The IT security risks continue to grow for SMEs and even larger corporations. Often, protection is only as strong as its weakest link, making it a requirement to be hypervigilant and security conscious at all times. It’s easy to get complacent when a company has been lucky enough to not have suffered an IT security problem so far. However, that doesn’t mean any business can afford to rest on its laurels.
Here are four IT security measures you can use to protect the company from the risks.
1. Establish strong password protection
Measures to ensure only authorized personnel can log into the company’s network and systems are priority number one. While that will include staff who are on-site, it should also be factored in for people who work remotely. Increasingly, people are working from home, and so secure access from a distance is needed too.
Passwords should be as strong as possible. They should be lengthy and include numbers, lower and upper-case letters, and symbols. These are difficult to remember, so allowing staff to use a secure password manager like LastPass or 1Password.com is useful.
2. Avoid getting overextended with cybersecurity
Managing internal network security, cloud storage solutions, and cybersecurity threats are more than a full-time job. It requires a comprehensive team that is difficult to fund for SMEs and is a challenge even for larger corporations to get a handle on. Keeping up with the requirements is more difficult still. Using an IT specialist to outsource the network security and cloud solutions is sensible.
Certainly, OP IT outsourcing companies Kennett Square PA are well equipped to handle what’s required, set up systems to thwart cyber attackers, and help to keep company data safe too. A well-regarded security firm will also perform a periodic security audit to verify that their protections are still more than adequate.
3. Maintain security for computer gear
The existing IT equipment needs to be secured from theft and protected in case it does get stolen. Servers, laptops, and other computer gear should be labeled to track it from a company asset perspective. But more than that, they should be held inside locked offices and not kept in sight whenever possible. Critical hard drives that are removable or portable can be stored overnight in a safe at the premise for additional protection.
Beyond that, computers should use encryption and remote access measures. This way, if they’re stolen and still connected, they can be remotely disabled and wiped. Also, encrypting the hard drives within the laptop and servers can prevent them from being accessed when the operating system is inaccessible.
4. Using good sense with email and web security
While anti-virus and other software solutions should be in place both on the network and on every laptop used for business purposes, that only goes so far. The weakest link is almost always the human element, rather than a bug in the software itself.
Staff must be trained on good email and web security measures. Also, this should include the use of virus scanners or other security apps they may need to be familiar with. Furthermore, staff should know what not to do to avoid accidentally installing malware or inadvertently getting other virus infections.
Effective IT security for companies that have employees in the office and working remotely is more difficult than in the past. Nevertheless, companies must not let their guard down as the threat is a real and growing one.
