Now that the festivities bringing in the new year are in the past, it’s time to take a step back and reflect on what 2016 has in store. Although there are a lot of areas to consider when moving a business into the new year, one of your biggest concerns for 2016 should be the security of your company’s private information.
Cybersecurity has always been a major concern for businesses, but as time progresses, hacking attempts become more sophisticated and more numerous. This map hosted by security firm Norse shows a live model of current cyberattacks all over the globe. As you can see, hackers are launching multiple attacks every second, and these are only the attempts that Norse has discovered.
This is all to say that cybersecurity should be one of the top priorities for your company going into 2016. Although this means beefing up security across the company, one way to increase your protection is by sending documents via fax over IP.
Security breaches are frighteningly common
The problem with convincing people that hackers are a serious threat is that companies tend to do everything in their power to keep a breach quiet after they’ve been attacked. Being known as the company that was successfully hacked is bad for business, so a lot of organizations simply inform affected parties and do their best to sweep the incident under the rug.
Cyberattacks are a serious concern for company executives.However, give the executives anonymity and the true cybersecurity landscape begins to show itself. A study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers found as much when it surveyed 500 business leaders from multiple industries. What it found was that 79 percent of respondents had been the victim of a cybersecurity breach within the last year.
While many of these breaches most likely didn’t involve document transfers, the point here is that businesses are at constant risk of a cyberattack. As such, companies need to plug any security holes before they become a problem. For many businesses, some of these weak points can be easily solved by implementing a FoIP solution. FoIP offers the secure nature of faxing, while also allowing for the convenience of email, thereby protecting the sensitive documents your company sends on a regular basis.
Health care industry most at risk
If you work within the health care industry, you already know about the strict compliance standards the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act lays down about document security. HIPAA states that patient information needs to be securely transferred, and many institutions already utilize fax machines in order to ensure this level of safety.
However, you might not know just how vital document security is within health care. According to a study conducted by the Ponemon Institute and IBM, the average cost of a stolen health care record is around $363. The study also found that the average for all industries is $154.
The reasoning behind this has to do with the sensitive information contained within the average health care document. Everything from embarrassing medical information to personally identifiable information can usually be found on these kinds of records, making them extremely valuable on the black market. Health care organizations are going to have to keep this fact in mind when preparing their cybersecurity strategies for 2016.
“Hackers are working consistently to intercept private information.”
FoIP can help
While hackers are working consistently to intercept private information for personal gain, there is a solution to document transfer risks. FoIP is one of the most secure ways to send private information. This is due to the technology’s ability to utilize the security capabilities of an average fax line, a form of communication known for its high level of safety.
This is great for those operating within industries with strict compliance rules, as FaxCore’s FoIP system is designed to meet extremely stringent standards such as those imposed by HIPAA.
However, unlike faxing, FoIP also allows your company the convenience and speed of email. Business leaders can respond to faxes in seconds, while still abiding by the security standards that their sectors require. This means that your company will be able to prepare itself for the cybersecurity concerns of 2016, without sacrificing efficiency.
Enhance enterprise communication, collaboration and compliance efforts with a proven FoIP solution from FaxCore. Contact FaxCore today to learn more about their ‘Partly-Cloudy’ fax solutions.
