IT security is one of the most important aspects of any business no matter what the size. Without the computer network, business can't be done. Here are some best practices to keep your network safer.
Employee Education and Cooperation
Workers are an enormous part of IT security. With many people using one network, it's up to all of them to maintain the best practices to keep the network from falling prey to a hacker. Workers have to stay up to date with the latest attacks being launched against systems. This can be in the form of meetings a few times a year that go over what to watch out for, or it may be a monthly memo sent to everyone. Without the cooperation of the workers using the system, there is no IT service that can keep a system from being hacked. Be sure that there are office-wide guidelines and that they are enforced.
Have a Firewall in Place
Every business needs a strong barrier between the computer network and the rest of the world. This barrier, called a firewall, is an essential part of business IT. The firewall should be business-grade to provide the best protection against hacking and malware. Invest in a good firewall so that you have a way to repel the attacks that have become so common to small businesses. Without this in place, your network takes an unnecessary risk in today's climate of cyberthreats.
Including Personal Devices
Having a firewall, a secure internet connection and virus protection for each device in the office is a good start for many offices. However, it should never be the end of the protections. In today's business climate, bringing in your own devices is common. These machines may not be secured well, or they may already have malware on them. Before a device is used in the office, the owner should agree to IT best practices that include installing all security updates and keeping up-to-date malware protection on the device.
If your company needs better IT security, contact us now to find out how we can make that happen for your business.
