How safe is your business from a takedown?

After a few years of effort, your business has finally seen a major innovation. In fact, you’re expecting your new product to shake up the marketplace. It’s a wonderful thing to enjoy ample evidence of success flying in from all directions. But, you may also be at your most vulnerable. You may be at a point where a takedown would destroy everything overnight.

No, the takedown won’t come from jealous competitors. It will not come from new government legislation. It will not even come from the unpredictable economy. Instead, it will come from an unexpected place. It may come from a complete stranger hacking into your computer system. Or it may come from a robot that has found vulnerability in your computer system.

It’s essential to have the right network security measures in place. At the height of your success, your SMB could be vulnerable to an unknown threat from the internet.

The Benefits of Advanced Protection

Network security uses sophisticated software to protect your network and all your data. You want something that guarantees usability, reliability, integrity, and safety. You need the type of security that can stop a wide range of attacks. You want one that will stop malware from entering into your computer network, spreading like a plague, and wreaking havoc.

A Host of Enemies

On any given day, a wide number of common threats lurk on the internet. In fact, the cyber-threat landscape is quite alarming. Viruses, worms, or Trojan horses could infiltrate your computer network. Spyware or adware can enter your computer system when you surf the net. Your computer system could face a lethal attack. You could face a zero-hour attack, a hacker attack, or a denial of service attack. Sometimes, the threat might not harm your system, but steal data from it. We’re talking about data interception, data theft, and identity theft.

In Defense of Deploying Layers of Security

The brief list of threats is by no means exhaustive. The list is longer and growing in size. Cyber criminals are getting better at their evil task of stealing. They have no qualms about destroying vulnerable business websites. What this means is that there is no final solution to thwart the waves of assault. The best response developed is to deploy many layers of security.

Think of your website as a castle you need to protect from a horde of barbarians.

You need watchers in the turret. You need a standing army surrounding your castle. You need a moat with crocodiles. You need archers standing behind the Arrow loop, the vertical slit cut into the wall to fire arrows.

If the standing army fails, there is the moat. If the barbarians kill the crocodile and paddle across the moat, the archers rain arrows. You have many layers of defense. As soon as the barbarians breach one layer, another stands behind ready to fight.

A Series of Defenses

While multi-layered security is a good thing, it’s not enough either. You also need systems in place to make everything work well. A system is many parts working together in perfect harmony.

One part of the system is the hardware. The hardware must be capable of supporting resource-intensive security applications.

The other part of the system is the software. This software is not static; it’s robust. It must be updated on the latest malware and optimized to counter the new threats. Software that cannot keep up with the latest virus definitions is useless.

The software itself is not a single application. It’s a suite of applications. These consist of anti-virus, anti-spyware, a firewall, and intrusion prevention systems (IPS).

The anti-virus stops viruses. The anti-spyware prevents the accumulation of spyware and adware in your computer system. The firewall blocks any unauthorized users from entry. And, the IPS identifies emerging threats. Incidentally, the IPS is your best defense against zero-hour attacks.

It would be beneficial to have a Virtual Private Network (VPN). This offers your authorized users secure remote access.

Summary of Benefits

Installing advanced network security is a necessity. It’s the insurance policy you can’t afford not to buy.

It’s a mistake to think things will be fine and you don’t need to spend more money. Here is a quick breakdown of the benefits your business will experience with the right amount of protection:

• It will protect your system at all times. It’s not always convenient to backup your work every hour of the day.
• It will protect your company from business disruption.
• It will protect your employees from losing their productivity. They can work at a steady pace without interruption.
• It will help your business stay compliant with mandatory government regulations. These are in place to protect your client’s financial information.
• It will build customer trust in doing business with you. They feel secure buying your products because they know you’re protecting their data.
• It will protect your business from liability because of a third-party data theft.
• It will help you market your business better. You can use your high level of protection as a USP (unique selling proposition).

Feature image: tanakawho via Flickr