10
Steps to Help Keep Your
Business Secure
Your
employees can quickly
get the latest updates
for their computer's
operating system,
software, and hardware
on the
Windows Update site.
Windows Update scans the
computer and provides a
selection of appropriate
updates.
Virus
protection is a
two-stage process.
First, you need to
educate your users, and
then strengthen your
network's security
defenses. Review this
checklist to see if your
employees and systems
are covered.
1.
Educate employees.
This is
the key to virus
protection: Implement a
plan to update employees
and managers on computer
viruses and company
policies.
2.
Arm yourself with virus
protection.
Virus
protection software,
like McAfee VirusScan
and Norton Antivirus,
should be updated on a
regular basis across
your entire network. To
do this, either check
with the provider for
updates or ensure you
have purchased
anti-virus software that
can automatically update
daily.
3.
Avoid download dangers.
Employees may download
software
applications—such as
programs to block pop-up
advertising—but they
inadvertently may be
installing spyware or
hidden viruses. Have
employees contact IT or
network security when
they want to download
and install any program
onto their computers.
4.
Watch the Web.
Viruses
can come from Web sites
and e-mail messages.
Make sure the e-mail
program you install
across your network has
security features that
can support your virus
protection program.
Microsoft Outlook 2003,
for example, has an
approach to virus
protection that includes
multiple level security
and filter settings as
well as content control
features.
Get
more information about
Outlook 2003 security
enhancements.
5.
Beware of file sharing.
It is
inevitable that your
employees will exchange
files--but even if your
desktops are using
advanced security
technologies, desktops
outside the organization
may not be. Your
employees should know to
never open unexpected
attachments, and every
e-mail message should go
through a virus
protection screening
process. If you install
an anti-virus
application, this will
be automatic when you
send a message.
6.
Update virus protection
programs.
Updating virus
protection software is
essential to keeping
your network's security
strong, but so is your
operating system. Virus
writers look for
loopholes in operating
systems to compromise
your security. By making
sure you have the latest
virus definitions and
the most current
operating system
patches, you can help
protect your system from
new virus threats. Your
employees can quickly
get the latest updates
for their computer's
operating system,
software, and hardware
on the
Microsoft Windows Update
site. In addition,
whoever holds the
responsibility for
update management (for
example, your IT staff)
should help set up
schedules to make sure
both their team and your
employees routinely
check for updates.
7.
Know backup basics.
Even if
information is lost to a
virus, you can still
recover it if your
employees have a strong
backup system in place.
It is important to back
up files as well as
programs that may have
been customized. How
often you need to back
up depends on the kind
of data you collect and
the speed to which you
need to be back in
business if any data is
compromised. Make sure
each employee has a
backup calendar and
routine, and follows it.
8.
Set up firewalls to help
protect your data.
Set up
firewalls, like
Microsoft ISA Server,
wherever your network or
employee computers
connect beyond your
business's walls. That
includes not only the
Internet, but also local
area networks (LAN) at a
customer's site, and
wide area networks (WAN)
your users may be
accessing on a regular
basis.
Find
out why
you should use a
computer firewall.
9.
Get rid of spyware.
Spyware
is covert marketing
software that tracks or
records a person's
activity on the Internet
without their knowledge.
The user is unaware if
spyware installs itself
when another software
program is downloaded
and installed. Finding
and deleting spyware can
be extremely difficult.
To remove it, you need
spyware removal
software.
Learn
about
spyware and deceptive
software and find
resources for spyware-fighting
software.
10.
Encrypt data.
Encrypted information
cannot be seen by anyone
other than the person
for whom it was
intended. Companies
should try to encrypt
all sensitive data, like
e-mail messages,
financial spreadsheets,
and private documents.
By
encrypting your e-mail
messages and sensitive
documents, you add an
extra level of security
to help protect your
data when intruders
intercept a message or
hit your business
network.
This
checklist reflects what
you can do today. But
with the recent
announcement of Exchange
Edge Services, soon you
will have additional
resources to help stop
attacks before they can
affect your business. To
learn more, read about
this
next-generation security
technology for Microsoft
Exchange Server. |
