IT Advice For Businesses
Computer security can be defined as the deliberate art to protect all computing systems and software as well as the data and information stored therein against damage, theft or interference. Although most people assume that it is the responsibility of the IT department to maintain and enhance computer security, computer security is the responsibility of everyone.
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What hackers can obtain and importance of cyber security
Every business has its own set of confidential information that needs to be protected. The nature of the information is organisation specific. If this information were to be accessed by unauthorised personnel, the business may lose its trade secrets and therefore money, business may physically lose money from their bank accounts, client information may be exposed to competitors leading to loss of clients, and employees could be blackmailed with the information obtained. This will not only have devastating effects on the business but also on the lives of employees and clients.
Identity theft is also common when confidential information is revealed to the wrong. Your identity may be used in compromising situations such as committing fraud and other types of crimes. This will affect your integrity in the society and may lead to loss of credibility. Your credit score may be affected limiting your opportunities to access capital or loans in future. This can be avoided with good computer security practices.
Protecting client information
In some professions such as law and medicine, the information obtained from the client is confidential and exposing such information may lead to legal trouble. Therefore, lawyers and practitioners in the medical field need to ensure that information is protected from hackers and phishers. In other professions, although it may not be stipulated by law, you still owe your clients a duty of care but the illegality of such actions will depend on the specific contract with clients as well as the consequences of the loss of data.
Preventing Hacking and Protecting client information
Passwords
The first step is to ensure that all your passwords are complex and very hard to compromise. This can be done through mixing letters, numbers and symbols. Avoid using the same password for all your accounts as this means that anyone who knows one of your passwords can easily get access to all your other accounts. You should not share your passwords with anyone and whenever you suspect that your password has been compromised, promptly change it. To prevent access to your accounts, ensure that you log out every time especially when using public computers.
Avoid suspicious links
Sometimes, hackers may lure your attention through emails and other sites. As such, you are required to avoid following links that you may not be sure about. Always inspect links before you open them to ensure that they are legitimate. Avoid links sent to you by suspicious individuals or email accounts that have been flagged.
Anti-Virus
This protects your computer against software that is malicious. It is therefore important to invest in a high quality software and ensure that it is updated as soon as possible. The complexity of the features required for the anti-virus are dependent on the complexity of your activities. Large systems require more complex anti-virus since they may have more loopholes.
There are international practices that IT professionals and other employees are required to comply with. Complying with them is essential not only for maintaining cyber security but also in enhancing your organisation's credibility.