I read surveys that state that 70 % of small and medium-sized Czech companies were attacked in the last two years because of their data. In most cases this was not an attack from outside but the conduct of employees of the company.

This number is alarming. Now imagine that you were to lose all your data. A horrible idea for some of us. When did you last back up your data?

And now imagine that you will not just lose all data but someone will specifically confront your customers and pander them with prices etc. That’s mind boggling, isn’t it?

Of course, the risk always exists. You work with people and you can not be below a certain level of confidence. It is your responsibility, the entrepreneur, to reduce these risks. Because taking the risk without adequate compensation is not business, it is gambling.

How to reduce risk in this area?

First, the protection of data. If you have a company server which is mobile enough for someone to take under their arm and leave, this is a big mistake. It is better to lock it in a special room. But you must not forget such things as surge protection, fire protection (not water!), firewall, antivirus, backup and other measures of this type.

Second, it is the access to data control. Setting rights for individual users to have access to the data they need but not to have access to the data that is not necessary for their current work. This is the key to success.

Every firm is unique and it is not possible to find one solution for everyone. Our data and data of our clients are located in a professional data center on the Internet backbone network with controlled physical access, halon fire protection, 24 hours 7 days a week help desk, professional back up 6 times a day, etc. This is a way to protect which we as an accounting company would not be able to provide. We approach the data via terminal services through thin clients or via remote desktop so even if a grenade exploded in the office our work for clients will not be affected and we can start again as soon as we buy new cups for coffee for our accountants.

And how much do you care about your data?