SMBs - Seeking Security in an Insecure World

Businesses use computers for everything from banking and investing to marketing and for communications with customers and suppliers. Although you may not consider your communications "top secret," you probably do not want strangers reading your email, using your computer to attack other systems, sending bogus emails from your computer, or examining confidential and proprietary information stored on your computer (such as financial statements and customer records).

A network security incident violates an explicit or implicit security policy. Consequences of security breaches to businesses may cripple the business operations and lead to:

Loss of productivity.
Attacks such as “Denial-of service” (DoS) cause the network to crash or to become so busy processing data that you are unable to use it.

Loss of Important Data and Revenue.
Intruders could also use programs to trick you into installing "back door" programs, allowing them easy access to your computer without your knowledge, change your system configurations, or infect your computer with a computer virus, corrupt your files, duplicate/steal precious data of suppliers and customers’ information stored in your system. An incident may cause serious business disruption and potential financial losses.

Loss of Business Reputation.
It is important to note that in addition to being the target of a DoS attack, it is possible for the computer to be used as a participant in a DoS attack on another company’s system. Intruders may not “steal” but may use the network as a launch pad for unauthorised activities. Such unauthorised breaches of network security may lead to consequences of loss of business confidence and a compromise on the business reputation.

Findings from a recent study on Internet security highlighted that businesses are exposed to an average of 39 attacks per day. These include malicious attempts to access a network. Such attacks could be blocked with a good network firewall like Pacnet NetworkGuard.