Tools and techniques for increasing the security of your IT Systems

There are an increasing number of security threats to the IT and e commerce systems of Businesses. However, there are a number of different solutions available.

As a business owner, it is important to put appropriate measures and systems in place to ensure that the security of your IT systems is secure and up to date.

The following guide will provide you with some basic advice to ensure that your IT systems remain secure through a combination of technologies, procedures and user awareness.

• Install a properly configured firewall for your internet connection.
• Ensure that you have virus, spyware and email attachment scanners installed.
• Make sure that any IT systems are updated on a regular basis with the required packs, patches and fixes to stop the latest known intrusion methods.

In order for you to minimise the risks of viruses to your IT Systems, you should:

• Install anti-virus software on all desktops, laptops and servers and update it on a regular basis.
• Treat any email attachments from unknown senders with caution, as they are a common means of spreading viruses.
• Consider restricting the use of USB flash drives but include security measures if they need to be used within your business.
• Consider subscribing to a hosted email spam and virus scanning service.

If your business uses wireless technology such as WiFi and Bluetooth, it is important to protect files and information with appropriate security. For example:

• Wireless equipment often has security settings turned off by default or default settings that may not be meet your requirements. Always ensure that such settings and configuration files are checked and changed where appropriate.
• If you are handling sensitive information across a mobile connection, consider using a virtual private network (VPN) to allow for privacy.

If you require further information about IT security, please feel free to contact us for further advice.