August 13, 2009 - IT security in a recession

IT security should be top of the agenda for any business looking to make it through this recession with their integrity and reputation intact.

If it is not seriously addressed, if you are hacked or suffer a data loss or breach, then aside from the potential loss of revenue, the reputation you will have worked hard to build up in your industry will fall like a house of cards - and for some businesses, reputation is all they have at the moment.

Every business exposes itself to fraud in some way. With the growth of online applications, cloud computing and mobile working it is inevitable that some risk will be involved, however this level of risk is not hard to manage and many high profile IT fraud cases could have been avoided by using simple solutions that keep security measures updated.

Most security breaches ultimately come down to human error. In the downturn, stress levels are higher and issues like IT security can often go to the back of the mind when the focus is on bringing in revenue and keeping your job. But there is no secret to good IT security.

On a corporate level, managers need to ask whether every employee needs access to all information, for example, does that trainee need to be able to view financial records? Access restrictions, via password protection, smart cards and biometric systems are simple and effective ways of regulating who gets access to what and monitoring internal security.

Encryption is a more sophisticated way of ensuring confidential files remain that way, and there are several good products on the market, such as BeCrypt, that will protect your data from prying eyes.

Other products such as a good anti-virus, anti-spam and spyware software can also provide the first line of defence against those looking to profit from your data. Firewalls are another good barrier method that help protect computers and networks from attack and subsequent intrusion by restricting the network traffic that can pass through them, based on a set of defined rules.

Finally, IT security extends beyond the lifespan of your hardware. Should your company be looking to upgrade systems or computers, you should always consider the data that still might be locked inside. There have been several cases of people buying second hand laptops or mobile devices online, only to find a wealth of data, including bank details, still saved. This problem can be solved with powerful, regulated data-destroying products.

All of these simple solutions can make the difference for a company looking to maintain and improve upon client relationships. Trust is key in the current environment and by making sure you are seen to be taking care of security at your end, you will be adding value to their offering too.