Call Center Security: A Guide to Keeping Your Data Safe

Technology | 4 minute read

The great migration of contact centers transitioning from on-site to hybrid work environments isn’t slowing down–and an air-tight call center security strategy has never mattered more.

There’s a staggering amount of sensitive information that flows through a contact center every day. The personal email addresses, passwords, and credit card numbers that are all in a day’s work for a call center, are very desirable to cyber criminals.

Keeping your company’s data secure is essential, but it can seem like an overwhelming task. With so many interconnected touchpoints, remote agents, and constantly changing goal posts, it’s hard to know where to begin.

Fear not! There are effective tools, training, and technology you can implement to make sure private data stays that way. And employing the right solutions WILL keep your customers and your business safe.

Read on for a quick overview of call center security, or take a deep dive on the topic with our comprehensive white paper.

READ THE FULL GUIDE:

Contact Center Security: A Guide to Keeping Your Data Safe

(It won't cost you a penny, we promise.)

Why a Data Security Strategy is Essential

Let’s start at the beginning. You likely have a few ideas about why data safety matters, but may wonder what targets you’re trying to hit. There are industry standards to guide you.

If you collect any payment information from your customers, you must meet the extensive security requirements set by the PCI Security Standards Council. They require all vendors to have secure networks and systems, strong access control and regular testing, among other requirements.

Call centers working in the health care industry and handling patient data have their own strict security guidelines set by the US Department of Health and Human Services. But it’s not just an industry regulation. Your customers expect you to keep their data safe too. And more than ever, they’re making their preferences known with their pocketbooks and moving their allegiance to businesses who are transparent about their robust security practices.

DID YOU KNOW?:

86% of people say they care about data privacy and 47% say they’ve switched companies over their data policies.

Understanding the Threats to Call Center Security

Who hasn’t received a robocall from an unknown number, claiming you’re in deep trouble with local authorities and need to call back right away or face terrible consequences like jail time? Annoying! That scam may be easy to spot (though many people are fooled), but there are others that aren’t so simple.

Account Take Overs

An Account Take Over (ATO) describes a situation where a hacker poses as a customer while talking to a call center agent and tries to gain access to another person’s personal information. These attacks are becoming more common and more convincing. Often the cyber criminal will pose as another employee or even your boss, using psychological manipulation to intimidate you into revealing or sharing personal data.

Understaffed Security Teams

Like many North American industries, contact centers are suffering staff shortages. Skilled IT staff who are well-versed in current cybersecurity trends are hard to find and difficult to keep. It’s one of the biggest challenges facing contact centers today. With insufficient technical staff, it’s difficult to keep employees up to date on security risks and maintain vigilance against cyberattacks. In this case, what you don’t know certainly can hurt youand compromise your company’s data, too.  

Remote Workers

Now that many agents are working remotely, the personal and the professional are starting to overlap, especially when it comes to technology. IT teams must take precautions around the use of personal devices for work calls, email and data management. Personal devices may lack proper encryption, making sensitive customer data that much more vulnerable. Practicing good password hygiene, implementing role-based access, and using a secure VPN service for remote workers are among the tools and techniques to help keep data safe in a remote call center 

Developing a Comprehensive Security Strategy

Once you understand the threats your company may face, your team can develop a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. Your plan should layer up security best practices, tools and technologies. The specifics will vary depending on your unique needs but a comprehensive call center security strategy will include: 

  • Physical security measures
  • Multi-factor authentication (MFA) and password control
  • User access control (UAC)
  • IVR security
  • Zero Trust
  • Comprehensive employee training

Developing and executing a security plan takes time, effort, frequent updates, and constant training. But it’s important to remember that many security breaches are preventable. You can vastly improve your company’s data security by hiring trained staff, testing your vulnerabilities, and embracing a robust data security strategy that works for your call center’s specific needs.   

READ THE FULL GUIDE:

Contact Center Security: A Guide to Keeping Your Data Safe

(It won't cost you a penny, we promise.)
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Why Digital-First Contact Centres Remain Ahead

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