For those of us working and operating in the digital landscape, keeping our content safe and secure is a number one priority. While technological developments have revolutionised modern digital media, they have also given rise to cybercriminals and hackers who can seriously impact content creators and viewers.
Security is important to creators of all levels, from small-time streamers to major network broadcasters. While the precise measures they take to secure their content may differ, the principles remain the same. Let’s take a look at how to keep your media content safe and secure. Keep reading to find out more.
Use Reputable Partners
The modern media industry is all about collaboration. This can be a direct collaboration between creators, or an indirect collaboration between a creator and the platform they use to display their work. Be it on social media, a video-sharing platform, or through a major broadcasting provider like Red Bee, ensuring you are using a trusted and reputable partner to work with is absolutely vital to ensure that your content remains safe and secure.
Encrypt Your Files
Media file sizes are much larger these days due to better quality images and videos, which can make transferring them online a slow and inefficient process. Transferring files physically on external hard drives and USB stick is often a much faster option.
However, this does come with some security risks. Sensitive information or new, unseen footage could be leaked should these external storage units be misplaced, lost, stolen, or otherwise fall into the wrong hands.
The best way to minimise this risk is by encrypting your media files. Advanced encryption tools work to automatically encrypt files as they are transferred onto external devices. These files can only be opened using a unique decryption key, with users able to change passwords or even delete the files remotely should they need to.
Use Cybersecurity Measures
Data breaches can be caused by malware that is inadvertently downloaded onto a computer or device on a system. Once infected, the malware can spread throughout the rest of the network and access sensitive information, with potentially disastrous consequences.
To avoid this, you should ensure that all computers and devices are kept up to date with the latest security programs and software, including firewalls, anti-viral, and anti-malware systems. If you are using a shared network between multiple devices, ensure this is password protected to stop infiltration from hackers or cybercriminals.
Multi-factor authentication should be used whenever possible. This will offer far greater protection and security benefits over the traditional username and password process.
Think About Physical Safety
In today’s modern, digitised world, it can be easy to focus on the digital and virtual elements of security and put physical safety to one side. In reality, physical security vulnerabilities are commonly exploited by cybercriminals, they act as an easily accessible entry point into systems and networks and often see little, if any, security measures around them.
Whether you’re working in a modest home studio or on a professional production set, securing the physical environment is absolutely essential. Ensure doors, drawers, and filing cabinets are locked, windows are closed, and there are no other access points that criminals could use to steal potentially sensitive data.
Conclusion
Keeping media safe and secure is vital for all content creators. Whether you’re a part-time YouTube streamer or a national broadcaster, it is crucial that you keep your systems and physical space secured against criminals and scammers. Only partner with trusted, established brands and companies, encrypt all of your files, and always use cybersecurity systems on your computers and devices.