| It's not a matter of if, but when. You might think that as | | | | maintaining business continuity, especially considering |
| a small business owner, your company is not a target | | | | the alternative. |
| for malicious hackers or attacks, but this couldn't be | | | | Mistake #2:"I just bought a new PC, so I've already got |
| farther from the truth. Size doesn't matter when it | | | | the latest and greatest security software loaded." |
| comes to maintaining business continuity in light of | | | | You may be thinking to yourself "I already have all the |
| security threats - both natural and man-made - anyone | | | | security I need." Yes, Microsoft Windows does have a |
| and everyone is susceptible. Think about what kind of | | | | firewall feature guarding against common business |
| information you could lose from various business | | | | security threats, but these off-the-shelf components |
| security threats - years worth of tax records, | | | | aren't nearly enough to support the needs of a |
| confidential employee information including Social | | | | company. Ideally, small businesses should employ the |
| Security numbers, signed customer contracts and | | | | same "defense in depth" strategy large enterprises |
| customer contact records, just to start. | | | | use to secure their internal networks. PCs should have |
| When an eight person law firm in Miami was hit by | | | | their software firewalls enabled and properly |
| Hurricane Ike in 2008, it was forced to close its doors | | | | configured, and have a firewall router on the network's |
| after a decade of being in business. Everything they | | | | edge to provide a second layer of defense against |
| had was destroyed and irretrievable. Although this was | | | | business security threats. This way, if a PC's firewall is |
| a natural disaster, the business owner could have | | | | not configured properly, there is still a layer of |
| taken some relatively easy and cost effective | | | | protection between the computer and Internet threats. |
| precautions to ensure his business was safe from | | | | By selecting a managed firewall application, small |
| common small business security threats. Fortunately, | | | | businesses will shield themselves from critical network |
| for today's small business owners, there are many | | | | threats, block unnecessary Internet traffic, and restrict |
| software applications available that are adept at | | | | applications used on your network. This type of |
| maintaining business continuity. These applications are | | | | security product is a necessity for protecting small |
| easily accessible and simple to implement, making your | | | | business networks from malicious Internet threats and |
| business safer in case the unthinkable should occur. | | | | maintaining business continuity. |
| The Keys to Maintaining Business Continuity | | | | Mistake #3:"I installed new security protection software |
| I see many small businesses make the same common | | | | in the past couple years or so." |
| mistakes when it comes to securing their data and | | | | As you may know, many laptops and desktops come |
| maintaining business continuity; I've listed them (below) | | | | with pre-installed free trials of a brand name security |
| in an effort to help companies protect themselves | | | | offering, although this will keep your desktop secure for |
| from business security threats. Most companies I talk | | | | a brief time, many small businesses commonly make |
| to believe they are secure, when in fact, they are | | | | the mistake of letting this software expire and |
| unmistakably vulnerable. | | | | forgetting to update it. In order to protect your |
| Mistake #1: "My data is secure; I've got it backed up | | | | desktops and laptops from online business security |
| on-premise." | | | | threats, you must install a secure desktop solution to |
| Let's say you are fortunate enough to have a security | | | | protect PCs from viruses, spyware, and other |
| system, a fire detection system and are part of a | | | | Internet-borne attacks. Sold as a bundle as part of |
| secured office park with security personnel roaming | | | | many communications and IT services, secure desktop |
| the grounds 24/7. Just because your premises are | | | | applications have no expiration dates to keep track of. |
| secured doesn't mean your records are safe from | | | | The best part of this software application is that |
| business security threats. In fact, it's the opposite. Many | | | | updates are automatic, which means there are no |
| businesses commonly make the mistake of backing up | | | | more software upgrades to install--reducing the cost |
| files only on-premise or back-up on premise and | | | | of IT management. Maintaining business continuity is |
| remove discs or tapes manually on a regularly | | | | easy--just secure your desktop as soon as you can! |
| scheduled interval (ex. once per month). The smartest | | | | Mistake #4: "I have to update my browser and |
| solution to combating business security threats is to | | | | operating system (OS) security patches myself, and I |
| have all your data saved and stored in an off-premise | | | | just don't have the time." |
| data center. By having your data backed up off-site, | | | | Small businesses can easily be taken advantage of |
| you ensure the safety of all your important files and | | | | due to low security on their browsers and operating |
| you get the added benefit of being able to access | | | | systems, but these types of business security threats |
| important files from any Internet connected computer | | | | can be easily avoided with automatic security patch |
| (with the right security authentication of course!) | | | | updates. Many small businesses take the burden of |
| Like in the earlier example of the law firm affected by | | | | updating their PCs with the latest software versions on |
| Hurricane Ike, if it had stored all of its files off-premise | | | | themselves, but OS security can be easily automated, |
| in a hosted data center, the employees would have | | | | which makes maintaining business continuity a breeze. |
| been able to save all of the files, retrieve and reinstate | | | | Yes, small businesses should ensure the updates take |
| them and gotten the business back up with minimal | | | | place and check in on them regularly, but today's |
| interruption. Backing up to an external hard drive or | | | | technology helps alleviate some of the time it takes to |
| NAS (Network Attached Storage) device is critical to | | | | manage the situation. |
| maintaining business continuity and preventing data loss | | | | By avoiding these common culprits of business |
| due to hardware failures. However, small businesses | | | | security threats, companies can protect one of their |
| commonly face fires, floods, thefts, and other business | | | | most precious assets - data and files. Most businesses |
| security threats that require backups to be off site. | | | | will face many threats in their lifecycle. Learn from the |
| Make sure your business has a secure backup solution | | | | mistakes others have made and take these steps |
| in place to allow data to be stored off-site. These | | | | towards maintaining your business continuity. |
| solutions are relatively inexpensive in terms of | | | | |