Digital Asset Protection: A Checklist for Small Business Owners

How to Protect Your Digital Assets  Free Checklist
  • Digital Assets are Often Intangible and Can Include 

  • Websites and blogs

  • Social Media accounts

  • Software systems 

  • Client and customer information and records 

  • Payroll systems

  • Ordering systems

  • Online banking

  • Employee records

  • Trade marks, patents and copyrights  

  • Intellectual and creative property such as trade secrets 

  • Photographs

  • Accounting information

  • Online subscriptions and memberships

  • Logos, designs and branding strategies 

  • Virtual property such as domain names, URLs and IP addresses 

  • Custom apps and SaaS 

  • Proprietary software

  • Inventions 

  • Product designs

  • Cryptocurrency

  • Document Your Digital Assets

  • Create an inventory of all your personal and business digital assets.  

  • Create backups of all your data and systems. Experts say one backup is never enough: so created an external hard drive backup and a cloud backup. 

  • Claim ownership of all digital assets. Trademarks, copyrights and patents can help you document ownership; your attorney or accountant my have other recommendations.

  • Establish value of all digital assets. Industry research publications or a business appraiser or

  • Digitally protect your assets when possible with encoding, encryption or watermarking. 

  • Add copyright statements or marks to your intellectual property such as websites, blogs, graphic designs or names and tag lines.

  • Implement non-disclosure and non-compete agreements with key employees, consultants, clients and vendors. 

  • Institute written policies for employees and consultants on creating, using, valuing and documenting digital assets. 

  • List digital assets in your partnership agreements, incorporation documents, succession planwill and other legal documents.

  • Annually review and update your digital asset inventory and valuation.

  • Protect Your Digital Assets

  • Establish and document procedures if someone illegally uses or steals your digital assets. 

  • Determine if and how you will license, sell or lease your digital assets. 

  • Identify if and how you will use your digital assets as security for a loan or partnership agreement. 

  • Your attorney and accountant can help you identify, protect and value your digital assets, and advise a course of action if your digital assets are stolen or illegally used. 

This checklist was created by anthonycaliendo

copy saved

copies saved