Could Your Digital Assets End Up Being “Trumped”?

Presidential candidate Jeb Bush got the surprise of a lifetime not long ago when he got “trumped”. Traffic headed to his campaign website at www.jebbush.com was mysteriously being redirected to rival campaigner Donald Trump’s website.

While Trump denies any involvement with the incident, the cost this is having to Jeb is enormous. For some, this may seem a humorous prank, but the reality, it is impactful to his campaign and costly to rectify.

Digital Property

Digital property or digital assets can be quite valuable, such as the case with Jeb Bush and his website, but have you ever stopped to take inventory of your digital assets? Or taken the time to consider if they are being managed properly? If nothing else, this incident should make you stop and think about these things.

As individuals, it is likely we do a pretty good job managing our assets, monitoring statements, and keeping a watchful eye on accounts. But what would it mean to lose control of your digital assets? What would the impact be, and are you even fully aware of what those assets are?

As you start to see the severity of the situation, imagine what this means for businesses… The impact of a company losing control of their digital property can have consequences resulting huge financial losses, and incredible missed opportunities.

Yet with all this being said, so many companies still fall victim to losing their digital assets. Why is this?

Properly Accounting for Digital Assets

Poor management and lack of oversight are common reasons why people and businesses lose their digital property. Little thought goes into such things as what digital assets are, who controls them, when they expire, or what may happen if control over them is lost.

Properly managing digital assets starts with knowing exactly what they are. Start building a list of digital assets, and include important details, such as:

• What are they?
• When do they expire?
• Any relevant contact information.
• How are they protected?
• When was this information verified?
• Who is responsible?
• Details on credentials required to access it.
• Who has access?

When it comes to businesses, most have some sort of IT guy or partner responsible for managing all aspects of their technology. They update computers, maintain servers, and tend to other IT related tasks. But do they manage your digital assets? The answer, not likely. If you are assuming this is the case, then chances are, your digital assets are not being managed appropriately considering the risk factors, or even managed at all.

This is as big a mistake as not overseeing your financial advisor or failing to monitor your personal finances. That being said, when was the last time you took the time to review your digital asset statement?

The point is, your digital property is a critical component to your success and well-being. The issue with Jeb Bush’s website is just an example of how easily your assets can be jeopardized, leaving you “trumped”.

If you think you’re not a target because you’re not a celebrity or a huge organization, you are mistaken. Nobody is safe without the proper protocols in place, and digital security should be a priority for everybody. By ensuring your digital assets are being properly managed from the start, you can avoid the cost, frustration, and embarrassment of what poor Jeb had to deal with.

Don’t get caught in a jam and let inadequate control of your digital assets “Trump” you. Contact the IT experts at Raleigh IT Support Company and IT Services Provider | CSP Inc. by calling (919) 424-2000 or sending an email to info@cspinc.com. We manage ALL of your information technology, including digital assets, at a flat-rate monthly fee.