Home topics technology Cloud Datacentre Digital Cloud Why the key to withstanding data breaches in your SME is reducing how much data you store Barry Brailey May 7, 2018 Amid a flurry of high-profile attacks and the tightening of privacy regulations, organisations are increasingly seeking ways to minimise the risk of suffering a data breach. Personal details of customers, credit card numbers and corporate financial records – are all eagerly sought by cyber criminals. In an increasingly digital business environment, keeping such data safe has become a top priority. An effective strategy – and one that is often overlooked by organisations – is to reduce the risk of loss by actively reducing the amount of data that is being held. While the declining cost of digital storage makes it tempting to retain everything, keeping only what is absolutely necessary can significantly lower the chance of a breach. One example is the personally identifiable data many organisations require to establish the true identity of a new customer. This could be anything from the scan of a passport to driver licence details or birth certificates. Once the customer’s identity has been confirmed and the new relationship is established, that sensitive data is no longer actually required. Deleting it from storage means that it can’t be stolen and in turn reduces the ongoing risk for the customer. It makes sound business sense, therefore, to review all data stores and identify any items that are no longer required. This, in turn, means that security