The Weakest Link in Network Security
by Peter Alexander
reprinted with permission from the Microsoft Small Business Center
Your small-business network may be protected by firewalls, intrusion detection and other state-of-the-art security technologies. And yet, all it takes is one person’s carelessness, and suddenly it’s as if you have no network security at all.
Let me give you an example. In March 2006, a major financial services firm with extensive network security disclosed that one of its portable computers was stolen. The laptop contained the Social Security numbers of nearly 200,000 people. How did it happen? An employee of the firm, dining in a restaurant with colleagues, had locked the laptop in the trunk of a SUV. During dinner, one of the employee’s colleagues retrieved an item from the vehicle and forgot to re-lock it. As fate would have it, there was a rash of car thefts occurring in that particular area at that particular time, and the rest is history.
The moral of that story is clear: No matter how secure your network may be, it’s only as secure as its weakest link. And people–meaning you and your employees–are often the weakest link. It’s important to note that poor security puts your business, as well as your partners, at risk. As a result, many enterprises and organizations, such as credit-card companies, now specify and require minimum levels of security you must have in order to do business with them.
So what can you do? Here are nine ways to minimize the risks that people can pose to the security of your company’s data:
The Alternatives? Lost Business, Lawsuits and More
Does all this sounds like a lot of trouble? Of course it does. But imagine what would happen to your business if all your customers’ credit-card information was stolen–simply because an employee left a laptop containing that data in an unlocked car? At a minimum, you risk angering and losing customers.
Also, many small businesses, particularly those in financial and health-care services, must comply with regulations that mandate information security. One stolen laptop, and your business could be faced with heavy penalties due to non-compliance.
In short, better safe than sorry. So get on the phone with your trusted IT advisor and start creating your detailed security plan today. You’ll sleep better tonight.
To learn more, contact us today.
Bryan Antepara: IT Specialist
Bryan Antepara is a leader in Cloud engagements with a demonstrated history of digital transformation of business processes with the user of Microsoft Technologies powered by the team of eMazzanti Technologies engineers.
Bryan has a strong experience working with Office 365 cloud solutions, Business Process, Internet Information Services (IIS), Microsoft Office Suite, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, and Customer Service.
He has the ability to handle the complexity of moving data in and out of containers and cloud sessions, makes him the perfect candidate to help organizations large and small migrate to new and more efficient platforms. Bryan is a graduate of the University of South Florida and is Microsoft Certification holder.
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