Why Old Fashioned IT Management and Security Is More Important ...

There is SO MUCH focus on social media that sometimes we forget the really important things in our companies ? such as mobile technology, such as our network security. I was speaking to Jim Blasingame this week on his radio show, The Small Business Advocate?and he shared how MOBILE TECHNOLOGY was more important for a small business to get right than a social media strategy.

What?s also so important is ensuring your networking security is as secure as possible and that you are overall investing in your ?old school technology?. While your Facebook page or blog probably needs to be updated, don?t neglect what?s even more important than these things ? backup, firewall protection, malware and virus protection and more.

Keep in mind if you have 10,000 Twitter followers and hackers steal your customer information ? there?s not much for you to Tweet about.

Sophos?recently announced the results of a?survey?of 571 IT managers and directors across North America, Europe and Australia. The survey revealed, among other issues, that businesses are struggling to keep IT infrastructures up to date with current working practices and more advanced threats.? According to the survey, conducted for Sophos by Vanson Bourne, 93 percent of small & medium businesses are integrating remote working policies into their security provision, with more than half of respondents (52 percent) expecting to improve security precautions to mitigate additional risks posed by remote working.? Wireless networks are also an issue, with more than a fifth (21 percent) lacking confidence in their security.? The research also found that, on average, firewalls were five years old, and that one in five respondents had suffered a network outage caused by a malware infection in the last 12 months. Both highlight the daunting task of keeping up with the latest technologies and threats.

Other findings from the research include:

-???????More than a third (36 percent) of businesses struggle with applying consistent security policies across all offices

-???????More than a third (37 percent) of wireless networks provide only an ?acceptable? level of coverage at best

-???????When choosing a network security solution, the highest priority for SMBs is a low cost of ownership (30 percent), followed by ease of use (24 percent), and support offered (22 percent)

-???????34 percent of respondents had their network firewall for five years or more

?Trends such as remote working, mobile and cloud are having a huge impact on the way small and medium sized businesses think about protecting their networks,? said Gerhard Eschelbeck, CTO at Sophos.? ?For SMBs, it is critical that any network security solution has both the ease and simplicity of a one-size-fits-all approach, yet still addresses the specific vulnerabilities of each device or mode of working, as well as every access point on the network.?

If you have not seen your local IT consultant or Technology Advisor in a while ? make an appointment and have him audit your technology. He should find the security holes before a hacker does.

jonbenet ramsey jason campbell doobie brothers jennie garth peter facinelli marques colston golden state warriors free agents nfl 2012