As you consider the end of the year and beginning of a new year, we in Taft's Privacy and Data Security Practice thought to provide you with a simple list of data protection resolutions you might consider, both professionally and personally.
1. Get strong! Now is a good time to make a change in passwords for your accounts, and specifically make them strong passwords (i.e. ten characters or more, including an upper and lower case letter, number, and special character).
2. Multiply! In addition to a strong password, you should make sure to add that second layer of authentication and make sure all your sensitive accounts have multifactor authentication turned on. This will further deter password thieves from gaining access to your accounts and systems.
3. Plan! Have a plan for how you will comply with the numerous privacy laws coming into effect in 2023 in California, Virginia, Colorado, Utah, and Connecticut. (Yes, they may still apply to your business even if it is not located in those states). And don't forget to update your Standard Contractual Clauses should your business process personal data from Europe. Planning also means implementing or updating policies, procedures, and contracts to account for privacy and security requirements (both as a matter of law and best practice).
4. Lose Weight!Delete unneeded data from your systems and your hard copy storage in accordance with a record retention policy or best practice. The best defense against your data being stolen is not keeping it around unnecessarily.
5. Stay Informed! Keep up to date on both legal issues and best practices in the privacy and security space. Download our PDS mobile app and sign up for Taft's Privacy and Data Security Insights! Happy New Year to all and best wishes for 2023!
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
