precious as gold.
Anything I can learn about you helps me defeat your safeguards; anything I know about you helps me market my product; anything I glean from your behaviors helps me understand how to exploit them.
Start treating your Personal Private Information (PPI) as an asset. It’s gold. It needs to be under lock and key.
Stop sharing your business cards in fishbowls. Stop giving away information about yourself on electronic devices/social media or in exchange for using an application like email.
Example: If you’re a small business using @gmail.com, @outlook.com, or a @yahoo.com account, you are constantly trading the confidentiality of your business and customers These are not secure platforms; they are, by their Terms of Service, used as marketing engines. Check the TOS of your email provider. If you’re a commercial business, are you following their guidelines?
A startling statistic from the U.S. Small Business Administration indicates that 88% of small business owners feel vulnerable to cyber threats, including data breaches that can expose sensitive information. This vulnerability underscores the necessity for stringent privacy protocols.
For small businesses, the stakes are high. The loss of PPI breaches trust and potentially leads to hefty fines under regulations such as GDPR in Europe and CCPA in California. Moreover, IBM reports that the average cost of a data breach for a small business can exceed $2.5 million, which is substantial enough to jeopardize a business's future.
So, how can small businesses protect themselves? It begins with people and behaviors.
First, educating employees about the importance of data privacy is crucial. Simple practices such as recognizing phishing attempts, using strong passwords, and securing mobile devices can make a big difference. Additionally, small businesses should invest in robust cybersecurity measures like firewalls, anti-virus software, and regular security audits. A company like mine can help.
Second, learn to recognize the trade. Exchanging your PPI for access in exchange for an email, a telephone number, a LIKE, or a FOLLOW is a trick. Anything or anyone trying to trade your PPI for access is a scam. Don’t do it carelessly. It’s like you’re giving away the gold.
Third, lie, and lie often. If you must, and when you can, don’t provide your real birth date; don’t willingly give away where you were born; don’t give someone your actual name or mobile number. Lie. Give away false information. Isolate what is real and true to only a handful of friends, family, and associates.
In conclusion, protecting PPI isn’t just about avoiding financial losses—it’s about preserving your reputation and reducing the likelihood of harm. By taking proactive steps today, small businesses can protect themselves from the potentially devastating impacts of data breaches tomorrow.
