Our smart devices have in recent years transformed our lives. We have smartphones, tablets, and laptops that can be used to do so many things that were just a few years ago not even possible. These innovative devices are also used to store massive amounts of important data that we use on a daily basis.
In the hands of criminals or unauthorized individuals, this data can be used to access confidential information and compromise your bank accounts. This is why it is important to protect your data from loss or unauthorized access.
What are the Leading Causes of Data Loss?
There are many ways in which people can lose important data. Thankfully, a majority of these experiences can be prevented by implementing reliable online security measures. Here are some of the leading causes of data loss today.
Cyber Attacks
High profile individuals and others who control important data are usually targets of cyber criminals. The aim is to gain remote access to their mobile devices or computers and steal important data. This information can be sold illegally to anyone who needs it, or used by the attacker to perpetrate criminal activity. Cyber-crime has also taken another dimension. Some criminals can infiltrate your mobile devices or computers and render the devices inaccessible. They steal data and ask for a ransom before your access to your device is restored. This article is quite useful to detect when this has happened – https://www.techlicious.com/tip/how-to-tell-if-your-phone-has-been-hacked/.
Thankfully, there are many reliable software programs that can protect our devices from cyber-attacks.
Lost or Stolen Devices
If you lose your mobile device or computer, the data you have stored on these devices can also become compromised by the people who stole the device or people who found it. This is why it is essential to have software that can be used to remotely wipe your device, if it ever gets lost or stolen.
Weak Passwords
In recent times, there have been many campaigns to educate people about the importance of creating stronger passwords. Weak passwords make it easy to gain unauthorized access to your mobile devices and computers, say NBCNews. Thankfully, many software programs and other apps used to store and manage big data specifically make it mandatory for all users to create strong passwords before they can activate a new account on their platforms. The best passwords with the most protection are alpha-numeric passwords. However, it is a good idea to note and memorize your password to avoid getting locked out of your accounts.
The Cost of Data Loss
Losing your important digital data can have serious implications. Many people have reported unauthorised debits from their bank accounts after losing their computers or mobile devices. This can also happen during hacking. In addition to the loss of funds, you can also spend a lot of valuable time sorting out the situation.
The loss of data can also lead to loss of jobs and mental health issues such as depression. Imagine losing a device that contains all your academic work for a Ph.D. program – this can be very distressing!
Steps to Take to Reduce the Costs of Data Loss
There are many excellent software programs that can remotely wipe your important information during a hack or if you have lost your mobile device or computer. So, the first thing you should do to avoid a data breach is to activate the remote wipe feature, and it will clear your data remotely from the lost or stolen device.
Also, it is a great idea to back up your data. With online security tools that offer remote wipe protection such as DriveStrike.com, you can protect your data whilst having it safely stored in another location.