Just ask Pete Nicoletti. Now a senior information security consultant for Fort Lauderdale-based Mission Critical Systems, Nicoletti used to be president of DirectNet, an internet service provider. Back then he took few precautions against hackers because he figured his company was merely a conduit for other people's information and therefore of little interest to a hacker.
Wrong.
Nicoletti found out -- too late -- that his system had been penetrated by an infamous hacker, a teenager who went by the name Zyklon. "He used our network to attack other people's networks," says Nicoletti. "He had open and complete access to just about everything we had, such as accounting and billing information." Nicoletti estimates it cost him about $30,000 to rebuild his server, upgrade his security and hire consultants to deal with the problem.
Here are some tips from the experts on how you can safeguard your systems:
Assess vulnerability. You can't adequately protect your systems until you find out just how vulnerable you are. By having an expert test your systems, you'll discover the problems. Any business that has a website, does business over the internet or relies on e-mail should be tested, advises Susan Crabtree, president of Mission Critical Systems, which specializes in systems and network security. "Security is only as good as your weakest link," she says.
Create a firewall. A firewall is software-based access control for your computer network. "If your organization has access to the internet, then a firewall is a must," Crabtree says. "A firewall is your network's door lock; without it, the door is wide open." Even home-based operators who access the internet via a cable modem or DSL should have a firewall in place. Personal firewalls are available for less than $100; network firewalls can range from $500 to $25,000, Crabtree says.
Get virus and vandal protection software and keep it current. Viruses have been around for years. Less familiar, however, are vandal-malicious programs that sit on your computer and are capable of sending information from your computer to a public website. Low-cost anti-virus software is affordable to even the smallest business.
Back up your data regularly and store it off-site. Even if your backup method is as simple as copying files to a CD and taking it home, the survival of your business may depend on your diligence in doing so regularly. "You could be securing your data from someone on the outside, someone on the inside or against a disaster," says Stuart Rosenberg, president of Solutions@MBA, a technology-consulting company in Miami. "It's clearly the most important thing that any company should do."
Protect against internal intrusions. Sometimes threats come not from outside your firm but from within. Disgruntled employees may attempt to access payroll records, for example, or change a sales commission. Limit employees' network access to areas they utilize in their job function, Rosenberg suggests. When employees leave or are terminated, disable their access before they leave so that they can't harm critical systems.
Don't ignore computer security. Some business owners are overwhelmed by the vast number of products in the market; others think they're immune to hackers or fear that proper protection is outside their reach. But affordable systems are available. Fort Lauderdale-based Guarded Networks, for example, offers a network security service that starts at just $99 a month and incorporates firewall, anti-virus and intrusion-detection technology.
Says Nicoletti: "No one is immune. We thought we had a nice thick front door; we didn't know they were going to go around back."