Is Your Business Ready for the New Security Threats Coming This Year?

Security predictions for 2011 are not looking great for enterprises or financial institutions. Cybercriminals continue to reinvent themselves and security companies and professionals are having a hard time keeping up, always trailing one step behind. While individual consumers seem to become more aware of how important it is to have security measures in place when doing anything online, companies tend to think that they will not be targeted, it just couldn’t happen to them.

Here is a list of some of this year’s predictions for top security threats:

• More corporate data breaches over social media channels, both volunteered by employees and breached through spam and other malware
• Malware exploit kits will add zero-day vulnerabilities faster and increase their use,  leaving organizations open to more malicious content
• There will be more attacks like Stuxnet, specifically targeting critical infrastructure.
• Attacks on router vulnerabilities. As companies beef up security on computers and servers, hackers look to other areas to attack and gain access to a business’s network. Routers and their firmware are rarely updated, so hackers have a big window to find and exploit vulnerabilities.
• Struggling AV software, some experts say antivirus vendors are having a hard time keeping up with the millions of new malware that appear every day. Not to mention the fact that an antivirus that is created cannot be created until after the virus has appeared which always leaves us one step behind.

These are just some of the alarming predictions that the experts have made. Has your business started preparing for these threats yet? It is time to get started. Even if you are not a multi-million dollar enterprise there are still small steps you can take that will greatly improve your online and network security, thereby protecting your data.

1. Internet Usage Policy – Your Internet usage policy should be specific, it should be shared in detail with all your employees, they should sign off on it, and the policy should be strictly enforced.
2. Restrict Data Access – Only the people that need access to specific data should be allowed access to it. Your data should be stored securely with limited access capabilities.
3. Encryption Technology – Another prediction for 2011 is that organizations will take a more proactive approach to data protection by adoption encryption technology. Why not be ahead of the curve and get started?
4. Cloud Security – As more and more companies move into a cloud infrastructure, make sure your IT security staff is educated on the security risks involved and how to keep the company safe. WebProtection™ by SafeCentral is flexible and offers enterprises multiple configuration options making it a great choice for companies that are employing VDIs, SSL VPNs, or using cloud services such as outsourced accounting systems, customer relationship management (CRM) tools, or enterprise resource planning (ERP).
5. Updated Software and Firmware – Make sure all the latest updates are installed for any software or firmware in any programs that are used within the company.
6. Good Email Filter – monitor your email regularly to see how well it does in preventing spam and phishing emails from reaching employees inboxes. If you see malware getting through on a regular basis, it’s time to change your provider.
7. Updated Malware protection – Even if Anti-Virus and Spyware software can’t catch every new threat that emerges, they are still integral tools in any security strategy and should be current at all times.
8. SafeCentral’s WebProtection™ - This is an extra level of security that protects your VDI, SSL VPN or cloud service connections and users from threats already in place.

WebProtection™ is a one-time install, light-weight data loss prevention (DLP) application that operates under the assumption that the user’s machine is already infected with malware ensuring that endpoint data is secure. WebProtection™ interprets and intercepts over 5,000 discrete Windows commands (from write to disk, to save in RAM and beyond) and effectively blocks all potentially dangerous activities except those processes needed for the transaction. Unlike other tools, WebProtection™ goes down deep into the DNA of the Windows operating system and is able to control all processes during a secured transaction.

Make sure you add SafeCentral’s WebProtection™ to your security strategy this year to get the best web security suite you can possibly have. For more information, go to our website www.SafeCentral.com to learn more and view a demo of the product.