Business Security Threats: Avoid These Common Mistakes to Protect Critical Data
by:
Tom Collins
It's not a matter of if, but when. You might think that as a small business owner, your company is not a target for malicious hackers or attacks, but this couldn't be farther from the truth. Size doesn't matter when it comes to maintaining business continuity in light of security threats - both natural and manmade - anyone and everyone is susceptible. Think about what kind of information you could lose from various business security threats - years worth of tax records, confidential employee information including Social Security numbers, signed customer contracts and customer contact records, just to start.
When an eight person law firm in Miami was hit by Hurricane Ike in 2008, it was forced to close its doors after a decade of being in business. Everything they had was destroyed and irretrievable. Although this was a natural disaster, the business owner could have taken some relatively easy and cost effective precautions to ensure his business was safe from common small business security threats. Fortunately, for today's small business owners, there are many software applications available that are adept at maintaining business continuity. These applications are easily accessible and simple to implement, making your business safer in case the unthinkable should occur.
The Keys to Maintaining Business Continuity
I see many small businesses make the same common mistakes when it comes to securing their data and maintaining business continuity; I've listed them (below) in an effort to help companies protect themselves from business security threats. Most companies I talk to believe they are secure, when in fact, they are unmistakably vulnerable.
Mistake #1: "My data is secure; I've got it backed up on-premise."
Let's say you are fortunate enough to have a security system, a fire detection system and are part of a secured office park with security personnel roaming the grounds 24/7. Just because your premises are secured doesn't mean your records are safe from business security threats. In fact, it's the opposite. Many businesses commonly make the mistake of backing up files only on-premise or back-up on premise and remove discs or tapes manually on a regularly scheduled interval (ex. once per month). The smartest solution to combating business security threats is to have all your data saved and stored in an off-premise data center. By having your data backed up off-site, you ensure the safety of all your important files and you get the added benefit of being able to access important files from any Internet connected computer (with the right security authentication of course!)
Like in the earlier example of the law firm affected by Hurricane Ike, if it had stored all of its files off-premise in a hosted data center, the employees would have been able to save all of the files, retrieve and reinstate them and gotten the business back up with minimal interruption. Backing up to an external hard drive or NAS (Network Attached Storage) device is critical to maintaining business continuity and preventing data loss due to hardware failures. However, small businesses commonly face fires, floods, thefts, and other business security threats that require backups to be offsite. Make sure your business has a secure backup solution in place to allow data to be stored offsite. These solutions are relatively inexpensive in terms of maintaining business continuity, especially considering the alternative.
Mistake #2:"I just bought a new PC, so I've already got the latest and greatest security software loaded."
You may be thinking to yourself "I already have all the security I need." Yes, Microsoft Windows does have a firewall feature guarding against common business security threats, but these off-the-shelf components aren't nearly enough to support the needs of a company. Ideally, small businesses should employ the same "defense in depth" strategy large enterprises use to secure their internal networks. PCs should have their software firewalls enabled and properly configured, and have a firewall router on the network's edge to provide a second layer of defense against business security threats. This way, if a PC's firewall is not configured properly, there is still a layer of protection between the computer and Internet threats. By selecting a managed firewall application, small businesses will shield themselves from critical network threats, block unnecessary Internet traffic, and restrict applications used on your network. This type of security product is a necessity for protecting small business networks from malicious Internet threats and maintaining business continuity.
Mistake #3:"I installed new security protection software in the past couple years or so."
As you may know, many laptops and desktops come with pre-installed free trials of a brand name security offering, although this will keep your desktop secure for a brief time, many small businesses commonly make the mistake of letting this software expire and forgetting to update it. In order to protect your desktops and laptops from online business security threats, you must install a secure desktop solution to protect PCs from viruses, spyware, and other Internet-borne attacks. Sold as a bundle as part of many communications and IT services, secure desktop applications have no expiration dates to keep track of. The best part of this software application is that updates are automatic, which means there are no more software upgrades to install--reducing the cost of IT management. Maintaining business continuity is easy--just secure your desktop as soon as you can!
Mistake #4: "I have to update my browser and operating system (OS) security patches myself, and I just don't have the time."
Small businesses can easily be taken advantage of due to low security on their browsers and operating systems, but these types of business security threats can be easily avoided with automatic security patch updates. Many small businesses take the burden of updating their PCs with the latest software versions on themselves, but OS security can be easily automated, which makes maintaining business continuity a breeze. Yes, small businesses should ensure the updates take place and check in on them regularly, but today's technology helps alleviate some of the time it takes to manage the situation.
