With the development of internet use and connected devices, IT security has become a crucial issue for all companies regardless of their size. What is computer security? Why is it important?
What is computer security?
Information system (IS) of a company is a formidable tool for development and value creation since it allows employees to exchange information more easily and to work in a network on common projects, and thus to achieve important productivity gains. However, since it contains all of the company’s data, it also represents a vulnerability.
In this context, it is essential to implement a global strategy for computer security To protect the internal network from all potential threats. The 3 main objectives of IT security being:
- Data Integrity => Ensure that data cannot be corrupted, stolen or lost due to a computer attack, technical problem or disaster.
- Data privacy => Ensure that sensitive data is only accessible by people authorized to read or modify it according to their position in the company.
- Data availability =>Protect data at all times while ensuring that security features do not prevent employees from doing their jobs.
Why is IT security important for small businesses?
IT security is not always considered to be a priority for SMEs and VSEs who believe that data breaches mainly concern large industrial groups. However, the reality is quite different! The criminal entities behind the cyber attacks do not distinguish between companies based on their size: any unsecured data is good to take.
In addition, companies must manage increasingly large amounts of data following the explosion in the use of connected objects and the rise of the nomadic work or telecommuting. Without forgetting that many companies allow their suppliers or customers to access their information system in order to facilitate exchanges, which obviously multiplies the risks related to computer security.
Actions to increase IT security
- Ideally, each user of the company’s information system should have their own account associated with consistent access or modification rights with his function or status. The authorizations are created on the day of arrival in the company and deactivated on the day of departure.
- It is advisable to regularly send computer security awareness memos to employees regarding password management. To enhance security, the information system may require a minimum number of characters including numbers and letters.
- As malicious software becomes more sophisticated, the implementation of a firewall and a anti-virus on all workstations or tools connected to the Internet must be the norm.
- Multiple copies of the most valuable documents should exist. One of the major trends in computer security is the hybrid cloud that is, keeping a copy of the data in-house while storing a backup outside the company.