Top compliance and cybersecurity issues facing businesses today
- act360caon
- May 18
- 3 min read
With greater dependence on digital, comes greater responsibility for handling sensitive information. For businesses of all types and sizes in Barrie and the surrounding area, data security is no longer something you can take or leave – it’s a building block in maintaining the integrity of your day-to-day operations. Given the further rise in businesses opting for digital workflow and other remote capabilities, strong Barrie data protection is more vital than ever to retain trust, prevent legal implications and reduce the likelihood of breaches.
If you do business in Canada, if you have customers, or if you employ people, then you will have to comply with Canadian Data Protection laws including the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). If not, the consequences can be serious. But compliance is only a part of the puzzle. The changing face of the cyber threat means that organizations must take a proactive approach, both to the technology they deploy and the internal protocols that support it.
A growing worry among some small- and medium-sized companies is a false sense of security that they are too small to prey on. Instead, these are low-hanging fruit for cybercriminals who recognize weak (or even a lack of) security measures. For those businesses concentrating their efforts on data protection in Barrie, that means placing vulnerability tests at the top of the priority list as well as staff training to understand the ins and outs of phishing schemes, plus investing in firewalls and encryption systems specific to their business operations.
Cloud migration also complicates the picture. While cloud services provide flexibility and scalability, they transform how data is protected. I think you just need to have business owners who know where their responsibility ends and their cloud provider’s begins. A good data governance structure is necessary to maintain the safety of sensitive customer data across platforms.
It’s critical to have a well-documented data breach response plan. It’s not just about stopping breaches — it’s about managing damage when they happen. And for businesses in industries like healthcare, legal, and finance, where regulatory compliance meets client confidentiality, this kind of preparation is a must.
In addition to the above, as a means to further secure your Barrie data, vendor management is something that companies should also concern themselves with. ALL third-party providers that have access to your systems are a potential risk. Due diligence by verifying your vendors’ security policies and obtaining a commitment to comply with your internal requirements.
There are physical security aspects as well. Storing data on-site? Secure server rooms and make certain all devices are password-locked, allowing access only to vetted individuals. As much as we hear about digital threats, the physical breach is all too real, especially in smaller offices, which often ignore the safety of their hardware.
Another wise move is to invest in cybersecurity insurance. Though it won’t supplant proactive measures to safeguard your data, it can help lessen the financial blow a data breach or ransomware attack can inflict. There are times when insurers do seek evidence of established efforts to manage risk (and I’ll get to that at the end)—so skipping the basics won’t just raise risk, but could eliminate the ability to obtain even theoretical coverage.
At the end of the day, privacy in Barrie isn’t a one-time setup, it’s a constant work in progress. But as regulations get tighter and threats become more sophisticated, it’s the organizations that are focusing on security, transparency, and training that will succeed. If you are a startup or a going concern, now is the time to take stock of your vulnerabilities and reduce any exposure before it is too late.
Matt Johnson is the author of this article. To know more about VCIO Service in Barrie, please visit our website: act360.ca.
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