Firewalls are a well-known security essential and recently, business owners have been catching on as big fans. But did you know that a firewall alone is not enough to keep your business safe?
Imagine the scenario of building a fence around your house to keep out unwanted visitors. You feel safe and secure once the fence is up but in reality, anyone with a 3-step ladder with enough motivation and some ninja moves will be able to negate that fence. It is the same with a firewalled networked business environment. Even with firewalls in place, security breaches are still increasing at an alarming rate. Quite clearly, further precautions and protection are needed.
If there are no further precautions and protection in your business network, once the firewall is breached, it will be a free for all. The intruder will be able to view, download, make changes or even take control of your IT infrastructure. As such, it is important to understand that computer and network security works best when it is multi-layered, just like how you would protect your house. A fence is never sufficient. You will need a locked gate, locked main door, locked windows and even possibly, monitored CCTV cameras around the house. When one layer fails, another layer kicks in to keep you safe.
For your business, a few strategic, well-planned measures can provide all the protection your business needs to keep operating without costly downtime.
While it might be cool to imagine a system so secure you will be opening doors with retinal scanners, using synchronized keys to activate the server and dodging pressure-triggered plates around the storage drives, the reality is infinitely more usable and affordable. In fact, if you would like, we will help you choose the perfect measures that blend invisibly into your existing processes, boosting security without affecting productivity.
The following are just some of our Managed IT service inclusions:
Proper Firewall Configuration
While not enough by itself, your firewall is still your first line of defense. However, there is a difference between a generic firewall that probably comes standard with your Windows installation and one that is specifically chosen for your business. When configured properly, this firewall can present itself as a sizeable fence to keep out the junior-wannabe ninjas. Of course, our Service Consultants will work with you to identify which traffic should be allowed, like remote employee access, and which should be blocked automatically.
Access Restrictions
We all understand that access should only be given to those that need it. Employees should only be allowed to access files and directories sufficiently to do their jobs. Business owners are usually pretty proficient in managing the access rights. After all, if the rights are properly enforced, an employee clicking on a rogue email link should pose minimal damage. However, when was the last time these access restrictions were reviewed? What about the access restrictions for long-serving employees? Or what about employees who have switched departments/teams? Do they still have access rights to their old job responsibilities? Security, protection and access restrictions can only be good when it is kept up-to-date and reviewed.
Encrypt Confidential Files
More than just deploying a password for locking a file, encryption uses a secret “key” to scramble the file and their contents. Anyone that tries to view the encrypted hash will only get a file full of incomprehensible text. Our Service Consultants can setup an encryption system for you and your business so that pre-approved users can use them normally while all files remain secure.
If you are ready to take your security needs to the next level, give us a call or use the web form to contact us.
ManagedIT.SG is an IT Support, IT Solutioning and Managed IT Service Provider specializing in serving Small Businesses in Singapore. Call us at +65 6748 8776 and let us manage your Small Business IT today!