3 Security Issues that Put Your Business at Risk!

Everybody has a weakness; Superman has Kryptonite, the Wicked Witch of the West had water, and the Death Star had a womprat-sized exhaust port. Character weaknesses make for solid storylines because they drive conflict. Your company has its own set of vulnerabilities that you may not know about, and unlike stories, conflict in business is not a good thing. Here are a few of the lesser known IT weaknesses, and what you can do to resolve them.

Weak Wi-Fi Security
If your Wi-Fi is using WEP protocol, it's pretty much like locking your front gate with a twist tie. WEP security will only stop the honest people from logging in, surfing the internet, and using your bandwidth. However, if someone is going to be malevolent and they have a little know-how, then decoding your WEP security will be a quick and easy exercise. In fact, all it takes is a decent laptop with some free software to crack your WEP security in just a few minutes.

The solution is to at least have your router set up with the WPA security protocol. WPA is not perfect, but it is much more secure. Another Wi-Fi security measure that you can take is to ensure that all the other pieces of your network security are in place, this will help to prevent unauthorized access from nearby network snoopers.

Your Passwords Aren't Strong Enough
These days, strong password security means having more protection than just a strong password. If you use the same password on every account, then you are at risk. If one website gets hacked and your credentials were stolen, and you use those same credentials on other sensitive accounts, then all of you other accounts are now at a major risk.

The best practice for password security is to not reuse passwords. Instead, take advantage of password management tools like KeePass, LastPass, and RoboForm. These tools will let you securely store and manage your accounts and even generate complex and secure passwords. Every few months, it is also a smart idea to freshen up your passwords by cycling out your old passwords for new ones.

Your Software is Generously Sharing your Data
It's likely that you use a lot of different applications on your workstation and visit a variety of websites. It is important to keep all of your programs up-to-date. It is also important to remember that Windows Updates only covers Microsoft software and not third party applications. Out-of-date software can potentially be the exhaust port to your PC Death Star; this is one weakness that the Hacker Alliance would love to exploit.

The solution to this vulnerability is to keep your software up-to-date. Most applications allow you to check a box in the settings that will allow the software to automatically check for updates, be sure that you do this. If you aren't sure if the apps that you use on a regular basis are running the latest version, then you can check the software manufacturer's website, or just reach out to Directive at 607.433.2200 and have us do a deep investigation on your workstations and network.