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HR's Role in Data Security

A common misconception in many businesses seems to be that IT, whether in-house or managed, is the only department responsible for cybersecurity. After all, it ultimately falls on  IT to set the standard when it comes to cybersecurity, from setting policies that other employees throughout the company must follow to tracking and dealing with potential breaches and challenges. 

In reality, however, Human Resources and IT work hand in hand to implement the company’s cybersecurity programs - all while ensuring that each member of the team has the knowledge necessary to help protect the company as a whole. 

Ensuring Confidentiality

Over half of external attempts at infiltrating computer systems aim to uncover private customer or employee information. Hackers want access to that vital data to work their way deeper into your company or to take advantage of private information for their own purposes. In cases like these, HR and IT join forces to ensure confidentiality across the company. 

Setting Expectations

When it comes to data management, HR policy should reflect IT's cybersecurity best practices. When the HR team communicates clear policies in support of IT security measures, they’re much easier to implement company-wide. For example, regulations might include:

• How often the company will make data backups and who is responsible for ensuring that those backups are made each day;

• How often employees will change passwords and specific password regulations;

• Encouraging and implementing regular employee training so that employees know how to maintain security across the organization;

• Establishing which devices can connect to the company network; and

• Creating an expectation of how to respond in the event that an employee notices a potential breach or comes into contact with a phishing scam directed at the company.

When IT and HR work together to set clear, reasonable expectations that are well-documented, you can increase cyber protection across your entire company.

Balancing Access and Security

Each individual and department within the company may have different information they need to be able to access. Some employees need full access to as much information as possible, while others may need relatively limited access. 

For example, the sales team might not need to have access to the same data as the team responsible for implementing contracts or checking compliance. Likewise, the average employee does not need to have access to other employees' records. 

Both HR and IT departments should work together to determine what information needs to be kept secure and who should have access to it. Ideally, your company should segment its access so that employees who do not need to access private or confidential information cannot simply pull that information up. This helps to ensure that if one employee's account is compromised, much of the data throughout your company will still remain protected.  

Conduct Training

Your employees are your most effective defense against many cybersecurity threats, especially phishing campaigns. By partnering with IT to identify cybersecurity best practices, the HR team can then train employees to provide a vital level of protection throughout the company. 

Anti-spearphishing training, for example, can provide employees with the information they need to recognize phone calls and emails from a hacker determined to piece together enough information to threaten the company. When they know how to recognize a scam, employees can help protect your company. 

Beyond training, HR helps to implement security awareness throughout the company by actively promoting IT best practices to employees. Cybersecurity should not be a one-time event for your company. Instead, it needs to be an ongoing campaign dedicated to keeping your company as secure as possible.

When HR and IT work together, you can set the tone throughout your business and provide employees with the security-minded tools and training they need to help decrease cybersecurity threats.