Securing Your Digital Estate.

What is a Digital Estate
According to Microsoft published article, every modern company has some form of digital estate. Much like a physical estate, a digital estate is an abstract reference to a collection of tangible owned assets. In a digital estate, those assets include virtual machines (VMs), servers, applications, data, and so on. Essentially, a digital estate is the collection of IT assets that power business processes and supporting operations.

The importance of a digital estate is most obvious during the planning and execution of digital transformation efforts. During transformation journeys, the digital strategy teams use the digital estate to map the business outcomes to release plans and technical efforts. That all starts with an inventory and measurement of the digital assets that the organization owns as of today.

Most businesses hold personal information and conduct their businesses on electronic devices. It is vital to the reputation and day-to-day running of your business that you keep the information safe and away from prying eyes. Don’t be complacent, poor security can leave you and others vulnerable, and cyber-attacks affect businesses of all sizes.

Here are some practical steps you and your staff can take to improve your Digital Estate security:

1. Back up your data. You should back up your data regularly. If you’re using an external storage device, keep it somewhere other than your main workplace – encrypt it, and lock it away if possible. That way, if there’s a break-in, fire or flood, you’ll minimize the risk of losing all your data.

Check your back-up. You don’t want to find out it’s not working when you need it most. Make sure your back-up isn’t connected to your live data source, so that any malicious activity doesn’t reach it.

2.Use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication.
Make sure you use strong passwords on smartphones, laptops, tablets, email accounts and any other devices or accounts where personal information is stored. They must be difficult to guess. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recommends using three random words.

Where possible, you should consider using multi-factor authentication. Multi-factor authentication is a security measure to make sure the right person is accessing the data. It requires at least two separate forms of identification before access is granted. For example, you use a password and a one-time code which is sent by text message.

3.Be aware of your surroundings.
For example, if you’re on a train or in a shared workspace, other people may be able to see your screen. A privacy screen might help you.

4.Be wary of suspicious emails.
You and your staff need to know how to spot suspicious emails. Look out for signs such as bad grammar, demands for you to act urgently and requests for payment. New technologies mean that email attacks are becoming more sophisticated. A phishing email could appear to come from a source you recognize. If you’re not sure, speak to the sender. NCSC provide useful training materials to help you and your staff recognize suspicious emails.

5.Install anti-virus and malware protection, keep it up-to-date.

You must make sure the devices you and your employees use in the office, at home or when you’re working away are secure. Anti-virus software can help protect your device against malware sent through a phishing attack.

6.Protect your device when it’s unattended.
Lock your screen when you’re temporarily away from your desk to prevent someone else accessing your computer. If you do need to leave your device for longer, put it in a secure place, out of sight.

7.Make sure your Wi-Fi connection is secure.
Using public Wi-Fi, or an insecure connection, could put personal data at risk. You should make sure you always use a secure connection when connecting to the internet. If you’re using a public network, consider using a secure Virtual Private Network (VPN).

8.Limit access to those who need it.
Different workers may need to use different types of information. Put access controls in place to make sure people can only see the information they need. For example, payroll or HR may need to see workers’ personal information, but your sales staff won’t.

If someone leaves your company, or if they’re absent for a long period of time, suspend their access to your systems.

9.Take care when sharing your screen.
Sharing your screen in a virtual meeting may show your device to others exactly as you see it, including any open tabs or documents. Before sharing your screen, you should close anything you don’t need and make sure your notifications and pop-up alerts are switched off.

10.Don’t keep data for longer than you need it.
Getting rid of data you no longer need will free up storage space. This also means you have less personal information at risk if you suffer a cyber-attack or personal data breach.

11.Dispose of old IT equipment and records securely.
You must make sure no personal data is left on computers, laptops, smartphones or any other devices, before you dispose of them. You could consider using deletion software, or hire a specialist to wipe the data.

Let me say here that you cannot get such thing as 100% security but the above will help keep your digital estate safe, reduce the risk associated and reduce surface attack. Remember to keep your operating systems updated and patch all software.