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Security
Halt! Friend or Foe?
Did you leave your computer on when you went home
last night? Deduct 2 points for sloppiness. Not renewed your virus protection
after it expired last month? Deduct 10 points and stop immediately and renew!
Still using the same passwords you used two years ago? Deduct another 10 points
and start thinking about all the former employees who still know those
passwords.
Now that security is on everyone’s mind, here are some ideas every business
should consider:
Use good passwords. Passwords should be at least 6 characters long and include
both letters and numbers. What should your password not be: your name, your
spouse’s name, your kid’s name, your birthday, anniversary date or the name of
your favorite college football team. Passwords should be changed at least once
every 3 months and never shared with others. It is considered common courtesy to
turn away when someone is typing in their password. And, when an employee moves
on, immediately delete their passwords for accessing your system. Be sure to
design the set up so accounts lock up after 3 to 5 failed attempts to log into
your system.
Make regular backups of critical data. Since no system is absolutely secure, it
is crucial that a part of your security plan include back ups to minimize data
loss. Back ups should be performed daily with the information verified on a
regular basis. The easiest way to determine when to back up and verify data is
to ask yourself how much data your organization can afford to lose. It is
important to rotate tapes and store at least one back up a week off-site. This
is a minimal investment for a worse case scenario of damage to both your system
and your off-site storage location.
Use good virus protection software. First, purchase enough copies of a reputable
virus software (Norton or McAfee) program to place on all your organization’s
computers. Second, install all updates - checking periodically for new virus
definitions. Third, run a complete system scan of all the files on the computer
at least weekly.
Have a security audit and disaster recovery plan. Use a firewall between your
computer and the internet. Firewalls protect your data by providing an
additional line of defense for your data. Like antivirus software, they have to
be kept up-to-date with regular upgrades. Consider an annual investment in an
on-site security review and help your organization prepare a disaster recovery
plan to ensure your organization continuity even after a catastrophic event.
Shut off your computer when you are not using it. Seems simple, but broadband
connections (i.e., T1, cable or DSL) are “always on” meaning that you are
constantly at risk for a security breach. By shutting the system off, you can
ensure that your system is protected when you aren’t working on it.
Be careful opening email attachments. No matter how enticing the subject line
may be. Just as children shouldn’t accept candy from strangers, neither should
you accept email attachments from strangers. Also, don’t open email attachments
from friends that are unexpected. Your friend may have been infected and
unknowingly spreading a virus.
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