For many small or medium enterprises, having a full time IT person is just not possible. In order to keep the business running efficiently, a lot of CEOs or CFOs get good at stringing together IT as necessary. This works fine, but if you are setting up computers based on some common settings, you can be leaving your system open to vulnerabilities. Here are a handful of common exploits that you can solve on your own.
File Permissions
When setting up a network, you have the opportunity to give read (the ability to open files) and write (the ability to modify files) permissions to each user. The fastest way to set up a network is to give all permissions to all users. This is also the most insecure method. Every user should have the most restricted permissions that will allow them to do their job.
No Anti-virus/Malware Prevention Software
There is no excuse for not having an up-to-date anti-virus program on your computer. Yes, browsers now do a very good job of detecting threats, and assuming that users have those options enabled, they will prevent a good many intrusions. For enterprise machines, which may be attacked using more sophisticated threats, this isn’t enough. Every computer on the network must have anti-virus protection, with definitions regularly updated and scans regularly performed.
Failing to Patch Software
Operating systems release regular updates to fill in holes and patch security leaks as they are found. By not completing those patches, you are leaving your system open to attacks that are known and published.
While your OS, either Mac or Windows, is the most well known example of these sorts of vulnerabilities, this is true to any program that releases an update. Companies sometimes delay patching because of issues with legacy software. This is a sign you need to upgrade your software.
Poor Passwords
If employees are frustrated with hearing about strong passwords, IT professionals are even more frustrated at needing to continue to talk about them. One solution may be to implement a password maintenance system, so that employees put in one password which logs them into all of their systems. But poor passwords or default passwords are the cause of a significant number of hacks and vulnerabilities.
If you are unsure how to make your enterprise or personal computers secure, hiring a professional for a consult can get your network up to speed and moving forward. Contact Nerds 2 You for help on managing your security.
