Most small businesses still rely heavily on internal computer network to successfully run their businesses. The loss of business data could cost you your entire business. Your customers have entrusted your with their data (some private) and they expect you to secure and keep their information from the public.
Unfortunately some businesses are still making mistakes with their computer networks that cost them thousands in lost sales, productivity, and computer repair costs that could be avoided.
These are proven ways to reduce or possibly eliminate the financial expenses and frustration of your network oversights.
1. Have a look at your server settings again!
When your network is compromised, you expose your entire business to hackers, viruses, and malicious apps that could cost you your entire business. Most servers have default built-in security features you can use if you have a small budget or can’t hire expensive network engineers to boost your security features.
Don’t compromise on the security of your business data. The price you could pay to respond to hacked servers or computer networks could more compared to what you can use to protect your business data now.
2. Replace old computers, servers or network equipments.
If you keep having problems with some of your servers, computer or network equipments, it’s about time you replaced them with new ones.
BrightStar Systems can purchase your used network equipment if you intend to sell them or replace them with new ones.
3. A business-class firewall is what you need.
A firewall is the most proving way to secure your entire network, keep your data in and keep hackers out. Hackers strike when you least expect it. Even the most secure computer networks could be prone to hacker access if there are loop holes.
Hackers are searching for open, unprotected ports all the time and as soon as they discover your unprotected networks, they will delete or download huge files, shutdown your entire server or infect your private files with malware and viruses.
4. Don’t forget to update your server operating system.
Software updates or new patches are crucial to your server and network security. Software engineers are constantly looking for new ways to close up loop holes in their applications. They issue software patches, or updates close up security flaws in their software.
Again when a new threat emerges (virus, worm or malware), they immediately work on a patch to close up that security hole. Look out for updates and get your technicians to update your operating system constantly to prevent attacks in the future.
5. Test security patches before you install
Most updates could cause problems for your entire network, don’t forget to test new updates before you roll them on your entire computer system. Security updates or even enhanced versions could may fix old system vulnerabilities but create other problems that cause your system to fail. The best thing to do it to run a test on a your test servers.
6. Automatic updates are extremely vital
Some small businesses still run manual backups. What’s even worse is that, a single employee handles backups on daily or weekly basis and without them business data may not be backed up.
Put your business data backups on a set, automated schedule and you will significantly reduce the chance of a simple human error putting your whole business at risk.
7. If you have not, start encrypting sensitive business data in use.
Encryption has proven to be the most reliable means of protection for financial, legal, health or any other sensitive customer data Encrypted data is unreadable, and will pose no threat should it fall into the wrong hands in case of a data breach, virus threat or hacker intrusion. Use encryption application that could automatically encrypt your business data at all times.
8. And finally don’t store your backups just on site.
Most small businesses and even some government agencies are still losing massive amounts of data because of wrong ways of backing up. That’s why it’s so dangerous to have a single backup of your business data on site.
There are now countless business that focus entirely on helping new businesses backup offsite. Do your thorough research and register with a reliable back up company that handles just enterprise backups.
Poor security in computer systems can be very harmful for any business, do your homework and protect your data today.
Comments are closed.