Corporate Security for Your Home Business

The words Corporate Security may conjure up images of a group of techies working in a wire-filled basement room of Microsoft or HP, combating hackers and terrorists online using words like algorithm and encryption. If you own your own business, do not allow yourself to think that security is only for big corporations. Every company, big or small, technological or traditional, has two major security concerns: protecting information, and protecting hardware.

Corporate Security: Information

Information is the commodity that makes companies unique. That information could be a process your company does better than others; or it could be how to make the unique product you sell; or it could be a collection of information that you have that others want access to. In any case, protecting the information that makes your company viable could mean financial life or death for your venture. There are three simple corporate security solutions you can implement to decrease the likelihood that your information will be leaked or lost.

Make back ups often. If you are like 90% of computer users out there who use Windows, pressing [ctrl] + S is a habit well worth forming. Besides information, time is one of your most valuable resources, so you can't afford to lose hours of work every time the system crashes. Save your work as often as you stop typing. Making additional copies of master files in other places beside your hard drive will mean you won't lose everything if your hard drive becomes corrupted. Keep these discs in a safe place where you can easily access them if you need to.

Keep secret passwords secret. This may seem like a no-brainer, but too often we think of passwords as annoyances slowing us down. Systems are password-protected to ensure that only those persons who should be allowed access are granted access. If you are working out of a home office and have little face-to-face interaction with clients or customers, you may be tempted to leave your system unlocked or pin a list of your user names and passwords near the computer. Remember that children are both curious and smart, and in only a few clicks of the mouse they can accidentally erase important files. Do yourself the favor of memorizing your passwords and changing them on occasion.

Maintain an up-to-date computer system. Computers that run slower also have the terrible tendency of getting overloaded and shutting down. The internet is one of the biggest culprits of bogging down your processing speed, but running several programs at the same time will also do it. Keeping your processor and memory up-to-date will help ensure that you are able to perform all the tasks that are required of you without having to spend a lot of time waiting for your computer to catch up.

Corporate Security: Hardware

Chances are good that IBM's annual technology budget is quite a bit larger than your home business's budget. Between putting food on the table and covering the operating costs of your business, purchasing new equipment might seem like a luxury you'll never have. Protecting your computer system from viruses, spy ware, and malicious software is one of the most cost-effective ways to ensure your computer will last as long as you need it to.

Know what is on your computer. Viruses can come through email, discs, or the internet, and are typically well-hidden on your hard drive. Perform systematic checks of the temporary internet files, cookies folder, and the rest of your hard drive to ensure that you have not accidentally picked up a virus. Software can be purchased that filters spam and helps you manage the internet files and cookies that are downloaded automatically on your computer. A proactive approach in combating viruses and spy ware is usually the most effective way to make sure your hardware stays protected.

Though corporate security solutions may seem like a luxury your home business can not afford, protecting information and hardware are priorities that all companies should have. Following these simple, inexpensive solutions to common security concerns your company may have will go a long way in helping you succeed.

Nick Smith is a client account specialist with 10x Marketing ? More Visitors. More Buyers. More Revenue. For more information about cost-effective corporate security solutions, visit ContentWatch.com.

---

Is Your Music Player Spying On You?

In today's times spyware is a very serious issue and... Read More

Three-pronged Trojan Attack Threatens Security on the Internet

Glieder (Win32.Glieder.AK), Fantibag (Win32.Fantibag.A) and Mitglieder (Win32.Mitglieder.CT) are not names... Read More

Money Mule Email Scam Hits U.S.

Imagine this ? you open up your email box and... Read More

With the Rise of Internet Crimes, Users are Turning to High-Tech ?PI?s? for Solutions

High-tech private investigators are becoming the answer for many Internet... Read More

Phishing

Recently I have received email from my bank/credit Card Company,... Read More

Top Five Online Scams

The top five online scams on the Internet hit nearly... Read More

Can I Guess Your Password?

We all know that it's dangerous to use the same... Read More

An Open Letter From a So-called Stupid

Someone recently told me, "You would have to be a... Read More

Data Security; Are Your Company Assets Really Secure?

Is your data secure? Think again. Securing data is unlike... Read More

5 Simple Steps to Protect your Digital Downloads

A couple of days ago, I was searching for a... Read More

Top 10 tips for Safe Internet Shopping

Over £5 billion pounds was spent on online shopping in... Read More

How To Clean the Spies In Your Computer?

Manual Spy Bot Removal > BookedSpaceBookedSpace is an Internet Explorer... Read More

Reclaim Your PC from the Internet Spies

Viruses are, however, not the only malicious software programs out... Read More

Online Cell Phone Scams and Spam

They're out there. Individuals trying to make a quick buck... Read More

SPYWARE - Whos Watching Who?

I am in the midst of Oscar Wilde's The Picture... Read More

Social Engineering - The Real E-Terrorism?

One evening, during the graveyard shift, an AOL technical support... Read More

Reporting Internet Scams

When it comes to reporting Internet scams most of us... Read More

Desktop Security Software Risks - Part 1

This is the second in a series of articles highlighting... Read More

Be Aware of Phishing Scams!

If you use emails actively in your communication, you must... Read More

Cybercriminals Trick: Targeted Trojan-Containing Emails

Threats we ordinary Web users face online leave us no... Read More

How to Get Rid of New Sobig.F Virus?

As you know, this time the virus under the name... Read More

Is Shopping Online For Your Horse Gifts Safe?

Shopping for horse gifts or other gift items on the... Read More

If You Steal It, They May Come!

Business on the internet is getting down right shameless. This... Read More

Traditional Antivirus Programs Useless Against New Unidentified Viruses!

Every now and then you can read about a new... Read More

Dont Allow Hackers to Take Out Money from Your Bank Account

If you know what is the 'Fishing' then it's very... Read More

Road Warrior At Risk: The Dangers Of Ad-Hoc Wireless Networking

Airport Menace: The Wireless Peeping Tom As a network... Read More

Phishing: A Scary Way of Life

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified "phishing" as the... Read More

Viruses and Worms: The Problems and Their Solutions

History and BackgroundThe virus was one of the first ever... Read More

Sarbanes-Oxley: A Cross-Industry Email Compliance Challenge

Is your enterprise following the rules?The bulk of financial information... Read More

Preventing Online Identity Theft

Identity theft is one of the most common criminal acts... Read More

Spyware, This Time Its Personal!

First the basic definition of Spyware: It is a type... Read More

The 5 Critical Steps to Protecting Your Computer on the Internet

Spyware, viruses and worms... oh my!If you are connected to... Read More

Identity Theft -- 10 Simple Ways to Protect Your Good Name!

Identity Theft is one of the most serious problems facing... Read More