RICK REA: Helping You Grow Through Online Marketing
  • Home
  • Blog
    • Social Media News
    • SEO Marketing News
    • Digital Trends News
    • Photography News
    • Mobile Marketing
    • Business News
    • Gadget News
    • Printing News
  • Contact
  • About
  • Subscribe


Your Marketing Contracts Should Mandate Secure Data Communication

10/8/2018

0 Comments

 
https://ift.tt/2OfPwyJ

Your Marketing Contracts Should Mandate Secure Data Communication

https://ift.tt/2O9hZGh

When someone else is the target of a data breach, you might think you couldn’t possibly be held responsible. That holds true in some cases, but when you’re working in a digital world where outsourcing is common, there’s a catch.

Any sensitive data you’re in possession of must be protected by you at all times. If you pass that data on to someone else and they mishandle it, you can be held responsible if you were never supposed to give them access to that data in the first place.

The reality is, many contractors outsource to other contractors without express written permission from their client. If you do that, it’s not only a breach of contract, but it’s also a quick way to make your client the next data breach victim.

Don’t sign anyone else’s contract without adding data security clauses

Traditionally, the person paying for services signs the agreement belonging to the person performing the work. Sometimes that doesn’t work because both parties are attached to specific clauses in their agreements, and both want their agreements signed. You could negotiate for days and weeks trying to find a solution, or you can do what most people do – sign both agreements.

Not following data security best practices is just one mistake that can tank your digital marketing efforts. Not having a clause to require data security is followed won’t give you any legal recourse.

If you’ve got a data security clause in your agreement, but the other person doesn’t, push them to add one to their agreement before signing. If you end up in court, the judge might find a reason to toss out your agreement and only consider the other person’s.

Five details to include in your data security clause:

1. Email communications.

After signing the contract(s) with your contractor, you’ll be sending them sensitive information via email and attachments. You might be setup to send encrypted emails, but that might not be your contractor’s MO.

You need a clause requiring all email communications be encrypted end-to-end. Habits are hard to break, and some people may not understand why their Microsoft or Gmail account isn’t already secure. They may not understand that Gmail’s encryption only works on Gmail’s servers, and all emails pass through many other servers before reaching their destination.

If data isn’t encrypted when it leaves their mailbox, it’s vulnerable. To make it easy, give them access to a third-party end-to-end encryption tool like Virtru, at least for the time they work for you.

2. Prohibit note taking in email drafts.

Make sure your contractor isn’t taking notes inside of an email draft. It’s convenient, but it’s risky when you’re dictating passwords and account information.

3. Password communication rules.

Never allow passwords to be sent via email if you can help it. Require a phone conversation or a password-protected PDF document. Think twice before sending passwords through encrypted email. Although the passwords will be safe from hackers, if your contractor’s laptop is stolen and they haven’t signed out of their email, the thief will have access to the email with your password. Also, never allow contractors to save your passwords in their browser for the same reason.

4. A document delete clause.

A contractor that works from several different machines will need to make copies of your documents to make them available from each machine. A clause that requires the contractor to document each copy of a document they make is a good idea. Additionally, require them to delete certain documents you don’t want them to retain. Of course, you’ll have to take them at their word, but if you end up in court later, you’ve got proof they agreed to delete those files.

5. Using public Wi-Fi to perform work.

When you hire a contractor, they’re probably going to perform some of the work from a coffee shop or restaurant. The Wi-Fi networks in most public places aren’t secure. They require no password and leave everyone vulnerable to malicious man-in-the-middle attacks.

Make sure your contractor understands the importance of keeping your data secure. If they must use public Wi-Fi, require them to connect using a VPN that encrypts their data. Make a special request that they not access your FTP account unless they’re on a secure network. This may not be possible if they rely completely on public networks, but it doesn’t hurt to make the request.

Take data protection seriously

By creating data security clauses, you’re protecting your data as well as anyone else’s data you need to transmit to a third party. Data breaches come with hefty fines of up to $1.5 million per year, so there’s no reason to take a chance.

The post Your Marketing Contracts Should Mandate Secure Data Communication appeared first on Social Media Explorer.





Social Media

via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog

October 8, 2018 at 06:43AM

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.


    Amazing WeightLoss

    Click Here!

    Categories

    All
    Analyze Top Competitors
    Anti-Abuse
    Apple
    Apple Watch
    Blog Posts
    Brainstorm
    Brand Awareness
    Communications
    Content Marketing
    Conversion Rates
    Editorial Calendar Tips
    Engagement
    Facebook
    Google Analytics
    How To Marketing Tips
    Influencer
    Instagram
    Instagram Live
    Keyword Search
    Marketing
    Marketing Automation
    Picture Quotes
    Podcasts
    Recording Videos
    Repurpose Blogs
    Research Trends
    Sales Funnel
    SEO Marketing
    Sharing Posts
    Slide Shows
    Smartwatch
    Social Media Marketing
    Social Media News
    Social Media Tools
    Social Selling
    Target Marketing
    Twitter
    Twitter Notifications
    User Interaction
    Video
    Video Marketing

    Archives

    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Blog
    • Social Media News
    • SEO Marketing News
    • Digital Trends News
    • Photography News
    • Mobile Marketing
    • Business News
    • Gadget News
    • Printing News
  • Contact
  • About
  • Subscribe