Small businesses have been warned they should be aware of IT ‘urban myths’ if they want to keep their computer networks safe.
Software security company Symantec has put together a list of common misconceptions which could be putting companies at risk of IT threats.
“New attacks appear on an almost daily basis and IT managers are in a constant battle to keep their security software up-to-date and applications patched,” a spokesperson for Symantec said.
“IT departments face an immense challenge in distinguishing between the genuine threats and the hype.”
An increasing number of attacks come from within the firm, according to Symantec, in which case firewalls will not protect a company from threats.
Symantec says disgruntled employees, unauthorised users or even just lack of awareness can account for a large proportion of attacks from inside firewalls.
The company has also warned that contrary to a widely held belief, email is not the only way for viruses to be spread.
They can now be circulated via instant messaging software, websites, disks and other removable media, or even directly over the internet.
Symantec also noted that while wireless networks may have been more vulnerable when they were first introduced, protection and encryption has evolved to make a properly configured network as secure as a traditional wired one.
© Crimson Business Ltd. 2006
