Our data has never been more vulnerable. Major breaches, like the one at Target, threaten personal information and weaken businesses, and new threats like ransomware can cripple our systems. In the face of these growing risks, Data Privacy Day 2014, which takes place on Jan. 28, is a much needed reminder of the proactive measures – both big and little – that we must take every single day to safeguard business and personal data.

At Prescient, we support Data Privacy Day and its efforts to educate organizations and individuals about cyber risks as well as its mission to empower them to be proactive in protecting their data. This Data Privacy Day, we urge you to take charge of your cyber security. The National Cyber Security Alliance has two great resources to help you get started or refresh your security efforts:

• My Privacy IQ Quiz
• Check Your Privacy Settings

Remember, the most effective cyber security requires an ongoing effort. Hackers and other cyber criminals work every day to uncover new ways to steal data, so we have to keep cyber security top of mind every day as well to try to stay one step ahead of them.