The threat from viruses and malware is continually evolving and the IT industry faces an ongoing challenge to combat them.

In an increasing digital world we have online accounts for almost all aspects of our lives and the opportunity to criminals to use malware exploit this, whether though identity theft, gaining access to you bank or otherwise, is ever growing.

No longer is standard PC anti-virus an acceptable preventative measure against malware. Particularly in business. So what measures should you be taking? Pro Drive has a quick look at some of them.

Email Security

Most email services now come with built in protection against spam and malware. If you have your own email server a good cloud based email security system will offer similar levels of protection. However no system is 100% effective on its own and you should always be wary of emails purporting to be from banks or senders unknown to you – especially if they have links or attachments.

Web Security

A large proportion of viruses now come via the web making a system to scan the web traffic entering your IT network essential. Pro Drive are a big fan of the cloud based systems which protect your staff wherever they work. Our previous articles on web security and safer web browsing tell you more.

Up to date software

Older software is general more susceptible to security threats than more recent software. By running more up to date software (for example Windows 8) you will likely be more protected against attacks. Even with the latest software you will also need all the minor updates installed. A good ‘patch management’ system will do this for you.

Change your passwords regularly

Having complex passwords which you change regularly is a pain – but is one of the best ways of protecting yourself from criminals. Our article on making your passwords more secure tells you how to do this. Alternatively a password manager such as LastPass can do this for you.

Two factor authentication

Chances are your bank will already require you to do this – when you are asked to verify a code sent to your mobile, or on a card reader, in addition to your password. Most online services now offer a form of two factor authentication – and it is available for your business network too.

Intrusion prevention

Intrusion prevention systems were previously the domain of large corporate IT. They add another layer of protection against people maliciously exploiting vulnerabilities in your IT systems. Intrusion prevention systems are now available on even small business focused network firewalls now – often for little additional cost.

Education

Most security issues are actually caused by People! By training you and your staff not to open suspect emails, submit confidential details on suspicious websites and to use best practice with online accounts and passwords, you will significantly reduce the likelihood of being seriously compromised by malware.

To speak to an expert about a security assessment of your IT systems please contact our Sales Team on 0330 124 3599.