Tobin Conley, senior consultant, technology management, at DelCor Technology Solutions, offers these tips for smaller associations to begin addressing data security issues. “These aren’t super-sophisticated, but they knock out a good many liabilities,” he says.

1. Have unique passwords. Change them regularly, and never share them. Password management tools like KeePass and Norton Identity Safe can help protect passwords.

2. Use encryption tools to protect sensitive data.

3. Keep multiple backups of data, and ensure that backups are stored in different places.

4. Invest in a good antivirus program, and encourage staff to use common sense when confronted with phishing scams, questionable websites, and other methods hackers use to access internal data.

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