Never Ending IT Security Considerations
2014 brings with it a plethora of cyber security threats, threats that cannot be thwarted with basic virus protection software. Businesses need to protect every piece of financial data from cyber criminals to ensure that their corporate data remains safe. Here are 5 ways through which a business can secure its PC infrastructure and improve IT Security –
1. Disable Add-ons
Email clients and browsers use add-ons on a regular basis. While some may be required to ensure that business operations run smoothly, others do not. A lot of add-ons on applications such as Firefox, Outlook and IE can render a machine useless. It is not always possible to ensure whether an add-on is secure either.
2. Change Passwords
Initiating a password policy that requires your employees to change their passwords after every 30 days will help to ensure that your servers are safer from security threats. Also ask your employees to use complex or varying passwords. This will deter any unauthorized access. When they change them, don’t allow them to write them on post it notes and attach to the monitor.
3. Plain Text Mail / Don’t Click
Hackers can use HTML to hide a number of security threats in your email. You can avoid something like that from happening if you set any emails your company receives as plain text by default. Unfortunately plain text does look nasty. At least advise your staff to refrain from clicking on mail links unless they are certain that the links are safe. Any unwanted mail should be deleted before it is exposed to your business’s mail program.
4. Enforce a Security Policy
A security policy will make employees liable for any breaches in a business’s IT eco system provided that the breaches in question are found to be their fault. Putting such concerns on the back burner can have serious implications. This is why some businesses enforce security policies on certain aspects, such as BYOD (Bring Your Own Device).
5. Secure Connections
With the advent of cloud computing, more businesses now require their employees to connect with company networks outside from work now than ever before. However, public places that provide Wi Fi internet access such as restaurants hardly provide secure connections. However, solutions such as web conferencing technologies that only work over secure connections such as private networks can provide businesses the security they need.
Of course, when it comes to the security of corporate data, it is always better to be safe rather than sorry. This is why it is best that a business owner limits access to such data to employees who use Wi- fi access on a regular basis.
And in the best tradition of “5 ways lists…here is a bonus 6th totally free of charge”…
6. Limit Access to Networks
A business cannot let just anyone access its network, not when there is sensitive corporate data at stake. An employee never knows if a customer’s device carries a virus. In other words, allowing third party computers to access your LAN (Local Area Network) is a terrible mistake. It’s best that you block third parties from accessing your network. This will ensure its integrity.
It doesn’t matter what the size of your company is. It is always a good idea to train your employees in matters regarding the security of your IT infrastructure like knowing the type of products that they work with.
It could have been 500 ways to improve IT security…
Unfortunately, IT security and best practices are a huge topic and we could write endless recommendations and tips and thats just us. Reviewing your systems and ensuring they meet industry recommended practice, having your staff follow procedures (and writing those procedures in the first place) are the bare minimum to build on and these should be in place and checked on regularly.
Easier said than done. If your organization needs help getting this done then we can help lighten the burden.
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