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An overriding philosophy in today's technology-driven
office environment is the notion that we can work where we
want and when we want. For some of us, being wired 24/7 is
either a convenience or a luxury. For others, it is a necessity
and an expectation. Under both scenarios, however, the more
technically sophisticated we become, the more we open ourselves
up to exposure and threats. It's no surprise then that network
security has become a top priority for businesses of all sizes.
Many of us think that large companies with complex networks
and high speed Internet access are the most vulnerable to
security breaches.
Not so. Although large companies face challenges on a larger
scale, they frequently have the financial resources and know-how
to implement security procedures and plug security gaps. Many
of them have Information Technology (IT) specialists and network
administrators on staff to guide them through the rough times
when trouble surfaces.
It is actually the small businesses that have the greater
risk. Why? Because the owners, managers and employees in a
small business wear multiple hats, execute multiple tasks
and have multiple priorities. The small business team is frequently
busy putting out fires that are unrelated to their technical
woes. They simply do not have either the time or the knowledge
to design an appropriate security strategy, much less pick
the products and resources to implement the measures. They
know they should, but the day-to-day pressures of the job
distract them from this important task.
However, it only takes one breach, theft or intrusion to
wake them up and unfortunately it can be costly, embarrassing
and time-consuming to recover from a security breakdown.
Take it from me, it happens to everyone. I was recently working
from home and had not updated my anti-virus software in two
weeks. I inadvertently opened a "Greeting Card"
from a known sender only to launch a virus.
Fortunately, this turned out to be only annoying, not destructive.
However, it copied my entire address book and sent the "Greeting
Card" to everyone on the list. I found myself in the
unusual position of explaining to clients that I — the
owner of a computer company — had accidentally sent them
a virus. Needless to say, this was a humbling experience.
...discovered an employee
who was working behind closed doors to download pornography
and share it with selected co-workers...
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Network security issues can obviously be much more problematic
and damaging than my misfortune. Consider the company that
discovered an employee who was working behind closed doors
to download pornography and share it with selected co-workers.
The high-speed cable modem made access to these Web sites
easy and fast.
Another example of a security breach involves a disgruntled
employee who thought it would be interesting to look in her
manager's electronic personnel files. How did she get in?
It was simple. The manager left his password on a sticky note
on the side of his monitor.
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...trusted employees allegedly
copied all of the client files and started a competing
business...
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Furthermore this manager did not password protect his Word
documents and therefore the data was open. Unfortunately this
employee was very interested in his co-workers' salaries and
chose to share the information with others in the company.
Recently, I learned of a professional services organization
that is in the middle of litigation because trusted employees
allegedly copied all of the client files and started a competing
business.
These examples are real, local and painful. Hopefully, they
illustrate the importance of implementing protective security
procedures and policies. Whatever the size of the company
or the nature of the breach, at the most basic levels your
entire technical setup needs oversight and protection to guard
against real theft and virus intrusions. Each company has
its own unique risk level and each company should develop
security measures to meet its own specific needs. If you begin
to understand where you're at risk, you can begin to evaluate
the steps you must take and the products you need to protect
your assets. In my next column, I will discuss cures in the
form of hardware, software and physical solutions that may
apply to your business.
Carol Conway is the owner of CRS Technology. She may be contacted
at carol@crsonline.net.
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