Simple IT Security Steps to Protect Your Business and Yourself
While we can’t stop lax security at major corporations from compromising our personal information, we can do a lot to protect our businesses and ourselves as we go about our normal day.
Simple steps to enhance IT Security:
1. REGULARLY REVIEW PRIVACY SETTINGS
As an IT provider, we schedule periodic reviews to verify the privacy settings on the devices connected to our client networks. These days every device, application, browser, and social media platform has security settings. Too often, without IT Support, they are set and then forgotten. The developers of these devices and apps routinely update them, which can add new security settings and even reset older ones. Following IT Security best practices, we review the security settings that are in place and make sure our customers are not sharing information that could compromise their devices and accounts.
2. INSTALL UPDATES
Also, we routinely install application and firmware updates on network devices. Often, these updates include security patches that plug holes in the system. Without this layer of IT Security, it’s much easier for the bad guys to get in.
3. USE STRONG PASSWORDS
Strong, unique passwords on every site is a must. As standard practice, never use the same password on two different sites. To help with that, use a password management tool. They’re a great way to store and generate secure passwords. We can recommend a couple for you to consider for managing your personal passwords.
As an IT provider, we have a password management system in place to manage passwords companywide, keep them safe, and routinely update them. We also activate two-factor authentication wherever possible. It’s one more level of IT Security that goes a long way toward protecting you and your business.
4. DESTROY OLD DATA STORAGE DEVICES
Old hard drive destruction is essential to overall IT Security. As part of our e Waste Recycling Program, we shred all data storage devices such as: hard drives, solid state drives, thumb drives, circuit boards, memory cards, tablets and cell phones which makes data reconstruction impossible. We recycle all other parts of old computer systems in accordance with EPA standards.
It’s critical that privacy settings are managed, updates installed, and strong passwords used for all devices connected to your business network. In addition, old hard drive destruction should be a part of your overall IT security plan. Diligence in these areas go a long way toward keeping your business information and systems as well as your personal data secure.
QualityIP knows IT Security. We’re here to help
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