View the entire newsletter: 2015 - NJAC County Biz - February
submitted by Millennium Communications Group, Inc.
Over the past year and even in recent months there has been much talk in the news about high profile companies being hacked and information being leaked. Most companies do not know how vulnerable they actual are. Some leading industry experts say every company is vulnerable to hack attacks and, even more disconcerting, most do not even know when they have been hacked. The recent attack on Sony really highlighted this issue for most American businesses; many evaluated their own situation professionally and personally.
There are many steps companies can take to protect themselves against cyber-attacks. Some simple tips include; never open links in emails, never open attachments, do not give out personal information, change passwords often, and have a password for your Wi-Fi. A Verizon study done in 2011 of data breaches showed more than 80 percent of victims were “targets of opportunity”, meaning they did not protect their Wi-Fi with passwords and had little to no security.
Keeping the above-mentioned tips in mind, there are also a few more involved security options your company should look into. First things first, encrypt your data. It is important to note that data is only encrypted when the computer is logged out. Hackers can still get in if the system is running so it is imperative to make sure you have a timed log out, if possible. Next secure your hardware. Many determined burglars are not scared off by alarms, but by locking your equipment into secure, card-access only doors will make it more difficult for burglars. Lock your network. Many hackers can scan for unlocked or poorly protected networks and once they find one it does not take longer for them to be inside your company’s network. Make sure to have anti-malware and anti-virus programs installed.
One final step your company could take is to enlist an outside expert to set up and even manage your security efforts. An IT solutions company will come in and engineer a network, data center, or security system depending on your specific needs. They will be able to assess your situation and determine what steps to take in order to protect your company physically and virtually. An IT solutions company will even be able to streamline your current network and set up backup/disaster recovery strategies. Other advantages include remote network monitoring, onsite and remote engineering, hardware replacement, technology consulting, site surveys, unified communications, incidents response and evidence collection. An IT solutions company will lessen your chance of a security breach.
Millennium Communication Groups Inc., an IT solutions company, has advance information technology and homeland security solutions to help your company or community safeguard itself against threats. We are able to come in, assess your current information systems, make suggestions as to what you may need, and help you structure a plan to implement a new security system. We are also able to manage and support your network remotely. Find out more at: http://www.millenniuminc.com/it/index.html