Communication is the core of streamlining processes and the overall productivity of a company. It’s the pathway that links internal dialogues to business-to-business connections. With its vital role in more effective management, successful negotiations are achieved. And as businesses progress and become digitized—communication does too.
However, these are unpredictable times. With the threat of the pandemic, workplaces have shifted significantly to virtual communication. Through online productivity tools, it became possible to collaborate remotely with employees and keep up with project timelines. Messaging applications like Viber, WhatsApp, and Slack have been widely utilized as well since face-to-face communication is limited.
Cyberthreats in Security for Digital Companies
Digital innovations, no matter how convenient they may be, impose a new threat—security. As more and more businesses do their transactions and negotiations online, sensitive information becomes more at risk to digital threats. The lack of digital encryption across current communication apps makes company data even more prone to breaches and interception.
To add to this, there has been a rise in cyberattacks throughout the pandemic. There’s the popular Zoom fiasco, where over 500,000 accounts in the video-chatting platform were illegally sold. Computer brand Acer also experienced the worst ransomware this year, where confidential spreadsheets and financial statements were leaked. Remnant concerns on past data breaches also exposed Slack’s vulnerabilities at the present.
Importance of Secured Communication to Company Data
Cyberthreats, like the ones mentioned above, further emphasize the importance of secure communication in businesses, especially digital companies. With their most confidential information stored in cloud storage, even a small loophole in a company’s communication security can be exploited when it lands on the wrong arms.
As a business owner, one should safely think of a way to keep internal communications secured in a vault. This is why investing in encrypted communications software can safeguard client conversations, B2B meetings, and document exchanges.
Employers can also use it to regulate employees working remotely from different parts of the world. By authenticating who has access to company data, business assets and information have an initial wall of protection from hackers and scammers.
Protecting Customer Data through a Secure Platform
Ensuring end-to-end encryption is a proactive take in adding a layer of security wall to digital business assets—like customer data.
Many industries contain sensitive information about their consumers and stakeholders. These industries range from the healthcare, financial sector, to private banking—bearing consumer data like birthdays, social security numbers, and full names.
Hackers take advantage of these consumer data from companies by stealing identities and properties. So, above securing communication for internal purposes, digital companies should also do this for the safety of their customer’s data.
Cyber Attack Prevention is Better than Spending Millions on Damage
Cyberattacks can become costly for the company. If sensitive business information is leaked, the company can lose millions of dollars for retrieving and controlling further threats. Not to mention the backlash and tainted trust from prospective clients.
Choosing a communication platform that takes care of the overall security of company data is always better than waiting for this to happen. It’s better to spend millions on prevention than to wait for the next threat to surface.
However, businesses must be able to discern a trustworthy service communication provider before adapting it to their digital business. With a wide range of enterprise communication apps in the market, there may be malware disguising themselves as messaging tools. Preventing is key but it doesn’t cost anything to be extras careful—especially when investing money is involved.
Secured Communication and Productivity can Coexists
Don’t worry. Acquiring security doesn’t mean productivity will be compromised. Currently, there is already end-to-end encryption running in messaging applications. Some communication enterprises and solutions can even perform other integral productivity functions like scheduling and to-do lists, aside from the usual secure video meetings and file sharing.
Preparing a Digital Business for a Cyberattack
In more ways than one, there will always be a hacker waiting for a potential hole in a business system. This is especially true for digital companies maximizing the use of the internet. Thus, preparing for a response plan in case of emergencies can also be helpful to mitigate the risks of cyberthreats.
Digital businesses should be ready for instances such as hacking, ransomware, or data breaches. If an important file or spreadsheet was leaked or hacked, what measures will the business take to ensure that every other data is safe? How will the company communicate it to its consumers and stakeholders?
Companies should already have an action plan that they can execute once the unprecedented cyberthreats happen within their communication systems.
What’s Next for Secured Communication in Digital Business?
As technology becomes more and more sophisticated, end-to-end encryption of communications is the way to keep businesses—digital or not—safeguarding their data from cyberattacks.
In reality, there is always a cyberattack waiting to happen, or malware waiting to be opened. What digital businesses can do is regulate the use of company devices to filter the risks of online threats to the business’ assets. Some apps are tailor-fitted to secure both business and personal information within its range.
Navigating the digital world while aiming for maximum security communication is like walking on landmines. Take a reckless step and a hacker is out to get your company data by the neck. In the end, though, it didn’t cost anything to be extra careful.
Practicing this kind of security and privacy awareness among people in an organization is the way digital businesses can make their employees care about their cybersecurity. The more people are aware of the repercussions of data threats and attacks, the better outcome it has to your company’s security.
