What Are Some Ways To Prevent An Information Security Problem?

This is a story that could really happen anywhere without the right information security. In Iowa, 125,000 people simply applied to take college credits at a local community college. They did not expect that their personal information could be in danger. They were just looking to forward their education. Unfortunately, by doing that, they were the targets of hackers.

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At Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, hackers infiltrated the school’s database using an international IP address and came away with the personal information of 125,000 people who applied for classes over the past eight years. This personal information included names, dates of birth, race, contact information and social security numbers.

Although once the breach was realized, the school quickly shut down the site and called the FBI, that information was stolen.  Who knows what exactly it will be used for? The story brings attention to the fact of how valuable personal data is and what hackers will do to get it. And once an infiltration does take place, it hurts both the consumer and the organization.

That’s because of the issue of trust. When people give away their information to an organization or business, they are doing so with the understanding that this information will be secure. Once it isn’t, trust is lost and the organization will have unhappy customers. That’s why standards like HIPPA and other leading organizations have such strict standards when it comes to information security.
If you’re looking for an information security solution for your organization or business to prevent a hacking and subsequent consumer outrage, there are ways to go about it. Here are two key areas to keep in mind:

• Hire information security consultants: Are you unsure of what’s out there in terms of a threat? Hire information security consultants. Oftentimes, in business, we live in bubbles where we think everything is okay until disaster strikes. It might be smart to have an outsider’s point of view. Information security consultants can evaluate your security measures, network and other IT applications to see what works and what needs improvement. They can also make you aware of any threats you may not realize.

• Move over to a cloud: Cloud computing is only becoming more popular as businesses and organizations realize how cost-effective and secure they can be; by moving over to a cloud, you get the latest updates in security. The most important thing to remember is that not all clouds are the same. Make sure to evaluate the provider’s architecture and security protocol to ensure your data and applications will be safe.

By being proactive, you should be able to prevent what happened to Kirkwood Community College from happening to you.

James Cash is part of a team of writers and specializes in writing about current news events.