When we think about threats to data security our minds usually jump to cyberattacks. But the physical threat of someone stealing or losing a device makes sensitive data just as vulnerable. Between 2005 and 2015, a startling 41% of all data breaches were caused by lost devices.This is a very real threat for the energy industry, where most infrastructure is over 30 years old and was built without present-day security features. Luckily, there’s a simple way to protect data in the energy industry from physical threats: private and secure communications solutions. A strong private, secure communications solution can protect your data from malicious insiders and outsiders – and even protect your data once a device is physically outside of the premises. Here’s how:

 

It’s Hard to Leak Data if You Can’t Save it or Share It

Both insiders and outsiders are two of the biggest threats to data security. An insider, like a disgruntled employee, might choose to leak sensitive information or an outsider, like a contractor, might jump onto an opportunity to steal valuable data. But with a private communications solution, even if they walk out the building with the device, sharing the data is pretty difficult—because it can’t be copied, screenshotted, or forwarded. And here’s another rub for any would-be bad actor: after a set period of time the data isn’t going to stay on the device, it automatically expires after a set period of time.

 

It Doesn’t Matter Where the Device is if You Can Wipe It

When a device is lost or stolen you don’t know where the data could end up or how it could be used, possibly causing a data breach. A private, secure communications solution lets you actually wipe the data off the device, even if you don’t have the device in front of you. By wiping the device you can ensure that even though the device is off premises and out of your hands you can reduce the likelihood of the data being compromised.

 

A Private, Intuitive Solution

While a private, secure communications solution is a great answer to the issue of physical threats to data, companies in the energy industry and beyond, might worry about the difficulty of implementing a tool like that. Fortunately, Vaporstream has intuitive, accessible features with a modern feel, making it easy for employees to quickly get used to using it. We understand that privacy goes beyond encryption to with additional advanced content controls and the ability to wipe devices, no matter where they are. Learn how to automatically protect your data from physical threats and keep your information private.