| It's not a matter of if, but when. You might think | | | | relatively inexpensive in terms of maintaining business |
| that as a small business owner, your company is not | | | | continuity, especially considering the alternative. |
| a target for malicious hackers or attacks, but this | | | | Mistake #2:"I just bought a new PC, so I've already |
| couldn't be farther from the truth. Size doesn't | | | | got the latest and greatest security software |
| matter when it comes to maintaining business | | | | loaded." |
| continuity in light of security threats - both natural | | | | You may be thinking to yourself "I already have all |
| and manmade - anyone and everyone is susceptible. | | | | the security I need." Yes, Microsoft Windows does |
| Think about what kind of information you could lose | | | | have a firewall feature guarding against common |
| from various business security threats - years worth | | | | business security threats, but these off-the-shelf |
| of tax records, confidential employee information | | | | components aren't nearly enough to support the |
| including Social Security numbers, signed customer | | | | needs of a company. Ideally, small businesses should |
| contracts and customer contact records, just to | | | | employ the same "defense in depth" strategy large |
| start. | | | | enterprises use to secure their internal networks. PCs |
| When an eight person law firm in Miami was hit by | | | | should have their software firewalls enabled and |
| Hurricane Ike in 2008, it was forced to close its | | | | properly configured, and have a firewall router on the |
| doors after a decade of being in business. Everything | | | | network's edge to provide a second layer of defense |
| they had was destroyed and irretrievable. Although | | | | against business security threats. This way, if a PC's |
| this was a natural disaster, the business owner could | | | | firewall is not configured properly, there is still a layer |
| have taken some relatively easy and cost effective | | | | of protection between the computer and Internet |
| precautions to ensure his business was safe from | | | | threats. By selecting a managed firewall application, |
| common small business security threats. Fortunately, | | | | small businesses will shield themselves from critical |
| for today's small business owners, there are many | | | | network threats, block unnecessary Internet traffic, |
| software applications available that are adept at | | | | and restrict applications used on your network. This |
| maintaining business continuity. These applications are | | | | type of security product is a necessity for protecting |
| easily accessible and simple to implement, making | | | | small business networks from malicious Internet |
| your business safer in case the unthinkable should | | | | threats and maintaining business continuity. |
| occur. | | | | Mistake #3:"I installed new security protection |
| The Keys to Maintaining Business Continuity | | | | software in the past couple years or so." |
| I see many small businesses make the same | | | | As you may know, many laptops and desktops |
| common mistakes when it comes to securing their | | | | come with pre-installed free trials of a brand name |
| data and maintaining business continuity; I've listed | | | | security offering, although this will keep your desktop |
| them (below) in an effort to help companies protect | | | | secure for a brief time, many small businesses |
| themselves from business security threats. Most | | | | commonly make the mistake of letting this software |
| companies I talk to believe they are secure, when in | | | | expire and forgetting to update it. In order to |
| fact, they are unmistakably vulnerable. | | | | protect your desktops and laptops from online |
| Mistake #1: "My data is secure; I've got it backed up | | | | business security threats, you must install a secure |
| on-premise." | | | | desktop solution to protect PCs from viruses, |
| Let's say you are fortunate enough to have a | | | | spyware, and other Internet-borne attacks. Sold as a |
| security system, a fire detection system and are | | | | bundle as part of many communications and IT |
| part of a secured office park with security personnel | | | | services, secure desktop applications have no |
| roaming the grounds 24/7. Just because your | | | | expiration dates to keep track of. The best part of |
| premises are secured doesn't mean your records are | | | | this software application is that updates are |
| safe from business security threats. In fact, it's the | | | | automatic, which means there are no more software |
| opposite. Many businesses commonly make the | | | | upgrades to install--reducing the cost of IT |
| mistake of backing up files only on-premise or | | | | management. Maintaining business continuity is |
| back-up on premise and remove discs or tapes | | | | easy--just secure your desktop as soon as you can! |
| manually on a regularly scheduled interval (ex. once | | | | Mistake #4: "I have to update my browser and |
| per month). The smartest solution to combating | | | | operating system (OS) security patches |
| business security threats is to have all your data | | | | myself, and I just don't have the time." |
| saved and stored in an off-premise data center. By | | | | Small businesses can easily be taken advantage of |
| having your data backed up off-site, you ensure the | | | | due to low security on their browsers and operating |
| safety of all your important files and you get the | | | | systems, but these types of business security |
| added benefit of being able to access important files | | | | threats can be easily avoided with automatic security |
| from any Internet connected computer (with the | | | | patch updates. Many small businesses take the |
| right security authentication of course!) | | | | burden of updating their PCs with the latest software |
| Like in the earlier example of the law firm affected | | | | versions on themselves, but OS security can be |
| by Hurricane Ike, if it had stored all of its files | | | | easily automated, which makes maintaining business |
| off-premise in a hosted data center, the employees | | | | continuity a breeze. Yes, small businesses should |
| would have been able to save all of the files, retrieve | | | | ensure the updates take place and check in on them |
| and reinstate them and gotten the business back up | | | | regularly, but today's technology helps alleviate some |
| with minimal interruption. Backing up to an external | | | | of the time it takes to manage the situation. |
| hard drive or NAS (Network Attached Storage) | | | | By avoiding these common culprits of business |
| device is critical to maintaining business continuity and | | | | security threats, companies can protect one of their |
| preventing data loss due to hardware failures. | | | | most precious assets - data and files. Most |
| However, small businesses commonly face fires, | | | | businesses will face many threats in their lifecycle. |
| floods, thefts, and other business security threats | | | | Learn from the mistakes others have made and take |
| that require backups to be offsite. Make sure your | | | | these steps towards maintaining your business |
| business has a secure backup solution in place to | | | | continuity. |
| allow data to be stored offsite. These solutions are | | | | |