How to Really Protect Your Most Critical Business Data

Marcey Rader was one of the first calls I made when I decided to found Legal Direction. She set me up with organization and systems that make me super efficient. Here, she tells you how you can be efficient in tracking passwords and protecting your data.

Are you trusting your data, financials, emails, contracts and credit card information to a sticky note under your keyboard and a prayer?

Are you able to tell which employee has logged on to the site with the access you gave them?

Stop being immature and naive about your business and get password protection!

Remembering a million passwords is difficult, and using the same password over and over is dangerous. A password program will save time and brainpower. You might think that since your computer or browser saves your passwords that you are covered, but it goes much deeper. Saving them in your browser or computer allows anyone to look at them in their settings and for third-party applications to use them. When you download password managers that automagically import all your passwords, they are getting them from your keychain and browser.

The average user has between 50-90 online accounts like email, Amazon, Netflix, online banking, etc. Can you remember every single password? Probably not, since the average number of "forgot password" emails per inbox is 37. Hopefully, you aren't one of those people who is still making the common mistake of using the same password over and over again. All it takes is for someone to figure out that password, and you're toast.

Password management programs will also alert you if an account has been compromised, something you wouldn't always be alerted to by the company. I've had to change passwords twice in the last six months because a company was hacked, and not once did I get a notification from the company. I was alerted by my password manager.

There are many password programs like LastPass, KeePass, and Dashlane. I'm partial to Dashlane**. This program will remember your passwords, alert you when they aren’t strong enough and generate strong passwords. It allows the storage of your credit card information to make it easy when you purchase online.

It has a sharing feature that allows you to send a username and password to someone else via email that expires after a certain amount of time and gives them full or limited rights. Perfect for when you want a subcontractor to have access to a website or other program temporarily. I can also store my clients’ usernames and passwords for the ones who want me to 'accountability check' their inbox or set them up with Google Apps for Work.

A feature that will help your loved ones is what I call the ‘death setting.' If something were to happen to me, there are two people who have access to all my usernames and passwords. They simply contact Dashlane and if I don’t respond to Dashlane’s request after a specified amount of time, they have limited or full rights access.

If you are worried about keeping all your passwords in password software, note that security experts recommend password protectors over the passwords that people typically use, which can easily be hacked. Typing in a name using 3 for E and ! for 1 isn’t all that hard to figure out anymore. Password managers encrypt data locally on your device, so there is virtually no way for someone to get access.

You don't have to use my favorite, use whatever works best for you. Just use something. Don't work so hard on your business and to build up that nest egg, only to have it hacked by a geek with a laptop or a thief burning up your Kohl's card.

**If you do opt to use Dashlane, use this link for $20 off Premium https://www.dashlane.com/en/cs/3baca9e9

Marcey Rader is a Lifestyle Trainer, speaker, and author specializing in helping high achievers build their business without sacrificing productivity and health. Marcey coaches professionals how to eat for energy, find movement opportunities during hectic days, efficiently control the inbox and manage their calendars so they can Work Well and Play More™! Marcey is the author of several publications including the bestselling Beyond Travel: A Road Warrior’s Survival Guide and Hack the Mobile Lifestyle: 6 Steps to Work Well and Play More! She’s featured in Alpha Efficiency®, Shape®, Eating Well® and Training Edge® Magazines. For more information visit www.marceyrader.com.