Train Your Users on IT Security

Technology offers businesses increased productivity, mobility, and ROI at a smaller expense. But as useful as modern devices and innovations such as smartphones and cloud computing can be for small companies, they also present security concerns that shouldn't be ignored or overlooked. Here are some safety tips to protect you from failure in the high-tech realm:

For one, you should design safe systems. Reduce exposure and vulnerability to thieves and hackers by eliminating all unnecessary access to software and hardware, and also restricting the privileges of individual users and systems only to needed programs and equipment. Use a unique set of logins, e-mail addresses, domain names, and servers for each user in order to minimize the potential scope of damage your company's networks. Do this with each work group or department too.

Tighten your IT Security

One security method that is often overlooked is the need to provide basic training for your IT system. Numerous security breaches occur as the result of carelessness or human error. You can help with the building of a corporate culture that emphasizes IT security through training programs that emphasize the risks of sloppy practices and the careless use of devices, networks, and programs. You should get to a point where all security measures become second-nature to members of your company.

Cloud computing brings a lot of benefits and is certainly increasing in its use in the business world. On of the main IT security benefits of Cloud computing is that often times it is more secure than storing the data on your own personal device.

Even at a basic level, virus scanners are a major help and necessity. It pays to install virus scanning software, whether on your home computer or an office network. Such applications are now offered for free by many network providers. And don't forget your employees mobile devices - they are just important as a laptop/desktop when it comes to security as Bitdefender recently wrote about - 'BYOD Trends & Mobile Devices' . It is also imperative to keep software of all types up-to-date, including the scheduling of regular downloads of security updates so you can have a guard against new viruses and the variations of old, past threats.