While the best fleet management software is a great tool to reduce the stress of business owners & fleet managers by enhancing efficiency & minimize the business expenses, they also come up with the set of their own risk factors. Home to a magnanimous amount of data, keeping the software secured is absolutely essential.
When vehicles are connected to the internet the risk multiplies.
Vulnerability to attacks increases when there’s a GPS, Bluetooth connection or a WiFi attached to the vehicle. Internet-connected vehicles are also at the potential risk.
Apart from data breaches, it is also important that as efficient school managers, you maintain the parents and their wards privacy.
There are countless methods through which hackers can access your data. While it’s difficult to list down all the measures, the best move is to be proactive and keep a lookout for all the possible threats.
1. Secure access to vehicles’ information
With a large fleet in hand, it is easy to lose control of who is responsible for what and who has access to which information. It is hence important that you develop ownership of the data.
Your school bus dashboard can have valuable data about where the kid stays, what is the pick-up time and if the parent drops him/her to the school bus. In case this data lands into the hands of a fraudster, the child’s security can be at risk.
Hence, keep a tab on who has access to the vehicle and the dashboard at the back-end.
2. Upgrade to new software
Just like smartphones today, need a timely software upgrade, so do most vehicle management solutions.
Software updates look cumbersome but are important. When the firewall of the device is not updated for a long time, it has the greater chances of falling prey to a hacker.
An upgrade sometimes highlights and automatically fixes risks you might have missed. It also allows you to explore the developing technology that can give you an edge against your competitors
3. Be cautious while installing new software or upgrading
While upgrades can help you improve your security game, not downloading them from a trusted source can be hazardous.
These days, multiple unverified third parties have come up that provide software installation at a cheap price.
However, there’s a greater chance of a security breach when the solution is installed from an unknown brand or link.
Keeping the platform secure is prime, since the whole fleet of vehicles depends on it, as do their information
4. Scan for virus
This is a primary firewall against any kind of security breach or malware, but more than often fleet managers tend to overlook it. A single virus is capable of corrupting the entire system.
Hence, invest in clean and advanced anti-virus software. If you use USBs often (to extract school children data or for using the drivers’ information), be sure to scan them regularly as well.
5. Invest in badge technology
Badge technology requires a credential to provide access to technology. High-tech companies these days have started investing in badge technology owing to its security benefits.
This is especially necessary for people who have access to the hub of your data – the names of school students, which driver is assigned to which bus, CCTV footage and the real-time updates from the vehicle.
Access badges use various technologies — smart codes, barcodes, biometric devices, magnetic strips — to identify the holder of the badge to permit him to utilize the control system.
Some badges have also come up with embed codes that act as an additional security wall.
The badges can also be used to provide entry to the drivers and attendants inside the bus.
This can not only help you keep a tab on your employees’ attendance, but also monitor who is present with the children during transit.
6. Set passwords
Have easy to remember and difficult to hack passwords. This sets you in control of who is accessing which data.
Also have backup storage for passwords, in case you forget them when trying to access the device.
Setting up a password makes sure that your device is inoperable in case it falls into the wrong hands.
7. Train your employees
The technology is changing at a rapid speed and sometimes it is difficult to keep the pace.
You might have upgraded your technology, set new passwords and also developed a security procedure. All this can go to waste if your employees – the front foot soldiers of your school – don’t know how to operate the device.
Hold periodical training for your employees. Explain to them what the upgrade means and what is expected from them.
The schools should also have an internal internet policy that guides the employees to protect sensitive data. Tell them which sites are safe to operate.
Telling them not to access emails from unverified sources or downloading from sites that can add to the malware can be a good education too.
8. Choose vendor wisely
When choosing your software vendor, pre-purchase research is mandatory. Understand the needs of your business and look at who can best, offer them at the competitive prices.
The software provider that you choose should not only be able to provide you with contemporary technology but should also be capable of safeguarding from any cyber attacks or IoT threats.
While making the purchase, also remember that the provider can easily breach your privacy and have a look at all your data. Investigate the software and the vendor’s commitment to security and data breaches
Installing the fleet software from a well-known brand also takes away the tension of constant security checks.
Most software companies now provide an all-round solution that includes upgrades and maintenance.
Conclusion:
With affordable costing, 24*7 maintenance support and customer-centric approach, Fleet Management Software can be your best bet to keep the data safe.
Standard security layers like https, encryption of data, make sure that you are protected against any breaches.
Why invest anywhere else?
