The internet and email are now part of the daily routine for most organisations. And although businesses have existed for hundreds of years without either of these, the vast majority of companies are now dependent on them.

The use of internet and email has increased the speed of communications, transactions and ultimately decisions. But it has also opened up a whole new world of threats which companies now need to protect against. Many of these threats can compromise the security of your CRM, Finance or Business Management System and have the ability to cause significant problems and disruptions.

Data is a company’s most important asset. As a result, one of the biggest challenges which organisations now face is ensuring the data held in their IT system is secure. Securing data means protecting the hardware, software and networks which they run on, not just one of these elements in isolation.

Why do organisations need to have hardware, software and network security?

Irrespective of size or sector, information is critical for business as it is the key to ensuring the future growth and continuing success. Very often all information relating to customers and competitors will be held in a CRM or Accounts system. But, without having processes in place to protect the data, it is vulnerable to misuse or theft. Subsequently, ensuring these systems are secure is a must. However, protecting against one threat in isolation will not ensure that your organisation is safe. After all, a company’s software is saved on hardware and it is the collection of hardware which forms the network. Therefore, in order to ensure complete security, the company must have security solutions which protect their hardware, software and network. When it comes to security, it’s not safe to assume anything.

What are the different types of threats facing CRM, Finance and Business Management Systems?

There are many different types of security risk facing organisations. Traditionally viruses and spam were the two main threats, and these are still prevalent today. However, as a result of the number of targeted malicious attacks on organisations, many are now aware of the external risks and have processes in place to protect against them. But, this is no longer the only type of risk facing organisations. The threat posed from internal sources has increased significantly over the past few years as a direct result of the developments in portable storage and personal devices such as iPods, USB drives and mobile phones. These devices have made it easier than ever for an employee to copy large amounts of data from your CRM or Accounting system and take it with them when they leave.

In the current economic environment, businesses are looking for ways to reduce their costs and as a result security may be seen as an expense which the organisation doesn’t need. However, a reduced level of security, coupled with an ever increasing number of people losing their jobs, provides the ideal catalyst for more data to go missing, be copied or removed.

What are the common forms of attack?

The most common forms of attack which face organisations include:
Data Leakage – This is an internal threat which can have significant implications on organisations profitability as data can get into the hands of competitors.

Spam – A traditional form of attack which is now more than unsolicited mail. For example, phishing emails can result in a company’s corporate information being stolen. In addition, spam can take up valuable space on a company’s server and this can prevent business critical information getting through.

Viruses – These have developed over the years in terms of technicality – they can quickly bring an entire organisation down – impacting on operations and therefore profitability.

Unfortunately it is not just a case of managing one of these threats, as spam can infect your organisation with a virus and viruses can inundate you with spam. It’s a vicious circle which means organisations must protect against all types of risk. On the positive side, all these threats can be protected against, and once in place a security solution can often safeguard a company’s data, reputation and ultimately the organisations future.

Is there a solution which will protect my organisation from every type of threat?

There are solutions available which will protect your organisation from most types of threat. However, this type of solution is not right for every type of business. Before investing in any type of security solution, it is best to carry out an independent assessment of the company’s needs, to ensure that the solution you are investing in matches the precise requirements of the organisation.

Implementing security software

To ensure that security solutions bring real benefits to businesses, the requirements of the company need to be carefully thought about and planned. It is very easy, especially in the current economic climate to choose the security solution which appears to be the cheapest. However if it doesn’t match your requirements it will be a false economy as you will spend more money in the long term, especially if there is a security breach. Security threats are a risk to every facet of a business; therefore it is essential that the security solutions are capable of protecting your whole organisation.

Many organisations appoint an internal member of staff to assess their security requirements. This individual will then be responsible for scanning the market for the best solutions and also for implementation once the right solution has been selected. However, a professionally implemented security solution which matches business needs will usually be more effective.

Whatever the size of your security project, it’s important that you work with a supplier who can assess the needs of your business and IT infrastructure and make recommendations based on your requirements. Choosing the security software that you think you need, may not provide you with the security you actually need. What’s more security threats are constantly changing and developing. Therefore although you may be protected at the time of implementation, you may not be protected six months afterwards. It is therefore essential to continually review your security requirements, to ensure that your organisation grows, your security solution continues to work for you. It’s also critical that you choose a supplier who will be able to provide you with on-going support and advice once your solution has been implemented.