A data breach is when protected and sensitive information is copied, viewed or stolen and generally consists of account details like Passwords, Usernames, E-mail addresses and Bankcard details. The data is likely to be sold, or published on an unsecured illegal website and is, sadly, becoming far too familiar.

In the wrong hands, this personal information can be used to impersonate someone and, by knowing their username, password, date of birth, home address etc. makes it easier to gain access to more secure accounts, which could offer a more significant financial reward. This is often done by simply contacting the account holder and impersonating someone, e.g. a bank employee. Often knowing personal details is enough to convince the account holder that they are taking a genuine call!

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Our experience tells us that once your website has been hacked, you are much more likely to be hacked again. Also, every minute that your site is hacked, your business is losing customers and reputation. Most businesses rely entirely on their IT systems, and the cost of something going wrong can be immense.

There are many high-profile incidents of lost or stolen data but, even with these incidents making headlines in the media, IT backup and security are often an area that is neglected. Many businesses rely on out-of-date, time-consuming and unsecured business practices – without realising the costs they could incur as a result.

Security audits shouldn’t be a one-off practice; don't wait until a successful attack forces your company to have an audit. Regular audits can establish a security baseline against which you can measure progress and evaluate our professional advice.

Technical audits identify risks to technology platforms by reviewing policies and procedures, as well as network and system configurations. You may be tempted to rely on an audit by internal staff. But don't be. Keeping up with patches, making sure operating systems and applications are securely configured, and monitoring your defence systems is a job for a professional. No matter how diligent you are, our professional audit is likely to spot problems you've missed.

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To find out more and discuss having an IT audit, visit our trusted partner www.world-tech.co.uk/consultancy/site-audit