This post is part of an ongoing series about how small business owners can prevent scams and fraud in the workplace. According to Wikipedia, “’Malware’ is an umbrella term used to refer to a variety of forms of hostile or intrusive software, including computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, ransomware, spyware, adware, scareware, and other malicious programs. It can take the form of executable code, scripts, active content, and other software.” Malware, in various forms, has been around for a long, long time. Once one variant is defeated another one is created. Criminal elements use malware to steal information, ransom money from victims, and generally create chaos. Dealing with malware requires awareness, vigilance, and proper protection.

Many ways to get to your computer

Malware can make its way onto your company’s machines from the Internet, including downloads, email attachments, clicked links in social media posts, and more. One particularly nasty piece of malware to be aware of is keylogging. Keylogging is malware that tracks a user’s keyboard strokes. This creates a window for criminals to see your passwords, credit card numbers, and anything else a user types in. The good news is that keeping your company’s security software up to date will make it more difficult for this type of malicious code from infecting your network.

Beware of spyware

Spyware and adware is usually found while browsing the Internet and when installed it will send pop-up ads, redirect to certain websites, and track the websites you visit. To add insult to injury, Spyware can cause your computer to run slow and may also leave you open to the theft of your privacy. To avoid being infected with spyware and adware, limit cookies on your browser preferences and only accept them from sites you trust, never click on links within pop-up windows, and be extremely wary of free offers of downloadable software from untrusted sources.

ALWAYS consider the source.

Make sure that if your employees are installing apps on their phones or devices they only download from reputable sources like the Google Play store or from Apple. Recently, over 20,000 retrofitted Android applications were found to be infected with bugs from one of three malware families called Shuanet, Kemoge, or “ShiftyBug,” and Shedun or “GhostPush.” These infected applications were downloaded from third-party sites. What makes these examples particularly bad, is their ability to access the root directory and install themselves as systems applications—making them virtually impossible for the end user to remove.

If you would like to find out more about our products and services, as well as recommendations for anti-virus and anti-malware protection, give us a call today!

Did you know? 71% of security breaches target small businesses.

In light of this, we will focus on the following aspects of data protection for small businesses:

• Passwords
• Software Updates
• Data Management
• Data Sharing
• Data Storage

Passwords

A strong password is the first line of defense for protecting company information. Passwords, when combined with usernames, are also used to identify users within a network or customers to your online company store for example. Passwords play such an important role in the security of our businesses that a lost or compromised password can really cause headaches for everyone concerned.

Here are a few tips you should consider for password protection:

• Use strong unique passwords for each system, website, and service that you use. Encourage your staff to do the same thing.
• Use a password management tool like LastPass to manage your password lists. (LastPass can also be used to generate random strong passwords.)
• Change your passwords every 30 to 90 days.
• Keep your passwords to yourself. Don’t write them down in obvious places or share them with others. If you are having trouble remembering your passwords, try picking the first letter of each word in your favorite song. For instance: IGBWALHFMF is “I get by with a little help from my friends”
• Protect your networks and other devices (laptops, smartphones and other data endpoints) with strong passwords too.

Software Updates

You may be asking yourself: Why are software updates so important? Updates are really important for several reasons such as solving problems with software (aka bugs), solving security issues (aka backdoors), or keeping your system current on its antivirus software (specifically virus definitions).

Here are a few tips to consider to keep your business software up to date:

• Automate the update process whenever possible.
• Stay current on software releases and be sure to register the software your company uses.
• Use a cloud-based backup provider to keep multiple versions of files backed up in case you need to roll back to a specific point in time.

Data Management

It is important to know what data you have and where it is kept. Here are a few tips with organization in mind:

• Devote some time towards understanding and organizing the data you have.
• Organize company information with security in mind.
• Make sure to coach your staff to use folder or file naming conventions and abbreviations consistently.

Data Sharing

Data sharing has become ubiquitous in the modern business environment thanks to services like Google Drive, Box, and Dropbox. It is vital that business owners and managers know what data is being shared, where, and with whom. Also, the most important thing to remember about data sharing is that it is not equivalent to data backup. Shared files can be overwritten by collaborators and therefore, cannot be relied upon in the event you need to recover data following a service interruption or natural disaster.

Data Storage

Endpoint devices and hardware used to store business data can fail or be stolen. However, with the rising popularity of cloud-based backup and storage, companies have more options than ever before for storing data. These options are typically more cost-effective and efficient than traditional methods. No matter what method of data storage you use, be sure to employ the strongest end-to-end encryption possible.

Data Backups

Backups are vital for business continuity. Should disaster strike, how quickly your company is able to resume operations may ultimately determine the lifespan of your business. When reviewing the backup needs of your business, make sure your backup solution service provider can address the following issues:

• The ability to leverage existing infrastructure — for example, a cloud backup and recovery solution doesn’t require buying or installing expensive equipment as it takes advantage of your existing network.
• Set it and forget it — once you select a backup schedule, company data is saved automatically, providing a transparent solution.
• Tape backup shortcomings — tape backups are often expensive, vulnerable to obsolescence, and can be lost or stolen when being transported off-site.
• Improved recovery time objectives — by using a managed backup service, the speed, and reliability of your recovery and restore will be governed through your Service Level Agreement.
• Smarter use of IT resources — a cloud backup and recovery solution, as an example, will allow your business to redirect IT resources to more pressing challenges within your organization.
• Backup Lifecycle Management — this is a key feature of cloud backup and recovery solutions as it aligns the value of your data with the cost of protecting it. As the value of your data declines over time the cost of protecting it also declines, providing you with additional cost savings.

All companies, regardless of size, would be wise to consider data protection a top business concern. Cloud-based backup and recovery solutions help to level the playing field for the small business as costs are scaled as your business grows. For more information, please contact us below.