Computer security is an intimidating topic. Major corporations spend millions of dollars each year to secure their Web sites and networks, and yet it seems every day there are new reports of attacks and vulnerabilities. How can business users hope to protect themselves?

As the control of computing information moves from to remote sites via networking, it is essential to understand the threats to this information and create security plans that will meet this new challenge.

One of the most critical security issues, one that has been compounded by networking, is a lack of awareness to the vulnerability of their critical and sensitive information. Computers have unique security problems that must be understood for effective implementation of security measures. These problems include:

• Physical Accessibility

• Hardware

• Software

• Data Communications

• Networking

• Disaster Recovery

Viruses have left a number of corporations sadder but all the wiser. A virus can change data within a file, erase a disk, or direct a computer to perform system-slowing calculations. Viruses may be spread by downloading programs off of the Internet, sharing floppy diskettes, or communicating with an infected computer through a network, or through the Internet. Antivirus products are a necessity for the detection, eradication and prevention of viruses. In addition, computer security policy should define permissible software sources, Internet use, and the types of applications that can be run on company computers. The policy should also provide standards for testing unknown applications.

It is astonishing to think, that in today’s competitive environment, business expose themselves by sending sensitive information through E-mail on the Internet. Everything from price lists, strategic plans, budgets, customer lists, mergers and proposals. Bank’s, financial institution’s and the government have been using encryption technology for years, but not until recently has the technology been available to everyone. With intellectual capital the creator of wealth in the 21st century, it is imperative for companies to protect themselves from threats of misuse, abuse or theft of their sensitive information.

Round the clock Internet access has a major implication on your network security. Until yesterday, there was an "air gap" between your network and the outside world. Anyone who wanted to gain access to the data on your network, had to first cross this gap and physically gain access to your computers. But now this gap has been closed. Your computer network has now become a part of the global network. Anybody online on the internet, anywhere in the world, can access your systems, if you don't have the proper security. The important thing to understand is that providing this security is your responsibility alone and not that of anyone else like your Internet Service Provider (ISP). You and only you are to blame if you do not put a lock on your front door. A firewall is precisely this lock, or rather, a guard at the door of your network. It is no longer a comfort, but a necessity for any organisation which has a 24x7 connection to the internet.

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