cc licensed flickr photo shared by Idaho National Laboratory
Theft of Personal Information
Theft of personal information is probably the biggest threat for all small businesses. Since many small businesses use credit card and check payments for their transactions, this personal information can be stolen if the proper procedures are not put into place. A great example would be if a customer fills out a form with their social security number, full name, home address and other vital information. If this kind of information is not stored in a secured place or destroyed promptly, it increases the probability of it falling into the wrong hands.
The Importance of Safeguarding Information
A small business can really be at risk with computer viruses. Since the computer is a gateway to the Internet, safeguarding the PC with all the necessary precautions is essential. One of the first steps you can take is to invest on any antivirus software programs. This antivirus software can help the business safeguard against any potential virus threats that can be picked up through the Internet. The reason computer viruses can be dangerous is because they can destroy all of the information that is valuable to the business. This information can even be distributed to the web via that particular computer virus. In the end, purchasing the antivirus software can help the business get rid of those headaches of dealing with PC viruses.
Hackers With Malicious Intent
Many computer hackers pose a big risk to anyone who owns a computer. This risk is even greater to any business because of the responsibility they have of keeping all of their personal information, along with the customer’s, safe from any virtual intruders. The small business would be wise to invest on Internet security software, which carries firewall protection, so that they can better protect any information. Since computer hackers are usually experts at what they do, purchasing one of the best programs for security is important.
Denial-of-Service Attack
The denial-of-service attack can be one of the biggest risks to affect a small business. This happens when a number of external requests flood the main server causing it to crash. As soon as the system crashes, personal information can be exposed to the public. Information can even be lost forever when the system crashes. The business can even lose customers due to the inability of running a business smoothly. A small business can limit the usage of their computers to pure business-related issues. Uses of computers for personal reasons are probably the biggest reason the system will run the risk of a denial-of-service attack.
Keeping Up With the Unknown
A small business can consider being up-to-date on everyday risks of breaches to their information. Technology practically changes every day and so do the potential threats of new ways to break in to the infrastructure of any business. This risk can catch the business off-guard and make them lose valuable information in a matter of minutes. Some steps a small business can utilize is to check the business news regularly, email updates on new virus threats, updating their security, and antivirus software on a regular basis and much more. Doing this can really help the small business to stay one step ahead of those computer hackers and computer viruses, just to mention a couple of the risks.
Janice Kelby is an IT security specialist and author of the Masters in Information Technology Guide at MastersInIT.org.