Cybersecurity Matters: Here’s how to mitigate the risks

Hosting an event gives you access to a considerable amount of personal and financial information – your own and that of your partners, suppliers and delegates – and comes with just as much responsibility. It’s up to you to ensure that you have all the necessary systems in place to maintain the privacy of the data you have on hand. This isn’t just the ethical thing to do, it’s a business imperative. Failing to do so could result in reputational damage so severe, it could put the very existence of your brand at risk. The following tips will help protect the data at your next event.

Prepare properly

The sooner you introduce data security policies and procedures into your event planning, the sooner they become an established part of your day-to-day processes. This means bringing the right team on board in the first place – both in terms of policy development and in terms of hardware and software integration. You should also prioritise educating and training everyone in your team who will have access to confidential information on these policies and practices.

Communicate clearly

One of the most important aspects of data security is clear, concise and well-executed communication. Tell your delegates about your data security and privacy policies upfront, develop opt-in processes so that they know exactly what they’re sharing, and make all of this information available in easy-to-understand language. Doing so will foster confidence among your guests, and will reassure them that their data is in safe hands.

Protect with passwords

It goes without saying that all your information should be password protected. Your passwords should be complex, impossible to guess, changed regularly and only distributed to key team members on a need-to-know basis. Wherever possible, ensure your security team also implements two-factor authentication. This means that an additional security measure is required in order to access certain platforms or portals – typically a second password sent to your cell phone.

Enable encryption

All of your sensitive information should also be encrypted so that even if it does fall into malicious hands, it still can’t be accessed. This applies to your WiFi networks, too. Your delegates need to know that the confidential correspondence they’re sending out on your WiFi is absolutely secure. Ask your venue to help in this regard, or call in a tech supplier that will be able to assist.

Be vigilant about your backups

What would happen to your data if there was a security breach? Would you be able to recover it if it was corrupted or stolen? Are your back-up systems held off-site? Implementing proper backup processes is critical to the integrity of your data – it’s simply not negotiable.

All events are susceptible to hackers eager to get their hands on large volumes of data. Whether your event is small or large, short term or long term, you’re likely a target. To ensure that you have the right systems in place, you need to call in the pros. At Worx Group, we’re here to advise you on the measures you should be taking into account, and to tailor-make them to your unique event. Get in touch with us to find out more.