If you’re like me, then you probably have a laptop, iphone, and ipad that you toggle between when you’re out of the office. What would happen if you lost your iphone or your ipad was stolen? Do you even have a password on your iphone? If not, you should probably think about securing the data on your mobile devices:
Strong passwords – Strong passwords are the first line of defense in securing your mobile workforce. You want to ensure your laptop is configured for a password, and that it is using a “strong” password. Strong passwords should include upper and lowercase letters, a number, and at least one special character such as a punctuation mark.
Drive encryption – Drive encryption software essentially scrambles the data on your laptop so if a thief were to remove the hard drive, they could not actually access the data on it. Make sure everything on the drive is encrypted, including temporary files and swap space, increasing security of your data.
Anti-virus & Back-ups – Virus & Spyware protection is the most important software you’ll ever install on your PC. But even with the best software you are never fully protected from those who create viruses. Therefore your absolute protection is to back up your data properly, and test your backups from time to time to insure your data is safe and usable.
Firewall – You always need a firewall if you are connecting to the Internet. Windows has a built in firewall accessible from the Control Panel. Use it to add an additional layer of protection when you’re away from the office.
Home wireless – If you work from home, you want to ensure your wireless network is secure. Be sure to change the login to your wireless router, change the default SSID, and use WEP encryption to ensure passer-bys can hop on your home network.
Smartphone security – Smartphones are common place, and should be secured with a PIN code to login. Cell phones are lost daily and you don’t want your private information unprotected. If you phone is lost or stolen, contact your IT provider. They may be able to remotely wipe the data on your phone.
With the advances in mobile computing, small businesses have become road warriors. Take a moment to implement a few security best practices and gain peace of mind.