Business Security in Finance and Banking

It is common for business owners to take securityshould be kept up-to-date and used regularly. Of
measures to protect their buildings and theircourse, you should also maintain your computer's
employees. Video cameras, alarm systems,operating system in good order and ensure its physical
background checks on employees and othersecurity as well. The best spyware killer in the world
measures ensure that the most common physical andwon't protect against an employee or intruder sitting
personnel-related dangers are countered. With thedown at an unprotected, accessible computer and
increasing presence of computers in the workplace,copying account numbers, passwords and the like. In
and the much-publicized identity thefts and otherfact, even in this age of ever-present computers, the
so-called cybercrimes, you would think that everygreatest losses in the retail industry still come from
business owner would recognize the importance oftheft (and most of that is by employees). However,
computer security, especially regarding such sensitivewhen cyber crime does occur, it normally involves
data as company finances. The problem is, many dogreater sums of money. By all means, defend yourself
not.against all of these risks.
Online banking has become so fast and simple that itSome basic steps Your bank should register the IP
takes mere seconds to complete many transactions. Itaddress of the computer you use for your banking
has also liberated many accounting departmentoperations. You can set things up in such a way that
employees from taking so many trips to the bank,user have to answer a security question before
saving time and cost for companies. Not everylogging on. You can also make various agreements
business owner, however, has been keeping step withwith your bank, such as getting notifications of funds
the online criminals. Business owners must learn abouttransfers by e-mail. Some banks also offer four-part ID
the risks they face and take all the necessary actionssets, meaning the company has an ID and password,
to defend themselves and their property.and employee users have their own, individual
What are the ground rules? Perhaps the mostpasswords and IDs. In addition, there are ways to have
important thing that you, as a business owner, shouldnew passwords issued daily or even hourly.
find out is the policy of the banks you are using. EveryIntrusion Detection and Prevention devices (IDS / IPS)
bank will have an official policy establishing their liabilitiesoffer businesses another layer of IT security. They
and protections regarding customer accounts, and it isdetect and prevent suspicious activity on the network
essential that you understand the terms. Banks canand computing environment. Although there are many
normally afford the best computer security, and it is tomanufacturers that offer world-class IDS / IPS
their advantage to perform this important job well, soprotection, the smaller businesses can turn to more
as to minimize losses and use their safety as a sellingaffordable Unified Threat Management (UTM) devices.
point to new customers. Banks will have numerousThese all-in one UTM appliances can provide adequate
types of protection, and take sophisticated steps toprotection from email viruses, spam, and hackers. In
stay abreast of the latest schemes and scams.order to fully benefit from IDS / IPS or UTM devices,
Some off-the-shelf computer security products willthe network administrators must continually monitor
work well enough for the average home user, buthacker alerts. This can be bothersome for a 9-5 IT
experienced hackers will not be deterred byprofessional, which is why most businesses delegate
consumer-level measures. In fact, best cyber crooksthe monitoring and tuning portion to network security
have hacked into some very secure locations, and it iscompanies. The proper firm can eliminate most threats
a constant battle for security software firms and otherwith real-time 24x7 device monitoring, much like a
IT professionals to keep up with the criminals. Thesecurity firm monitors for physical intruders 24x7, and
bank has powerful and expensive security applications,continually protects properties.
some of which may be out of the reach of the smallThe best advice, of course, is to talk with your bank,
business owner. However, there are solutions for mostand then, if you are still feeling a bit insecure, with a
budgets if you take the time to discover what youcomputer security firm. A good relationship with your
really need to do.bank and its employees will take care of that half of
Team effort Business owners and banks need to seeyour security formula. For the other half, if you want to
their shared responsibility for keeping accounts secure,be quite sure that you have done everything possible
and we can typically count on banks to protectto foil possible cyber crooks, then you need to bring in
themselves well. You need to protect your ownpeople of that same caliber, computer security experts
internal system, as well as all your connections to thewho spend every minute of their professional lives
outside world. With the aid of software and technologyhelping people like you protect their businesses and
you must watch your accounts closely for signs oftheir futures.With over 1,000 clients and 3,000 nodes
unusual activity. You might consider designating a singleprotected, Clone Systems is an industry leader
workstation at your firm for accessing online accountsproviding comprehensive managed network security
and making transactions, and do not use the browserthat yield world-class protection for your enterprise.
to access any other sites. Social networking sites areClone Systems proven suite of network security
notorious for trying to drop spyware into visitors'products and services penetrate an ever evolving
systems.market detecting malicious activity, preventing
Standard computer security measures should alwaysintrusions, and improving compliance, all while reducing
be followed. Anti-virus and anti-malware programsyour operating costs.