3 Common Data Loss Scenarios

Data loss is looming on the horizon, not just for you, but for all unprepared businesses. Are you confident in your ability to recover from a potential data loss incident? Like any IT challenge and risk, it helps to know what you’re up against. Listed below are three of the most common data loss scenarios so you can be prepared for them well in advance.

Hardware Failure and System Malfunctions

It’s idealistic at best to expect your IT solutions to last forever.

Your computers and server hardware are complex pieces of machinery, and as such, they are susceptible to wear and tear, component failure, and unexpected glitches. Even a minor issue can escalate into a serious problem over time, potentially leading to hardware failure or system malfunction. When this happens, downtime ensues, and you also lose access to imperative data, like customer history, financial records, project files, and so much more, all of which directly impacts both your bottom line and business operations.

Regular maintenance and monitoring for symptoms can significantly lessen the impact of hardware failures and help you take preventative action before disaster strikes.

Cybersecurity Incidents

Cybersecurity incidents are at an all-time high, and your business needs to be prepared to deal with attacks, even if you think you’re an unlikely target.

In fact, SMBs are more likely targets specifically because they often lack the dedicated security resources that large enterprises have. Cybersecurity attacks can directly impact operations and put your business’ data at risk. Ransomware, in particular, is dangerous, as it can encrypt your data, causing you to lose access to it until you pay a ransom. That being said, any cybersecurity incident will likely force your business to experience downtime while you isolate and eliminate the threat.

It’s better to implement robust, proactive security solutions to prevent such incidents in the first place, as dealing with the fallout is time-consuming, expensive, and, quite frankly, embarrassing for any business.

The Risk of Human Error

Another often overlooked threat to your business’ data lies in the humans utilizing it: your employees.

Human error happens all the time, and it’s easy for an employee to accidentally delete a critical file, spill liquids on a keyboard or laptop, put data at risk with poor security practices, click on malicious links, or simply mishandle data. This is why it’s so imperative to emphasize training for your entire staff on how best to handle your organization’s technology and data as a whole. It also helps to set up access controls, which minimize the potential threat surface of your data and limit its exposure to potential loss incidents.

If it sounds like your data is impossible to protect, fret not; you have more power than you realize, and we’ll prove it.

Don’t Let Data Loss Paralyze You

If you’re worried about data loss impacting operations, worry no longer. Macro Systems can help you implement top-notch solutions that can safeguard your business’ most valuable asset: your data. Learn more by calling us today at 703-359-9211.