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Safety First: Computer Security for Small Business

The current flood of spyware, adware, and computer viruses has wreaked havoc with many businesses. And there's no truly hackproof system out there. If determined hackers want to crack your system, they will — it's just a question of how long it will take.

The good news is that hacking is

almost always a crime of opportunity. If your system is safeguarded with a minimum amount of protection — including a firewall and an antivirus program — hackers will likely move on and look for easier prey.

Firewall: The firewall is probably the most important part of any security scheme. The firewall prevents unwanted access to your networked computers. Once installed, you can "teach" the application what programs are allowed access to the Internet and what outside sites are allowed to communicate with your computer. A good firewall will protect you against hacker attacks — but not against viruses.

Antivirus software: Symantec and McAfee are still the leaders in antivirus applications, and both companies' products will protect against viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and other malicious programs. Updating your antivirus program is almost as important as installing it. Updating your virus definitions will ensure that you have protection against the very latest virus variants.

Adware and spyware detection: Adware and spyware aren't catastrophic to your business, but they can certainly be annoying and will cut down on efficiency. Installing an application like Lavasoft's excellent Ad-Aware product will keep your computers free of spyware and adware.

No time to waste: You should install your security measures as soon as you bring your new system online. Recent surveys proved that it can take as little as 30 minutes for a new, unsecured computer to be hijacked by hackers and turned into a "zombie computer" that will do the hacker's bidding: sending out spam email or even looking for other computers to take over.

In addition, make sure to read these articles:

  • Cell phones largely immune to viruses
  • It has been great using smartphones as de facto computers. You don't have to buy antivirus software or worry about the devices going haywire every ......
  • Cell phones largely immune to viruses
  • It has been great using smartphones as de facto computers. You don't have to buy antivirus software or worry about the devices going haywire every ......
  • Cell phones largely immune to viruses
  • It has been great using smartphones as de facto computers. You don't have to buy antivirus software or worry about the devices going haywire every ......
  • Cell phones largely immune to viruses
  • It has been great using smartphones as de facto computers. You don't have to buy antivirus software or worry about the devices going haywire every ......
  • Users Downloading Less Adware
  • A leading spyware-removal firm reported the amount of adware programs it found on consumer computers dropped in the first quarter. According to Webroot, a Boulder, ......
  • Users Downloading Less Adware
  • A leading spyware-removal firm reported the amount of adware programs it found on consumer computers dropped in the first quarter.
  • FileSharing Service Launches the Only 100% Adware...
  • MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- BearShare announces the release of a new product called BearShare Lite, the only commercial free of adware and spyware. Users can ......
  • Advertising.com Settles FTC Adware Complaint
  • AOL's Advertising.com has settled charges brought by the Federal Trade Commission, which said it tricked consumers into downloading software that spawned pop-up ads. The FTC ......
  • Stop pop-up pests and spyware. (B.E. Reviews).
  • E-mail and newsgroup spam are annoying, but at least they file neatly into your e-mail or newsgroup reader. Pop-up Web ads, on the other hand, ......
  • Spitzer Files Spyware Suit
  • New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer filed his second spyware-related lawsuit, targeting adware maker Direct Revenue for allegedly infiltrating computers with pop-up ad-serving software. The ......
  • GRISOFT introduces AVG 7.5 security portfolio.
  • INTERNET BUSINESS NEWS-(C)1995-2006 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD GRISOFT, the manufacturer of AVG Anti-Virus software, announced on Monday (2 October) the global launch of AVG 7.5 security ......
  • Laws to thwart spyware
  • The House Energy and Commerce committee criticized the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for not doing enough to stop the spread of spyware and vowed to ......
  • Leading Expert Examines Spyware and Adware in...
  • NEW YORK -- Ben Edelman, a noted expert on Spyware, this week released a study comparing five leading file-sharing programs on Download.com: LimeWire, iMesh, ......