The safety of your data is paramount

Did you know in 2020 ransomware cases grew by 150%? What’s more, a cyberattack occurs every 11 seconds, according to Cybersecurity Ventures. That means by the time you’ve finished reading this article there would have been 27 cyberattacks. Depending upon how fast a reader you are.

That may not have been the most uplifting start to one of our blogs but it does highlight the scope of the problem we have in the world today, data security.

Data is central to what we do

We work in an industry where data is key to what we do, can you imagine accreditation without data? The data we collect allows us to determine who should and who shouldn’t be allowed on-site during a game, match or live event. This data leads to us being able to provide a level of security that just wouldn’t be possible without collecting sensitive information like contact details, date of birth, or work permits.

It is more complicated now. To guard against outbreaks of COVID-19 at the events we put on we need health data. It is this data that is one of the most personal we can collect and has caused many organisations to be hesitant over how they go about handling it.

The consequences of not getting it right

There are numerous examples of companies falling victim to cybercrime, from retailers to aviation companies. We list below our top 5 examples of what can happen if we get data security wrong.

1. Data loss – how would you run an accreditation programme when you no longer have access to the data?
2. Operational downtime – Operations will be heavily disrupted following a data breach. First, you would need to locate the breach, secure the breach, establish the source of the breach, all usually, before you can get up and running again.
3. Reputational damage – trust in your company can be eroded if data breaches are successful. This can have a negative effect on future sales and revenue.
4. Legal action – Companies are required to show they have done everything they can to mitigate against data breaches, where they fail to do this, it can lead to legal action.
5. Financial penalties – from fines incurred from the government, the ICO, setting up response efforts, investigating the breach or legal fees or lost business. The financial impact can add up.

Getting the approach right

Accredit Solutions specialises in the collection and processing of data, and we take it seriously. We invest to ensure we have the best systems in place and follow the best practices, as laid out in ISO 27001. Our approach means:

• All data is kept confidential and secure
• The exchange of data between yourself and all stakeholders is conducted through secure and encrypted channels
• That the data is secure and it helps to mitigate against personal information falling into unwanted hands

We continue to strive to add additional layers of protection and evolve our suite of tools so you can have the confidence you need when processing your data.