Strong data security practices are vital for the integrity of your association. But how secure is your organizational data? Breaches are highly detrimental to all organizations. Not only do you risk the trust of your members by mismanaging their data, but you risk millions of dollars in recovery efforts.
Shockingly, the latest Association Trends Study reports that just 34% of association professionals rank their organization as an excellent technology user when protecting member data with additional security measures like multi-factor authentication (MFA).
Prioritize your members by protecting your organization’s data. Keep reading for helpful best practices to improve your data security strategy.
What is data security?
Data security is when your association takes steps to guard your member data and digital information from theft, unauthorized access, and corruption. Your organization should create data security policies to guide all your software systems, hardware, user devices, and storage devices.
What is a data security strategy?
A data security strategy is a protective measure your association can create to protect your member data and digital information against threats and unauthorized access. Your team can build an expertly executed data security strategy to foster an atmosphere of confidence at your association.
Best practices to guard your association’s data
Your members trust you with their personal information. Whether a member is making an online purchase or registering for an upcoming event, their information should be guarded.
Follow these five tips to protect your association’s data:
1. Familiarize yourself with cybercrime
It’s wise to understand the different types of cybercrime affecting associations, how cyber fraud is committed, and how it can be stopped. The more you know, the better you’ll be able to identify suspicious activity and transactions, which you can shut down before it becomes a problem.
Here are a few examples of cybercrime and cyber fraud:
Phishing: Occurs when a cybercriminal sends a fake email or text message that tricks an employee into sharing confidential business information. The email or text will contain a suspicious link that can contain viruses to corrupt systems and steal data or passwords.
Malware: Malicious software like viruses or worms are examples of malware that damages or compromises systems or computers.
Ransomware: This form of malicious software is used to lock a system or steal data. A cybercriminal will demand money to restore system access or return the information.
Understanding the nature of fraud and taking steps to protect your association will ultimately discourage cybercriminals from attacking your online payment system. But keep in mind that cybercriminals will continue to devise new cyber schemes, so make learning a continual process.
2. Become PCI compliant
To standardize the process of accepting, transmitting, and storing payment data, the Payment Card Industry (PCI) created a set of regulations mandating all organizations to abide by rules to reduce fraudulent activity. PCI–compliant organizations must complete an annual self-assessment questionnaire. To remain compliant, organizations must adhere to these guidelines when handling credit card data.
Look for modern association management software (AMS) to help your organization remain PCI–compliant. To protect your member cardholder data, you’ll want an AMS that stores only the account holder’s name, the last four digits of the Primary Account Number, and the card expiration date.
3. Lockdown your equipment
It might be tempting to leave your desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone unlocked and ready to use at your discretion for processing memberships and donations. However, if you don’t password–protect your devices, you are putting yourself and your organization at great risk.
Ensure all devices are password protected and regularly change passwords. Limit administrative access so cybercriminals have fewer opportunities to hack your system. Educate staff on the need to protect their own devices, especially if they are given access to the network or cloud storage platform.
4. Secure payment data
Boost trust in your association’s e-commerce experience by securing all constituent payment information. To streamline the payment process and secure your data, leverage an AMS that offers stored payment options, where members can add, edit, and save payment methods. Utilizing a modern AMS that securely protects and remembers member information will build trust in your organization and your members will thank you for not having to pull out their wallets and re-enter their payment details for each purchase.
Use data security best practices to protect your member data, including two-factor authentication, session timeout thresholds, and Transport Layer Security (TLS) for browser encryption. Secure payment practices will create a positive e-commerce customer experience and build trust in your organization.
5. Train employees in data security best practices
Ramp up cybersecurity efforts by training your staff on how to handle member and customer data. When your employees know the latest in data security best practices, they’ll be prepared to secure your organization’s data.
Create a culture of data security at your organization by hosting routine training events. Educate your entire team about phishing, malware, ransomware, and more cyber threats to help staff know when to contact IT.
The dos and don’ts of data security at your association
To keep your association’s data secure, you’ll want to avoid certain practices and implement others. Follow these tips to secure your organization:
1. Empower everyone in your organization to become a data steward
Take steps to train each employee about your data practices, making all responsible for the maintenance of your records. Ensure everyone can help if a data breach occurs.
Don’t rely on an individual to manage your data. Selecting an individual as the sole steward of your data, as opposed to a group, is unwise. However, it’s okay to refer to experts for data security insights to assist with your organization’s security training.
2. Create a data recovery plan
Add a simple recovery outline to your data governance plan to assist your staff if you ever face a data breach. Consider including your AMS vendor and security providers in your plan for easy reference.
If your association doesn’t have a security plan and your data is leaked, you risk losing crucial time as your staff scrambles to deal with the damage.
3. Optimize all password practices
To guarantee your association’s systems are secure, implement a password vault and a password generator. You’ll also want to train staff on the risks of unsafe password practices.
Some examples of problematic password practices include reusing passwords or using a pattern. Train employees to never use personal passwords on multiple systems.
4. Update all organizational software
When employees are prompted, encourage all staff to update and restart their systems to keep your organization’s data secure. To encourage more software updates, have IT send reminder emails regarding important security upgrades.
Don’t avoid software updates. Ignoring updates on your computer, phone, or work software welcomes security risks. Updates may feel inconvenient, but they routinely involve security upgrades, so it’s unwise to ignore these notices.
Be knowledgeable about your vendor’s security practices
Understanding what level of protection and recovery your vendor offers is crucial to maximizing your security service. Ensure your vendor has extensive servers to back up your data in the event of a privacy lapse.
If you don’t know your vendor’s security practices, you won’t be prepared to write your recovery plan, nor will you be ready if a data breach occurs.
5. Be knowledgeable about your vendor’s security practices
Understanding what level of protection and recovery your vendor offers is crucial to maximizing your security service. Ensure your vendor has extensive servers to back up your data in the event of a privacy lapse.
If you don’t know your vendor’s security practices, you won’t be prepared to write your recovery plan, nor will you be ready if a data breach occurs.
