It’s a new year, and whilst we look forward to new opportunities and ahead to new challenges, we must also remember the existing ones.
Many of us draft up New Years’ Resolutions as a way of kick starting the year and doing the things we know we should focus on, but perhaps haven’t. I’d like to encourage you to do something similar around security. The good news is that some of these resolutions might be easier to achieve than your commitment to the gym, or eating fewer carbs!
Computers as Tools
Our computers are just like any other tool – they require maintenance and looking after to ensure they work effectively. Why not take some time at the beginning of the New Year to tidy up your computer? Here are a few suggestions:
- Consider organizing some of those files that are littering your desktop or documents folder. Create a filing system that works for you and organize your files so make them easier to find.
- Don’t be a ‘software hoarder’. Look at the software applications you have installed and remove those that you haven’t used in a significant amount of time.
- Update those applications you do use. Actively check to see if those applications have upgraded versions available that may fix security problems. Remember that Windows Update keeps your Microsoft software updated, but not everything else!
Better Safe Than Sorry
The New Year is also a good time to revisit your backup and restore strategy. Perhaps it’s been a while since you backed up important files, or maybe it’s something you haven’t got around to sorting out yet. Here are some tips to help keep your data safe:
- If you haven’t got a way to backup important files and data, start now! Even if this is as simple as purchasing a low-cost external hard drive and manually copying files across—it’s better than nothing. Almost all computers come with a backup solution that serves simple needs.
- Test your backups. There’s nothing worse than the moment you come to restore a file from your backup only to discover you can’t! Don’t wait until disaster strikes, test restoring files from your backups to make sure you can get back what you need, when you need it.
- Check your Anti-Virus (AV) software and make sure it’s still up-to-date. Some AV applications (especially those that come with new computers) only work for a limited time. Check with your IT professional if you’re unsure what options are best for you.
Plan for the Future
If it’s been a while since you purchased your computer, you might also want to look at what you anticipate using it for over the next year. As technology gets increasingly clever, so we can do more with our computers. Unfortunately the equipment we bought several years ago might not be powerful enough to help us process new workloads.
Perhaps we need to consider purchasing a new system, or upgrading the one we have. We might have new security solutions we are thinking of running to better protect our business data; will they integrate with what we have?
Make Security a Priority
I’ve left the best suggestion to last! Make security a priority in 2014. I’ve worked with too many businesses that haven’t prioritized security until it’s too late. They’ve been left facing skyrocketing costs, big losses and in a few cases, major changes to how they expect their business to continue.
Don’t let this be you. Invest a small amount of time in protecting your business, and it’ll keep you in business!
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