Eliminating security gaps: how well prepared are we?

The news is full of stories of computer hackers gaining access to private records. One of the most noticeable things that these stories are saying is that it can happen to anyone. Governments, big businesses and small businesses have all been impacted by hackers attacking their computer systems. Hundreds of millions of private records have been taken. It is easy to argue about the impact of the problems when these security breaches occur and no one will ever know for sure how safe a person’s information is on the internet, but that does not mean that this issue should be ignored.

Individuals expect that when they provide private information to a business, that it will be safe and secure. They hope that when they use their credit card at a business, that the charges made will be accurate. The individual will do what they can to make sure they are keeping their information safe, but in the end they have to rely on the security of the businesses that collect this information to do their job as well. A smart business will divide the problem into two areas. They will work to prevent any breaches from occurring and they will work to correct any problems that occur as the result of a security issue.

Preventing Security Breaches

The best way to avoid any issues with a hacker getting private information from a business is to prevent it from happening. Businesses have several tools that they can turn to help them in this process.

Have Virus Protection

No computer system should be operating without some type of computer virus protection. A virus can damage the computers that it infects, but it can also be used to access private information. Businesses should get a virus protection that is designed for business and should make sure it is always working and updated.

Train Employees

One of the easiest ways that hackers gain access to a business’s computers is through an employee that makes a mistake. They may give out their password accidently or they may take shortcuts that put their computer at risk. If one computer in a business is at risk, all of the other computers in the network are also at risk. Teaching employees the basics of computer security is a smart thing to do.

Know your equipment and people

A smart business will have a listing of all of the equipment that has access to their network and all of the people that have access to it. They will monitor this list to make sure that only the people and equipment that is allowed is accessing the system.

Test Your Systems

A business that says they have the best security in place and they don’t need to test it is the business that is the most vulnerable. The hackers are always working to breach even the most secure systems. By testing and auditing the systems in place and making sure they are all being followed, a business will be less vulnerable.

Correcting problems

For some businesses, despite their best efforts, a breach will occur. In this case the reaction that a company has will go a long way in determining how much damage the breach actually causes. Putting some things in place can help mitigate the problems of breaches.

Detect any problems

A good system that is in place to prevent any breaches will also be able to detect when it happens. The earlier a breach is caught, the easier it is to stop and the less damage will be done.

Determine the extent of the damage

A company needs to figure out how much damage has resulted from a breach. Regular audits of the system is one way to understand what an attack has done.

Fix the breach

Once a system has been attacked, the chances of it happening again will go up. It is important to look at why a security breach occurred, how it happened and what systems were not working to prevent the breach. Steps to correct any problems with the security of the business have to be remedied immediately.

Most businesses understand the importance of security. It is why businesses used to put safes in their locations. They wanted to keep valuable things in a place that was not easy to get to. The use of computers and technology has changed the types of things that a business has to protect, but the idea is still the same. All of the information that is essential and private for a business needs to be locked away in a manner that keeps it safe from anyone that should not have it. A successful business will realize this and add the steps to their security that they need.