Thirty-six percent of the estimated $12.5 billion in ill-gotten gains by cybercriminals in 2012 can be attributed Russian-speaking hackers through various online criminal tactics according to an article over on ComputerWorld’s site.
How can you help protect your business from becoming a victim? The only 100% effective way is to not be connected to the internet, however that would make conducting business very difficult in this day and age.
Here’s a short list to help lower chances of becoming a victim:
- Keep desktop and notebook computer operating systems up to date
- Keep server operating systems up to date
- Update all software applications including Java, Adobe Flash Player, Adobe Reader, Microsoft Office
- Use modern operating systems (Windows 7 has proven less vulnerable than XP time and time again)
- Update your Macs (yes, they are becoming a bigger target)
- Utilize hardware firewalls at your network perimeter
- Lock down incoming ports, allow only what is absolutely necessary
- Use reliable and trusted anti-virus (we recommend Trend Micro Worry-Free)
- Add a mail scrubbing gateway appliance or Trend Micro product on Exchange mail server
- Consider locking down particular websites (Again, Trend Micro WFBS can do this)
- Use strong passwords
- Use HTTPS, SSL and encryption whenever possible
- Physically secure your computers
- Secure your wireless network
- Use VPNs between sites
- Get computers under control of your domain controller, including smartphones for email (remote wipe)
- Implement a backup solution, whether hardware (tape, RDX, SAN) or cloud / remote (Servosity, MozyPro)
- Train your staff to not open suspicious emails, visit sketchy websites, and to report oddities immediately
- Hire an outside resource to occasionally look over your security plans. Two sets of eyes are better than one!
Obviously, there is a LOT more to keeping your network secure, but that’s a great start, and one that over half of the businesses have not even considered!
If you would like to discuss the current state of security of your network in the Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Clemson, Simpsonville, Upstate area, please give us a call at 864.990.4748 or use our CONTACT form.
We work with the biggest names in IT Security! From Cisco to WatchGuard.