Any user, system, or personally identifiable information can be sold or used for identity theft, and the line between large and small business is blurred for an online attacker.
Attackers will seek the path of least resistance and SMEs and home users are that path, with customer and employee data contained on small business networks being just as valuable, and is easier to obtain, as data contained on a large business network.
The high profile security attacks well publicised in the past, such as 'code red', 'nimda' and 'blaster' have now been replaced by smaller targeted attacks focused on stealing information for financial gain. In 2004 alone there were 33 severe security attacks that required immediate responses by security companies. However, in the three years since there have been only four such high-profile attacks.
Interestingly, over the same period, the number of malicious code variants detected by Symantec has grown from 73,000 in 2004 to more than 429,000 so far in 2007. In other words, there are more bad guys out there, they are getting smarter, and they are creating more variants of their code in order to avoid detection.
More importantly, the malicious code writers of today are using a number of techniques that are not detected by many of today’s standard antivirus products. For example, across Asia Pacific, Symantec is currently detecting around 19,000 'bot' infected computers a day. These 'bot' infected computers have a small piece of code installed on them that allows a hacker to take control when he or she chooses. Hackers often have many thousands of infected computers at their disposal and 'rent' the use of 'bot networks' to spammers and other people who want to avoid detection. These infected computers are often only actively under the control of a hacker for a matter of minutes before being deactivated and made to lie dormant until they are next required.
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Small businesses are perceived as having less-established and less-sophisticated security infrastructures, making them more vulnerable to attacks. The Yankee Group’s 2006 US Small & Medium Business IT Infrastructure Survey found that SMBs' top concern for 2007 is security, closely followed by backup and restore, and application and data availability. Security is an ongoing issue that demands constant attention.
Here are some key security measures you can take to help protect your small business:
Create a security plan. Understanding security issues and learning about solutions that fit your business is the first step towards creating an effective security plan. This means assessing your business’s most important information assets, identifying infrastructure and technology that is available, and implementing a strategy tailored to your business.
Educate employees. Many security threats can be thwarted by an educated and responsible approach to the use of technology, whether it means creating strong passwords or refraining from opening unknown attachments, as well as firewall and antivirus software. By educating employees, you are empowering them to take precautionary methods to protect your business from a host of threats.
Set up a secure infrastructure. In addition to a responsible approach to using technology, it is vital to set up a secure infrastructure to guard against, and mitigate, threats. Your previous assessment of your business’s IT assets and infrastructure will help you pinpoint exactly where security solutions are needed the most. Most likely you will need to install firewalls on desktops, as well as at the network level, and secure your browsers and servers.
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Install up-to-date antivirus and antispyware software. Make sure your antivirus program protects you from the very latest types of threats including viruses, worms, bots, Trojan horses, and other malicious code. A good antivirus program can detect viruses, and spyware and can clean out files that are downloaded, preventing your computer from becoming infected. It should also include a strong personal firewall, effective device control to prevent data theft via MP3 players and other devices, and generic exploit blocking that protects against threats which may not yet have been formally identified.
Update software and install patches. In addition to installing antivirus software, it is important to regularly update your virus definitions, so you are protected from the latest threats. This should be automated and occur daily at the minimum. You should also regularly install patches that are released by software vendors to deal with any problems that are detected in their software.
Backup data. Business data is a crucial asset for most small businesses. Backing up your data, whether it be on your desktop or servers, will save you time, money, and possibly the business itself should it face any unforeseen circumstances. A disk-based backup solution offers the advantage of continuous data protection and allows you to retrieve your files quickly and easily. Make sure you take your backups offsite to protect your business data against a building fire or theft.
Create an incident response plan: No one can foresee accidents and disasters, but you can have a plan in place to help you recover your business quickly and easily. To create an incident response plan, you should anticipate the various possibilities that would affect your business and then prepare accordingly. Most small businesses have limited resources, so it is important to focus on business operations while recovering from any disaster. Secure storage for your data— which may include customer information or computer applications—will allow you and your employees to continue working while you focus on recovering other aspects of your business. In addition, allocating resources including antivirus software and firewalls for remote computing devices, will help ensure a smoother transition should the need for telecommuting arise.
A comprehensive approach to security now can save your business from many problems in the future. By taking the time to assess your business’s assets and security needs, and following the steps above, you can help protect your business.
* Steve Martin is the mid market manager, Australia and New Zealand for Symantec.
* The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and don’t necessarily reflect the opinions of DYNAMICBUSINESS.com or the publishers.
