By Daniel Burnheimer
Published: November 1, 2009
Digital data is constantly at risk. In order for small to midsized businesses to keep their information secure, certain guidelines should be followed. Here are a few simple tips and security measures that business executives can put into action so their data remains safe at all times:
USB Drives - The Thumb You Can Do Without
USB thumb drives, though they make life much easier than it should be, open a whole can of security worms. A lot of computers are programmed to automatically run programs that are on USB devices, and given that those babies are often shared and popped from one device to another without thought, a lot of spying software is able to spread more rapidly than expected. If you can, eliminate use of USB drives. Their risks outweigh their convenience.
Extensive E-mail Screening
When it comes to e-mail, one must be sure to be careful about what he or she opens. E-mail is an incredibly easy way for cyber-criminals to break through security measures. Often times, a highly disguised e-mail is sent to an individual's inbox, usually by the name of a trusted friend, and it contains a link or an attachment to download. When the link is clicked or the attachment opened, intrusive software is installed on the individual's machine. Be careful what you open - always make sure the email is sent from a trusted e-mail address, and be sure to be suspicious of anything that doesn't seem right.
Be Smart with Your Smart Phone
Advances in smart phones have been making the data that is found on them more, well, "smart" to say the least. And because they're portable (and therefore easily losable) they're becoming quite the problem. If you read or open sensitive data on your phone make sure you delete it AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. That way, in case of theft or misplacement, you won't have private information out there. Luckily, along with advances in smart phones have come some included advanced security measures.
Patch it Up...
As cautious as keeping an eye out can be, sometimes it's just not enough. If there's a hole in the dam...PLUG IT! Make sure all of your software is updated often and consistently. Making sure updates happen is a great safety measure.
Think Offline, Often...or at Least when it comes to the Sensitive Stuff...
Simply keep super secret data offline. If your data is extra-sensitive, the best way to make sure it's safe is to keep it on a non-networked computer or off of a computer entirely. This is never a bad thought.
Keep it Safe, Stupid.
The staged email attacks that occur that send you to a "diseased" webpage can often only affect your computer if they can find a chink in your browser's armor. Be sure to surf safely, and use browsers that aren't overly used by a large population.
Wash Your Hands, Eat Your Apples, and Use Your Anti-Virus
You take all measures to keep yourself healthy, do the same for your computer, too! Make sure your anti-virus software is more up to date than CNN. If your software is consistently updates, you'll save yourself a lot of headaches. Odds are updated anti-virus software will be your safety net if you let some spyware slip past you. Make sure you stay on top of this!
Encrypt Away!!
Although cyber thieves can get their hands on data that is in use, encryption makes stored data impossible to access for unwanted intruders. Encrypting your information with strong passwords is thought to be one of the highest lines of defense. Make sure you encrypt!
If You're Not IT - Don't Try To Be
IT people are IT people for a reason; they know what they're doing. If IT administrators have certain precautionary measures in place, don't ignore them. IT administrators often have network privileges that other members of an organization don't have. As painful as it may be to listen to what they tell you that you can't do, make sure you pay attention - and never override security measures. Especially those set by the knowledgeable folks at Trigon Technology :).