Online Check Listalexsl/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Use the checklist below to see where your company is doing well. Then, determine which steps you want to take next.
1. Close your doors to malware
- Install and use security with protection from multiple threats (viruses, web threats, spyware, bots, etc.)
- Select a solution that can view and manage remote and local computers and servers
- Know what’s protected by choosing a solution with a single console for remote users, internal computers, file and mail servers
- Comfort mobile users by selecting location aware solutions
- Clean up email with anti-spam
2. Write your policy
- Put your policy in writing (It is that important!)
- Educate employees about the company’s policies
- Enforce the consequences of not following policies
- Define what employees can and cannot do on company networks
- Educate about email best practices to avoid phishing and spam
- Encrypt email if you need to protect the content
- Assign a lead contact for IT security
3. Tackle social media
- Educate employees about the company social media guidelines
- Define what’s confidential or fair game
- Be social, but be smart and tie your efforts back to business objectives
4. Begin with passwords
- Require strong passwords for clients and employees
- Have password expiration dates
- Encourage memorization of passwords
- Combine letters, numbers, and symbols to secure data
5. Get critical about Internet security
- Location is important, so make it easy to protect remote employees with location-aware solutions
- Automate protection to block out risky web links and unproductive websites
6. Get help from employees
- Comply with regulations, promote good security practices
- Explain why employees are important to security
- Implement security policies
- Stress what is confidential
7. Make reseller/consultant work
- Ask for more than order filling; find a business partner who can be a trusted advisor
- Outsource security management to your reseller/consultant, and take back valuable time and energy for your business
8. Lead by example
- One person is key, so check your actions against the policy
- Find a trusted resource for security information and use it once per week
9. Be current
- Free your computer by choosing a solution that offers hosted data center processing
- Don’t rely on old antivirus; get multiple detection processes
- Automate OS updates
- Require and check patch compliance
10. Choose a security partner
- Select a security-focused vendor
- Check vendor’s record by choosing an established company with enterprise and small business expertise