Monthly Archives: January 2013

Happy Data Privacy Day!

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Data Privacy Day may not be a holiday for your IT Support Professional, however, it is an international holiday dedicated to education about Data Privacy. On this day many private, government and academic Data Privacy and IT Security Professionals get together and discuss key issues about Data Privacy.

What is Privacy Data and What Does This Mean to Your Business?

Privacy Data can include a combination of Name, Address, Birthday and Taxpayer information. It can also include other information you may have related to employee health records, personnel records, customer data, supplier data and more. Keeping this data protected and secure from data leaks and hackers is important. You may face fines, suffer damages, loss of reputation and even loss of revenue if Privacy Data is leaked from your company.

What Can You Do on Data Privacy Day to Protect Your Business?

It is important to educate your employees about Privacy Data and the Risk of Loss. In today’s world where social networking is acceptable in many workplaces, employees may not realize the risks of sharing Privacy Information. The more your employees are aware of Privacy Data and the Risk of Loss the better.

How Can I Protect Privacy Data on My Company Network on Data Privacy Day?

It is important to keep you systems in compliance with O/S Patches, as well as, up to date with the latest Anti-virus and Anti-malware definitions. It is also a good idea to monitor your network for unauthorized access. You should also maintain a current backup of all of your privacy data. If you have a data leak you may be required to notify proper authorities and those impacted. By knowing what data was compromised, based on your latest backup, you may be able to limit your exposure and reduce the liability of a data leak.

Let’s celebrate Data Privacy Day by following IT best practices for Data Privacy. If you have any questions or doubts about your IT Security consider asking your IT Security or IT Support consultant for an IT risk assessment.


New iPad at work? Make sure it is secure.

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New iPad at work?  Make sure it is secure.


With the holiday season behind us,  as expected, many employees are coming to work with shiny new tablet computers including Android Tablets, Microsoft Windows RT Tablets and the new Apple iPad Mini.   Your company may have a “Bring Your Own Device” mobile device management policy that allows employees to use these devices at work and, in some cases, for work.  Maybe you made that year-end corporate purchase to outfit your staff with the new iPad.  Either way, you need to make sure your corporate network, applications and data stay secure as these mobile devices enter the workplace.

Here are a few tips to make sure your mobile device policies are in place, so your employees can use those new iPads securely.

 

Review your Mobile Device Policy

Does your company have a written mobile device policy?  If not, you should put that in place.  The top issues with mobile devices, such as a new iPad, are related to loss or theft.  Because these devices may have access to your corporate applications and data, including email, customer and inventory data, make sure your employees know what is acceptable use for these mobile  devices.  Is it ok to store corporate data on personal devices within your company?  Conversely, can employees store personal data on a corporate owned mobile device?  Either way, have a stated mobile device policy so you can measure compliance with your mobile device policies and procedures.

 

Proactively Manage Your New iPad

You can secure your iPad in case of loss or theft by keeping an audit of the device and the applications that are on it.  If your new iPad is lost or stolen, you also want to be able to track the device to help with locating your lost mobile device.   You also want to be able to safely and securely wipe corporate data from the mobile device.  This includes downloaded mobile applications that access corporate systems and data.  Additionally, you should ensure your new iPad is kept up to date with the latest security patches and antivirus definitions for your new iPad.

 

Educate Your Staff on Mobile Security

It is a good idea to periodically train your staff so they are aware of IT security policies and related mobile security risks.  Make sure your employees are aware of the acceptable use policies for mobile devices in the workplace.  This may include  what applications are allowed and when a device can be used for personal use during the work day.  It is also important that your employees understand mobile security risks associated with their new iPad. Be sure to include in the training how and when to report loss or theft of a mobile device.

There are a number of steps you can take to ensure secure usage of your new iPad and other tablet computers within the workplace. It doesn’t matter if the mobile device is company owned or a personal device.  Either way, if you have a new iPad in the workplace, make sure it is secure.  If you need assistance with your mobile device management policies or procedures contact your IT Support professional.