Data Security And Loss Prevention
I covered basic IT concepts for small businesses previously, and one of my main points was that data and equipment should be kept secure. Here’s how you can do that as a small business owner:
Equipment - As a small business owner, you shouldn’t have much to keep watch over. But do make sure to keep all of it secure and protected from harm. Desktop computers and office equipment are not easily stolen or vandalized. Still, make sure you know how to operate everything, be sure to maintain it and use it properly, don’t tinker with anything that you don’t really know how to fix, and keep equipment away from environmental hazards such as liquids, heat, and physical impacts (those are all universally bad for digital equipment). Also, keep your business equipment away from people who shouldn’t be using it, including inexperienced users, strange people, and potential data thieves. Keep an office insurance policy so that everything can be replaced in case of a catastrophe.
To consider separately: laptops and PDAs. Portable computers are much more easily damaged, stolen, and misplaced. These devices should be treated very, very carefully, but you should still plan for contingencies. Insure your portable equipment against loss or theft, try to secure your data from unwanted access on these devices as much as possible, and use shock-protective casing (even if just a padded bag) whenever possible. Encryption products can be really helpful, as well as monitoring software that checks in with location-based data.
Data Storage - Backup, backup, backup! I’m not just repeating the word for impact - nowadays, data storage and data bandwidth is so cheap that you should keep at least three copies of your important data at all times. Your original copy is the only one that needs to be instantly accessible, so feel free to consider solutions that create complete backup copies on a daily or weekly basis (depending on how fast your data changes and how sensitive your most recent data is for your business). One backup copy can be kept on-premises, either on your network, a spare hard drive, or on a detachable device. Additionally, you should aim for a solution that keeps a second complete up-to-date backup in an external, secure location. The reason: should a drastic emergency event fall upon your office, like a theft, fire, or flood, you have recourse for retrieving your data. (Office insurance can replace damaged equipment, but it can’t bring back an obliterated data storage device.) Your backups can be uploaded over the Internet frequently, sending only the most recent changes following the last total data backup, to backup providers who keep your data secure - and backed up even further!
*Tip* - one thing you do not have to backup frequently is your software programs. You should have installation disks for software available in case of loss, and the programs themselves do not change. Most modern computers offer to store data in separate locations from your installed programs, and that is generally a very smart idea to follow.
Network Security and Malware - Nowadays, backup services and equipment insurance cover most of what you’d need for loss prevention strategies. That said, you don’t want your data to be stolen by vandals, and you do not want the nuisance of having your computer equipment hacked and exploited (or, less commonly nowadays, fried). Today’s computer hackers are very good at infiltrating computer networks for their own illicit business uses, and modern infective software tends to prefer throwing pop-up at viewers and stealing personal data rather than wiping out hard drives. However, these issues can still lead to data loss, and more often can cause you to waste time and equipment resources. The good news is that it’s not all that difficult to secure your network from intrusions, and many products exist to scan your PCs and remove malware and viruses. Use firewall software on PCs (it now comes with Windows PCs) and enable a firewall on your incoming Internet connection. Make sure each computer has an up-to-date virus scanner, pop-up blocker, and malware scanner. (These tools can be found for free on the Internet) Also, keep all of your software up-to-date with the latest patch programs, and check regularly for the release of software patches - program upgrades usually fix know security holes, reducing the accessibility of your computer to hackers. It also helps to avoid untrustworthy software and potentially malicious websites, because the chance that you’ll pickup an infective software program from a reliable source (such as a large corporation or a responsible vendor) is somewhat rare.
Backup Software:
Retrospect Home and Office Products from EMC
SyncToy
Instructions for using Microsoft Backup
Bacula
Virus Scanners:
AVG (also includes anti-spyware)
ClamWin
Malware Scanners (for Windows systems):
Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool
Ad-Aware
SpyBot
ewido