By avoiding these common culprits of business security threats, companies can protect one of their most precious assets - data and files. Most businesses will face many threats in their lifecycle. Learn from the mistakes others have made and take these steps towards maintaining your business continuity.
About the Author:
Tom Collins is the Product Manager for Security and IT Services at Cbeyond, a leading voice and data company that offers a comprehensive small
business communication solution for every need. Collins is responsible for the financial performance, product adoption, market penetration and research for all of
Cbeyond's security applications.
No. of Times this article has been viewed :
649
Date Published :
Jan 28 2010
Most Recently Published Small Business Management Articles as of
|
|
Jul 15 2010
Bankruptcy for Small Businesses
by
Bass Franklin
Filing for bankruptcy as a small business owner can have it's advantages, but it can also be complicated.
|
Jul 14 2010
Have You Used a Checklist to Ensure that Your Small Business is an Effective Organization?
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
In this article we discuss what you need to do, and provide you with a checklist to make sure that your small business develops and grows as an effective organization.
|
Jul 14 2010
Business Energy Woes? There are Ways to Cut Costs
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
Running a business is tough enough without having the added stress of having to worry about how you are going to manage paying high energy bills every month. There are however, some measures you can take which will lower those costs.
|
Jul 11 2010
Consider Utilizing a Mobile Card Swiper for PayPal Credit Card
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
The development of the credit card swiper that could be moved anyplace permitted handy swiping of the plastic card for the automated input of the important data into the laptop or computer. And with PayPal credit card processing now achievable, vendors could experience improved sales.
|
Jul 10 2010
Think You Can't Afford Your Own Vending Business? Think Again
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
Some people think they will have to make a huge initial investment to start their business, but one advantage of a vending business is that is can be started with a small investment and can grow at your speed.
|
Jul 9 2010
Small Business Coach Vs Consultant
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
Small business coaching entails bringing about positive change in the working of an organization and the workers as a whole. It helps to determine goals that meet the best potential of the organization.
|
Jul 9 2010
How Small Business Coaching Works
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
Small business coaching not only helps you move forward but also helps in ensuring professional and personal development, which will eventually lead to your personal growth, and success in business...
|
Jul 9 2010
Factors To Consider Before Selecting the Right Payment Gateway for Your Retail Business
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
In conclusion, it is very very important to know your specific needs and available options prior to selecting the right payment gateway for your retail business. Whether your priorities are with costs, integration, or security, plan ahead and decide what your goals are for your business.
|
Jul 9 2010
How Will This Year Be Different?
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
Any fool can be busy. Just as it takes no special talent to run around like a headless chicken, it takes no special talent to be consumed by other people's deadlines.
|
Jul 6 2010
How To Apply for Government Grants: Your First Steps to Avail Government Funding
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
Even if you are looking for additional funds for education, for small businesses, housing, or you are promoting an environmental project, you can also avail of grants from the government.
|
Jul 6 2010
Pros and Cons of Credit and Debit Card Processing
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
The question of whether or not a small business owner should or should not allow credit card transactions is one that is difficult to answer. There are various pros and cons to making either choice which is why it is important to decide if it makes sense ...
|
Jul 5 2010
Why Should a Small Organization Pay Attention to Organizational Effectiveness?
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
In many organizations the way that things are done today often owes more to the history of how the products or services have evolved than to the logic of what is currently required to deliver to the customer.
|
Jul 5 2010
One Small Business Loans Solution for People in a Tight Economy
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
For a year now, most lenders have kept it hard for current and future small business owners to acquire the necessary capital to get things going. The current administration is trying to push things forward, but so far, it has failed to output the results to turn things around.
|
Jul 1 2010
Free Grants for Small Business - Availing More Funds for Your Business
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
If you are looking for free grants for small business to get additional funding to your business's capital, you can explore the possibility of getting financial help from the government.
|
Jul 1 2010
Wholesale Opportunities for Home Based Small Businesses
by
BMA Editorial Team 3
For a home business, no matter what size home business you might have, you are going to want to look into buying items wholesale. There is simply no other way that this can be a success for you - there is something great about buying wholesale and about enjoying the benefits...
|
|
Search for ebooks on Management & Business