Today’s SME topic is about Virus/Spam/Internet Misuse

Viruses

I would imagine it’s statistically impossible if you’re a business who uses the internet that you haven’t had many, many viruses trying to attack you. Not nice is it?

Typically viruses are transported in e-mails, or from malicious web sites who exploit multiple vulnerabilities on your computer system.

Spam

Spam Is just as much of a problem as Viruses. It’s not uncommon for Small businesses to be getting hit with 1 millions+ pieces of spam e-mail a year.

Internet Misuse

This is a very subjective thing and depends on the culture of your company. If the question is does your staff misuse the internet at work? the answer is YES.

Will staff try and obfuscate misuse? YES

The fact is there is a certain percentage of time lost every single day in most typical businesses.

In this weeks columns which are all about the problems faced by small business I outline how I help my clients with these issues.

Advice on dealing with Viruses

You have to have multiple Anti-Virus defences basically in two crucial areas. The first is internet based. Use an external 3rd party specialist company to strip out all the viruses infected e-mails.

Viruses writers are very smart, and from time to time things slip through that net. So you need a 2nd line of defense which is running Anti-Virus software on your Office Computers.

For a Networked Client/Server I would use something like Symantec’s Corporate Anti-Virus. If you don’t have a server then I recommend Esets Nod32 Anti-Virus Application for your Desktop Pc’s/Laptops.

Advice on Dealing with Spam

If you’re lucky the same specialist company who is doing the internet based Anti-Virus also offers a Spam Filtering service. The key with filtering systems is there always needs to be human intervention to get the best of them.

Typically 80% of e-mail inbound is Spam so you need a good filtering service to deal with it. We use http://www.appriver.com

Advice on dealing with Internet Misuse

This is a two pronged problem

1) It costs the business money for people to “play about” on the internet.

2) It increases the risk of malicious web sites attacking business computers.

My advice is to write your own Companies Internet Usage Policy and aim it at a level you are happy with.

On the very odd occasion you have a persistent problem that really needs dealt with we help our clients by offering forensic analysis of how the computer has been used and let them deal with it internally.

Naturally we have access to see who is doing what when in real-time.

If you’re a North West based business looking help and advice with these issues get in touch I can help you. Tel: 01606-841587

Link: http://www.481.co.uk