Small businesses face a harsh computing environment today.
Although computers offer fast information access and improved communication with customers and colleagues, they need to be managed correctly in order to avoid expensive mistakes. Viruses, data leak, Trojans, spyware, adware, spam and hack attacks are just some of the threats faced, and although protection exists to combat them, many smaller companies lack awareness about the extent of the problem, and as such have not taken sufficient remedial action.
These threats are growing because there has been a noticeable shift towards financially motivated computer crime – as more people want to make a quick buck, more criminals are trying their hand at creating and distributing threats. This danger cannot be underestimated, as many of the new threats can steal information, eat up resources to send spam, upload information, monitor computer usage – the list goes on. Unfortunately, smaller businesses are typically affected more than their larger counterparts, as they have less resources and expertise to dedicate to IT security. This is why it is so vital that smaller companies keep informed and up-to-date about the current threat landscape, as it evolves. They need to know the necessary level of protection required at any one time, in order to thwart the slew of malicious software.
But while many companies have recognised the risks, it’s vital that they still take the time to evaluate all the solutions. In 2005, Sophos research revealed that 57% of businesses with 25 or less employees won't actually spend any time evaluating security software, while 64% of SMEs fail to regularly update their protection – this could lead to companies deploying solutions that are full of holes, which cyber criminals can then take aim and exploit.
Without technical expertise, some enterprise-class products may prove too complicated for small business use, while bandwidth must also be considered – employees don’t want to be forced offline every time the software updates itself. This concern applies when considering multiple products – can the network cope with separate solutions for malware and spam protection, as well as a firewall? In addition, deploying multi-vendor solutions can cause integration issues, and make it harder to effectively manage each level of protection.
You can’t just throw money at an IT security problem and hope it’ll go away –small companies need to carefully consider which solution will provide them with the simplicity, integration and ease of management they require in order to comprehensively secure their networks.
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