Brooklyn's Progress
September 2001

It seems that everywhere you turn these days someone is talking about computer security. Protect your network, protect your information. What do you really have to protect? Do you have to worry about your users? Are you vulnerable to hackers? Are users abusing e-mail and/or Internet privileges? Who should install what? What should you do? Are all of these security precautions really necessary? The answer is a resounding yes. Downtime and information lost due to hacking and security breaches have proven to be devastating to companies of all sizes. Take a look at these disturbing facts: Hackers and computer viruses cost the global economy $1.6 trillion in the last year (2000), according to a shock-horror survey from PriceWaterhouse Coopers. Hackers have broken in to the FBI, CIA, Pentagon, U.S. Army, Yahoo! and eBay websites or computer networks – don’t think that it can’t or won’t happen to you! An Amazon.com subsidiary reported that hackers stole 98,000 company customer records, including credit card information, according to a report in the online edition of The Wall Street Journal published March 6, 2001. There are over 30,000 sites on the Internet where anyone can get instructions and tools to hack with for free. 43% of companies that suffer disastrous data loss will never re-open and 29% close within two years (McGladrey and Pullen). These are some alarming security statistics and unfortunately, there's a lot to worry about. There are security risks associated with local area networks (LANs), servers, remote access, home PCs, laptops, Internet, e-mail and the list goes on and on. What can you do to ensure that your network is as secure as possible? Here are ten ways to protect you and your business’ online privacy today! 1)Don’t reply to any unsolicited e-mails and do not open any unsolicited e-mail attachments without verifying their source. 2)Install the most recent security patches for all software used, especially Microsoft Office, Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape. The biggest threat to security lies within software and hardware delivered with known vulnerabilities. 3)Be sure to maintain and regularly test backups. 4)Implement virus detection software and make sure that it is updated frequently on every network component. 5)Only rely on trained and certified professionals to take responsibility for securing your network. 6)Upgrade all web browsers to support 128-bit encryption. 7)If you are reluctant to provide any information on an online form that you would not feel comfortable in providing over the telephone, don’t. 8)Make sure that peripherals and appliances such as printers are secure – they can be used to accommodate hackers and their attacks on your network. 9)Do not rely only on a firewall for security. 10)Make sure you have proper computer policies in place (password, Internet and e-mail policies). The biggest threat to corporations and their computer systems does not come from hackers attacking from the outside, but comes from within the organization. According to government statistics cited by Post, the cost of an average outsider hacking incident is about $57,000. In contrast, the average cost of a serious insider hacking incident is about $2.7 million. While most people think of cyber attackers as teenagers with supercomputers, in reality junior employees and sub-contractors do the most damage. Do not underestimate the value of your company’s information and reputation. The threats against your greatest asset, your information, will continue. Studies show that the overwhelming majority of organizations (90% in the past 12 months) are and will continue to experience attacks on their network. A formal security assessment of your network is an absolute must! Frequent security audits by certified security professionals and constant monitoring of your network to determine weaknesses and flaws in your system are now necessary to protect you and your company’s livelihood. This article was prepared by The NetSys Group, a Microsoft Certified systems integration/network engineering, eBusiness solutions and web development company. NetSys is offering exclusively for Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce members, introductory specials for security consultations, networking and web related services. For details on these discounts please go to www.netsysgroup.com/bcc or to learn more about The NetSys Group and how they can assist you in fulfilling your technology needs please visit their website at www.NetSysGroup.com or contact them at 888-7-NetSys or by e-mail at info@NetSysGroup.com.