When it comes to security issues, small businesses are often seen as the easier target, because their security systems don’t compare to larger corporations. The vast majority of small businesses do not even have the most common forms of measures to stay secure such as antivirus, automated antivirus checks, network password protection, firewalls, and user authentication.
The following are some of the security threats small businesses face…
Viruses and Worms
Viruses and worms can have a devastating effect on business continuity and profitability. The virus infection can spread to the entire office infrastructure in seconds, if left undetected. In addition, as businesses struggle to update their computers with the latest operating system patches and antivirus application, new viruses can penetrate their defenses at any time.
Data Theft
Information theft is lucrative and hence, hackers break into business networks to steal data such as credit card numbers and other information for profit. Data theft can be costly to SMBs because they usually rely on satisfied customers and a good reputation to help grow their business. Any effective security strategy must prevent theft of sensitive electronic information from both inside and outside the business.
Business Availability
Computer worms and viruses are not the only threat to business availability. Attacks such as Denial-of-Service (DoS) can shut down websites and e-commerce operations. DoS attacks send large volumes of traffic to a critical network element, thus causing it to fail to process legitimate traffic. In addition, if these attacks become public, a company’s credibility can be damaged.
The Unknown
With every advance in computing and communications comes new ways to exploit that technology for gain or mischief. New hardware or software releases present such opportunities. In addition, mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are frequent targets of viruses.
Having said all that, the right security and management solutions tailored for SMBs such as System Center 2012, Windows Defender or Microsoft Security Essentials can help ensure business continuity, maintain customer privacy, and reduce operating costs. With such solutions in place, companies can confidently spend more time growing their business, and less time focusing on network security issues.
DOWNLOAD NOW: Guard your business against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software
If you use Windows 8 and Windows RT, Microsoft has already bundled a security solution with your operating system, called Windows Defender. Windows Defender provides high level of protection against malware and other malicious attacks. However, if you’re looking to protect a PC with an older version of Windows, you can use Microsoft Security Essentials to help guard against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. Download Microsoft Security Essentials by clicking here.