Network Security, What You Need To Know

The computer security threats for businesses aren't new.

In a recent FBI security survey, 80 percent of respondents reported insider abuse of their computer systems.  Research firm Gartner has reported that 70 percent of incidents that cause money loss are the result of insider theft.

When locking down systems, you need to do so with both inside and outside threats in mind.

The Bare Essentials You'll Need to Keep Your Business Safe and Sound:

Anti-virus
Anti-virus software is the aspirin in your security medicine chest:  the bare minimum that you should always have on hand. Because it is a crucial category and because anti-virus protection comes in so many different varieties, you should consult with someone you trust to select a solution that suits your needs.  PCMi can help you implement an anti-virus strategy so that computer viruses never give you a headache.

Firewall
Do you have an always-on Internet connection, such as dedicated Internet, DSL or cable service? If so, you and your network have an open door to the Internet, a place that is rife with hackers, criminals, and various other ne'er-do-wells. To protect yourself from data loss or exposure and to ensure reliable continuous network availability, you should have a firewall. A firewall is hardware or software designed to prevent unauthorized access to a computer or network that is connected to the Internet. There are a wide variety of firewall options and many include additional features such as intrusion detection and alerting.

With its years of experience working with the Internet, PCMi is intimately familiar with the security pitfalls of network connections and can help you select the best firewall solution for your needs.

Content Filtering
With the advent of high-speed Internet access, the wealth of information, products and services available is virtually unlimited. Sometimes this unlimited access may be too much. A business needs to efficiently and effectively manage this access to ensure that it is achieving the intended benefits of having high-speed Internet access. For many, this means content filtering.

Content filtering solutions abound. Let PCMi help you select the one that is right for you.

Backup
Backing up your data is crucial and to entirely too easy to neglect.  It can becomes especially complex when you have staff with laptops on the road.  Viable backup options include:  tape backup, disk-to-disk backup, online backup and more.  When selecting a backup system, you need to consider what you are backing up.  For example, does your most important business application use a database that is always open?  Do you have your own email server?  Do employees leave applications open when leaving for the day.

PCMi can asses your backup needs and implement a backup methodology that will give you peace of mind.

Access Control
Work with your IT consultant to limit access to information that is stored on your computers.  Areas to consider include not only the file server, but individual PCs as well as business applications.  At one company, an employee found a way to access the accounts payable system.  They accessed a vendor file, changed the vendor's name to their own, cut themselves a check for $20,000 and then, changed the vendor name back. Beyond fraud, employees can also be dangerous by either damaging information or equipment deliberately or accidentally.

Together we can establish appropriate access controls on your information to prevent intentional or accidental loss.

Security Policies and Training
One of the most important ways to keep information safe is to enlist the employees.  Since network security breaches can sometimes be a result of carelessness on the part of a user, education can go a long way toward reducing a threat.   For those who will still "sneak" around a network, educational efforts that include policy enforcement may help keep them in check. When crafting a security policy, don't use standard boilerplate policies, it's far better to nail specifics of what is allowed and what will not be tolerated.

PCMi can work with you to craft policies to educate and enforce your security policies.

Wireless Security
Have you implemented wireless networking?  If so, you've earned the responsibility to be extra diligent.  Security holes in wireless technology are being patched every day.  You may want some help to stay safe from emerging vulnerabilities.

PCMi can help you implement a reliable but secure wireless solution