Absorb

When asked what type of computer problem they most fear, the majority of people will answer ‘hard drive failure’, but it’s interesting to note that computer issues causing the most damage, data loss and loss of productivity are generally of another variety. In fact a recent survey by Kroll Ontrack found human error overshadowed all other causes of data loss by almost 2 to 1. Where there is human error there is human oversight and while no amount of vigilance can afford 100% protection, increasing your level of security can cover a lot of ground in our fight against data loss and our pursuit of perpetual data integrity.

Below are a few computer security tips that will benefit even the most casual of users:

1. Install anti-malware software. That’s simply software that protects against viruses, spyware, trojans, keystroke loggers and other malicious applications – Believe it or not, there are still those out there that haven’t addressed even the most basic of anti-virus needs. Norton, McAfee, Avira and a host of others all offer protection against viruses and spyware for prices ranging from Free to around $75. Review your options and choose a package that’s right for you. Even the best remote data backup system can’t protect you from corrupt data so a little initiative goes a long way.

2. Keep your software up to date. Your operating system, browser and most of the software you use from day-to-day generally combat newly discovered security flaws and bugs with routine updates or security patches. For many people, having an application running in the background is seen as an intrusion or overutilization of resources and as a result they may turn off the software’s automatic update feature. If you’d prefer to be in control of what is running and what is not, at the very least remind yourself to run it manually from time to time. Not only can improperly managed applications lessen the effectiveness of your remote data backup plan, but their inability to adapt to new threats can lead to huge holes in your security.

3. Proper email management – Email can be a blessing and a burden, but like it or not it is here to stay. It is our premiere form of communication and unfortunately our premiere form of unsolicited advertising. Spam, if not controlled properly, can overwhelm your remote backup system with unnecessary data and ruin some otherwise efficiently searchable archives. Not only can these volumes of garbage wreak havoc on your efficiency but they can potentially carry some pretty nasty malware. Make sure you have spam protection in place, never open any attachments from unsolicited sources and if you get any questionable email from someone you know use an old-fashioned phone to verify its authenticity. There are viruses out there these days that can hijack a friend’s address book and send virus laden solicitations or links to all of their contacts – including you. Exercise some caution when it comes to what email you archive and your onsite as well as offsite data backups will thank you.

A relatively new phenomenon and a byproduct of our exponential availability of storage space (Kryder's Law*) allows for small businesses to archive virtually everything – and archive it forever. With our means to store our data seemingly greater than our utilization of space, there is no reason for a company to purge its data every 5, 10 or even 20 years. Short of Nuclear Armageddon or a Zombie Apocalypse, the future of a successful company may revolve around pattern recognition and hundreds of years of data accumulation. As you can see, thoughtful and efficient archiving practices can be of more use to the growth of your business than just lowering the cost of your remote data backup or offsite storage services - and with reasonable security practices you won’t be archiving hundreds of years of viruses, malware and Trojans. That’s not the type of time capsule your offspring will have in mind.

Contact Absorb for more computer security tips, remote data backup and offsite storage information.

*Kryder’s Law – Just as Moore’s Law trends the doubling of transistor count in processors (increased processing speed), Kryder’s Law pretty accurately predicts the doubling of storage density (storage space) every two years.