Business Security and Confidentiality

How to Keep Your High-Profile Conversations Safe and Secure

Before smart phones existed, planting secret and covert listening devices was the most popular way for spies, private investigators or government officials to ‘illegally record’ content from private conversations. Just like in the movies, people with resources would surreptitiously plant listening devices to find out top-secret government, business or personal information.

Approximately 130 million smartphones are in use in the United States today. With more and more undercover apps created daily, every smartphone user now has the potential of becoming a covert operative with their own Wi-Fi receiver, camera, audio recorder, keyboard and computer at their disposal.

As a business owner or manager, maintaining security and privacy for high profile meetings is vital. Whether it is a shareholder meeting, political fundraiser or internal executive meeting, there should be confidentiality and security.

For example, this past year, when “off-the-book” comments made by Mitt Romney at a fundraiser were recorded and posted online, his political campaign took an insanely massive negative hit. The theft of intellectual property costs American businesses billions of dollars each year. So how can corporate and government leaders ensure that their meetings are safe and secure and that proprietary information is not leaked? How can everyday business owners make sure the information they discuss and process is kept secure?

This is the point of today’s article. Today, we are going to talk about how you can help make sure that your business is 100% private and secure.

In my own career, I have been responsible for the safety and security of every merchant I speak to concerning their private IRS information, banking information, and other private data. The following tips explain how I have been able to ensure that none of the secure data I send out or speak of is breached.

1.      Always have your meetings behind closed doors. Even if I need to have a quick talk with one employee, if it is about information that should be kept private, I make sure that the other employees leave all mobile devices at their desk and that the office door is closed for our discussion. Eliminating mobile devices and even tablets with cameras into meetings is a good way to ensure that the information will be kept secure.

2.      Never communicate on a non-secure computer or mobile device. This is something that is so crucial, yet so many businesses ignore. Make your website and computer secure! Be PCI Compliant. I am always baffled when I hear business owners complain about having to pay less than $10/month to have a secure computer, when they process credit cards online. That is just ridiculous. Not only will PCI compliant security scans protect the consumers you work with, but it also protects your private information, the emails you send out, and the documents saved on your computer.