IT SECURITY BEST PRACTISE

Depending on the installation of the hardware and software that we have mentioned alone is not enough to ensure your network is secure. Best practices should be in place in order for your entire network system to be protected.

PEOPLE

Your members of staff can be either a help or hindrance when it comes to IT security. Firstly, evolve a policy for what people should and shouldn't do with information. Enforce this policy with education and sanctions - make sure all your staff know what will happen if they don't adhere to it. Secondly, minimise non work-related browsing for both security and productivity reasons.

PASSWORDS

Passwords that are nothing more than derivatives of your date of birth, initials, childrens names etc will not provide you with adequate security. It is vital that you ensure that your staff use strong authentication technology to prevent hackers from stealing passwords. A good password is one that contains a combination of letters, numbers and keyboard symbols; is at least seven characters long; does not contain your user name, real name, or company name; contains a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers and keyboard symbols; and is regularly updated.

DATA BACK UP

Data back up is not only vital for good business practice but also to ensure that any critical data is not lost or damaged in the event of a malicious cyber attack. Make a habit of it – create back up copies of every piece of important data and information to your business. It is also essential to keep any back-ups away from your business location - if your business is burgled you will lose everything if all your data is in one place regardless if you've backed it up.

SOFTWARE UPDATES

Software updates may seem irrelevant to IT security but without regular updates, your systems may not be sufficiently protected against new cyber threats when they emerge. Most software systems have the ability to be automatically updated, make sure this function is enabled on all of your networked PCs.