This year, March 19 ushered in spring in the Northern Hemisphere — the first time since 1896 that the season has started so early. So why not take advantage of the season’s early arrival to do some spring cleaning, not only of your physical space, but of your data and systems, too? Digital spring cleaning can make your life easier and dramatically improve data security as well.
Here are seven ideas for what you can and should do to make the most of digital spring cleaning.
1. Move Old Data Offline — or Get Rid of It
Data stored on internet-connected systems is obviously far more likely to be pilfered as the result of an attack than data stored on DVDs locked in a safe. Yet many people and organizations leave data on internet-connected systems for far longer than it needs to be there. By doing so, organizations unnecessarily present hackers with all sorts of opportunities and receive few benefits in exchange.
Begin this year’s spring by reviewing your data assets. Move any sensitive information offline if it doesn’t need to be network-accessible. Keep in mind that any data not in your possession cannot be stolen from you. If you are storing information about other people or organizations and you can’t foresee any possible future use for that data, get rid of it. If you need it, move it to a secure offline facility. For instance, if you are storing credit card CVC codes — which you should not need to — get rid of them. There is no better method of ensuring data security than not having irrelevant data in the first place.
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