SmallBusinessNewz

On average, data breaches cost small businesses over $6 million per incident. That is the number given by security company Fellowes. While data breaches are certainly a cybersecurity matter, they're not necessarily only a cybersecurity matter.

"It’s important for small businesses to know and fully understand the proper steps and procedures for preventing a data breach," says Nancy Heaton, senior global marketing manager for Fellowes. "I encourage all small businesses to educate themselves about this crime and take the appropriate steps to help protect their proprietary information."

Fellowes has provided a list of 7 simple tips to ensure that your business is protected from a data breach. These include:

1. Develop Office Guidelines outlining procedures for protecting sensitive info.

2. Keep all sensitive info and files locked away, restricting access to only those who need it.

3. Ensure all company computers have the most up to date security software.

4. Limit the use of social security numbers in the workplace (like on ID badges, time cards, paychecks, etc.)

5. Conduct background checks on potential employees

6. Avoid leaving documents in communal copiers, shared printing spaces, conferences rooms, and other open areas.

7. At the end of each workday, all employees should log off their computers and lock their workstations.

There are certainly other precautions that can be taken to maintain a secure work environment, but these seven tips will be a great step in the right direction. They're pretty much common sense, yet are still often overlooked. There's no reason why your business should be put at risk of losing (potentially) millions of dollars when it could be easily avoided by one of these simple tasks.