Save content
Have you found this content useful? Use the button above to save it to your profile.
AIA

Technology Briefing: How to beat viruses & spam

by
25th Dec 2005
Save content
Have you found this content useful? Use the button above to save it to your profile.

Viruses, spam and worms are everyday Internet nuisances that you're certain to meet at some time. This extract from a briefing by Microsoft Business Solutions reseller PCS provides an introduction to the tools available to manage such Internet threats. Readers can request a copy of the full guide online.

Even if your system has never been infected by a virus you're bound to have heard the horror stories. There's also a good chance that you get deluged with Spam - because nearly everyone does. Add to this unsolicited spyware, which can extract personal information such as passwords and opens up a massive system security breach, plus Worms and Trojan Horses, and your business could experience a complete security nightmare.

Marshall your defences
The only way to win the war against the cyberspace vandals and criminals is to know the weapons you've got to defend yourself with, and deploy them. Here is a quick summary of the main defences:

Firewalls
A firewall is a defensive program that sits between your network and the Internet and manages programs are allowed to communicate with the Internet. It scrutinises all the information that passes through. It filters everything before it reaches your system and you can tell it what to allow past and what to stop.

Anti-virus software
You should have anti-virus software and anti-spyware installed on every computer and every server in your network. Both are easy to keep updated. Anti-virus software will catch incoming viruses and make sure they're not allowed to propagate, whilst anti-spyware will ensure that covert code, designed to pry into your secrets, is destroyed. The best way to use anti-virus software is to have it delete and remove corrupted files automatically. It is also desirable, wherever possible, to have your e-mail scanned for viruses before it enters your mail server, a service offered by a number of Internet Service Providers.

Security patches
The operating system manufacturer issues patches, for example Microsoft's Service Pack 2 for Windows XP, to ensure that as system vulnerabilities are discovered, you're provided with a solution to 'patch' the hole. Generally speaking, patches are easy to download and install but care needs to be taken where any 'out of the ordinary' software is used in the business.

Backing-up
If your building burnt down or you suffered a fatal network crash that corrupted all your data, what would you do? If you had a full copy of the data, safely stored outside the building (known as a "back up"), half the problem wouldn't arise. So for safety you need to be sure that every night all your data is separately recorded and stored away from the premises.

Make it happen
Internet security is like any other investment, you need to judge cost against risk. What would be the cost to your business if you lost your customer database, or your accounting data corrupted or your email system went down for a morning, a day or a whole week?

There is no single easy solution to the problem, but one thing a business can do is ensure that security is a top priority right across the business - and that it is enforced! A regularly updated security policy, comprising a compulsory set of rules and regulations must be communicated to all staff. This policy should be reinforced with occasional IT refresher sessions and, of course, it should be a core part of any Induction Course for new employees.

To request the full version of this Technology Briefing, complete the download form on the PCS page in AccountingWEB's Reseller Channel.

Tags:

Replies (3)

Please login or register to join the discussion.

avatar
By steve_roberts
12th Nov 2004 14:57

Or... Install Linux
An option the Microsoft commentator didn't mention! Migrate file, print and web servers to Linux. My experience is that once set up they are extremely reliable, require minimal maintenance, and are not vulnerable to the current flood of email borne viruses. In many cases Linux can also work on the desktop greatly simplifying the management of IT risk, although not in all cases.

Thanks (0)
avatar
By John Savage
11th Nov 2004 11:29

Anyone had this yet???
I received this email this morning....

" Sony DSC-F828 8.0MP Digital Camera.
Your order # 12405 has been accepted for the amount 840.00$. Your card will be charged in that amount. Thank you for your purchase.

You can check the order in your profile.

www.grebudergin.com "

If anyone else has a similar one, don't click on the link - grebudergin.com does not exist - you will be sent to a webpage which will download a Bloodhound.Exploit virus which then leads to a Downloader.Psyme virus, which fortunately my Nortons A/Virus caught.

A salutory lesson, and I like to feel I am careful with these things, but I suppose in my panic that someone had debited my credit card with a fictitious order made me lower my guard.

Thanks (0)
avatar
By dclark
11th Nov 2004 16:20

Me too !
John,

I received the same email, plus a number of variants, but SpamPal (free from spampal.org) picked them all up as spam, so until I looked in my spam bucket I never saw them !. I tried a number of spamming products over the years and for a free product SpamPal seems to pick up everything.

With respect ot Anti-Virus I am a convert to NOD32.....29 VB100% Awards....the most of any product out there (or so say Virus Bulletin - not NOD32 nor I!).......of course we re-sell it, but we were very sceptical of its claims and now regularly clean machines infected with viruses\trojans let in whilst using other well-known products

Kind Regards

Daniel Clark
Ryba Macaulay Ltd
[email protected]

Thanks (0)