PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS

Keeping Viruses Away
When it comes to email security, anti-virus software is one of the first items that come to mind. Whether you purchase an off-the-shelf software package or choose to go with an online service solution, it's a must-have. Users of some free services, like Hotmail, may already have this area covered. Check to see what your email provider has to say about it.

You'll want to make sure all your employees' desktops and laptops are protected. The cost of anti-virus is minimal compared to the potential damage a virus or worm outbreak could cause your business. They can not only get at your computer systems, but also send emails out to your address book. That's not something your customers will want to receive.

Here are a couple of tips for keeping an eye on your anti-virus measures. Double check that you're getting the latest virus updates. Most programs will update themselves automatically, but it doesn't hurt to do a manual update on occasion to make sure the process is working. Also, when your software subscription time period is up, be sure to renew. Don't let it lapse.

Norton AntiVirus 2007 by Symantec
http://shop.symantecstore.com/store/symnahho/en_US/ContentTheme/ThemeID.504200/pbPage.NAVstatic/pgm.11227100

AVG Anti-Virus by Grisoft
http://www1.grisoft.com/doc/products-avg-anti-virus/us/crp/2

Fighting Spam
Spam is more than just a nuisance; it's a drain on your time and resources. It's impossible to avoid, so you have to deal with it. If you don't have spam protection through your email service provider, put anti-spam software on your shopping list right after anti-virus. Some vendors bundle it all together in a security suite package.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/technology/howtoguide/article79252.html

Cloudmark
http://cloudmark.com/

Spam Arrest
http://www.spamarrest.com/

Protecting Against Spyware
Spyware is computer software that is installed surreptitiously on a personal computer to intercept or take partial control over the user's interaction with the computer, without the user's informed consent.

While the term spyware suggests software that secretly monitors the user's behavior, the functions of spyware extend well beyond simple monitoring. Spyware programs can collect various types of personal information, but can also interfere with user control of the computer in other ways, such as installing additional software, redirecting Web browser activity, or diverting advertising revenue to a third party.

Windows Defender by Microsoft
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/spyware/default.mspx

Norton Internet Security by Symantec
http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoffice/security_response/spyware.jsp

Safety Against Phishing
Phishing is essentially an online con game and phishers are nothing more than tech-savvy con artists and identify thieves. Phishers attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords and credit card details, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.

Norton Internet Security by Symantec
http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoffice/security_response/phishing.jsp

Firefox Browser Phishing Protection by Mozilla
http://en-us.www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/phishing-protection/

Trustwatch Toolbar and Extensions by GeoTrust
http://www.trustwatch.com/

How Secure is Your Wireless Network?
The use of wireless networks within many organizations and businesses is becoming more and more widespread. This includes banks, manufacturing assembly lines, airports, restaurants and one-person home offices. What's not so widespread, however, is the employment of information security measures in these wireless applications and networks.

Constant monitoring of access points is one of the best ways to keep a wireless network secure. The most basic security measure you can take with your wireless devices is to immediately change their factory-set passwords and enable encryption keys (commonly known as WEP) so that data transmitted through the wireless network is more protected.  WEP was superseded by Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) in 2003, followed by the full IEEE 802.11i standard (also known as WPA2) in 2004.

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How To Secure Your Home Wireless Network
http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=197007601&pgno=1&queryText=

Use a Firewall
A firewall is a hardware or software device which is configured to permit, deny or proxy data through a computer network which has different levels of trust.

You can also use your firewall to block employees from accessing some outside information services, such as non-business-related websites or internet chat. Other common firewall add-ons include antivirus capabilities and privacy protection services to block proprietary information from leaving the building in any electronic form (e-mail, file transfer, virus activity, etc.).

For an added measure of protection, you can also add intrusion detection to your firewall. When a firewall allows internet users access to a company's website or other services, system vulnerabilities can also let in hackers. Intrusion detection systems can detect this type of activity and block the would-be hackers before they can do damage or steal vital company information.

iPhantom by Phantom Technologies
http://iphantom.com/businessAntivirusProducts.html

Access Stored Documents Online
Web-based storage services allow business users to store their documents and other digital files on third-party servers and are usually subscription-based. This helps businesses continue to operate if there are any outages, crises or disasters at the main office. It also allows convenient sharing of large files and real-time collaboration between a business and its partners without clogging company e-mail systems and servers. Online storage services also provide access to content from anywhere there's an Internet connection. They reduce the cost of maintaining, storing and managing hard-copy documents on-site and reduce the risk of lost or misfiled paper documents. They are also scalable as your business grows. One important caveat: Your business must use a broadband connection to take advantage of these online solutions.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/technology/howtoguide/article79252.html

Xdrive by AOL
http://www.xdrive.com/

IBackup
http://ibackup.com/

Increasing Memory the Easy Way
If you're running a one-person show, your network probably consists of just your computer and printer. If you're hitting memory capacity on that one PC, your best storage solution is an external hard drive that connects via USB or Firewire cable. Installation is a snap since most USB cables now install themselves, and they're easy to use since they just appear on your computer as another drive. You can use your new external hard drive to back up your files or simply to save memory-intensive files and graphics. And at less than $200 bucks for 200GB, they're a bargain.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/technology/howtoguide/article79252.html

Western Digital External Drives
http://www.wdc.com/en/products/index.asp?cat=5