Employees. Any business larger than a garage startup will usually have some. A business-minded person could likely list many traits a perfect worker should have—productivity, flexibility, and loyalty among them. But we all know everyone makes mistakes, and no one ever fully fits the “perfect” standard we expect from employees.
According to Statista’s study on the number of data breaches in the United States from 2005–2018, 50% of U.S. companies reported having experienced malicious insiders leaking information. Even well-meaning employees can easily misclassify data or leak information unintentionally.
This risk is especially apparent at the end of the workday. The clock hits 5 p.m., the employee has 30 files left to classify, and home is only 20 minutes away. Clearly, these files won't get the same careful attention they would have received earlier in the day.
Although we expect perfection, the simple truth is that employees won’t always classify information correctly. With that in mind, here are some preventative measures you can take to keep your data safe:
1.) Train your employees on data classification
This one may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s surprisingly common to hear about companies without clear protocols on what data should be restricted and what shouldn't. More often than not, information that should remain confidential ends up slipping through the cracks.
To prevent this, it’s best to ensure your employees understand why careful data handling matters. Financials, client information, internal agreements—these get leaked daily without a second thought. Take the time to communicate your security goals and show employees how they can contribute to achieving them.
2.) Automatically classify your company data
At Kriptos, we believe proper data classification is vital to a company’s security. That’s why we developed software that automatically classifies data so your employees don’t have to.
More importantly, automation reduces the risk of employees making mistakes—especially those working against the clock at the end of their shift.
Thanks to machine learning, employees also gain more time to focus on other projects. Without the burden of manually handling security logistics, your IT team can redirect their skills toward higher-value tasks like product development or advanced threat mitigation. More time means more potential.
3.) Know which areas of your company are at risk
As the saying goes, prevention is the best medicine. If your company is facing data leaks, you need to understand where they’re coming from.
Different departments carry different levels of risk. For example, your finance and legal teams are more likely to handle sensitive data than your social media team. Your budget should reflect those differences—and our software can help you automatically identify which areas are most vulnerable. Don’t overspend on securing low-risk departments.
We all know employees are the backbone of any company. Just make sure they aren’t unintentionally putting your business at risk. Enforce security protocols and use automation to free your team to focus on what they do best.
This post was brought to you by Kriptos.
