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Virus Protection and Network Security Checklist
10 Steps to Help Keep Your Business Secure
Virus protection is a two-stage process. First, you need to educate your users, and then strengthen your network's security defenses. Review our checklist to see if your employees and systems are covered.


1. Educate employees.
This is the key to virus protection. Implement a plan to update employees and managers on computer viruses and company policies.

2. Arm yourself with virus protection.
Virus protection software, like McAfee VirusScan and Norton Antivirus, should be updated on a regular basis across your entire network. To do this, either check with the provider for updates or ensure you've purchased anti-virus software that can automatically update daily.

3. Avoid download dangers.
Employees may download software programs—such as programs to block pop-up advertising—but they inadvertently may be installing spyware, or hidden viruses. Have employees contact IT or network security when they want to download and install any program onto their computers.

4. Watch the Web.
Viruses can come from Web sites and e-mail messages. Make sure the e-mail program you install across your network has security features that can support your virus protection program. Microsoft Outlook® 2003, for example, has an approach to virus protection that includes multiple level security and filter settings as well as content control features.

5. Beware of file sharing.
It's inevitable that your employees will exchange files—but even if your desktops are secure, desktops outside the organization may not be. Your employees should know to never open unexpected attachments, and every e-mail message should go through a virus protection screening process. If you install an anti-virus application, this will be automatic when you send a message.

6. Update virus protection programs.
Updating virus protection software is essential to keeping your network's security strong, but so is your operating system. Virus writers look for loopholes in operating systems to compromise your security. By making sure you have the latest virus definitions and the most current operating system patches, your system will have the highest protection possible for any new virus threats. Your employees can quickly get the latest updates for their computer's operating system, software, and hardware on the Microsoft Windows® Update site. In addition, whoever holds the responsibility for update management (for example, your IT staff) should help set up schedules to make sure both their team and your employees routinely check for updates.

7. Know backup basics.
Even if information is lost to a virus, you can still recover it if your employees have a strong backup system in place. It's important to back up files as well as programs that may have been customized. How often you need to back up depends on the kind of data you collect and the speed to which you need to be back in business if any data is compromised. Make sure each employee has a backup calendar and routine, and follows it.

8. "Fireproof" your data.
Set up firewalls wherever your network or employee computers connect beyond your business's walls. That includes not only the Internet, but also local area networks (LAN) at a customer's site, and wide area networks (WAN) your users may be accessing on a regular basis.

Find out why you should use a computer firewall.


9. Get rid of spyware.
Spyware is covert marketing software that tracks or records a person's activity on the Internet without their knowledge. The user is unaware if spyware installs itself when another software program is downloaded and installed. Finding and deleting spyware can be extremely difficult. To remove it, you need spyware removal software.

10. Encrypt data.
Encrypted information cannot be seen by anyone other than the person for whom it was intended. Companies should try to encrypt all sensitive data, like e-mail messages, financial spreadsheets, and private documents.

By encrypting your e-mail messages and sensitive documents, you add an extra level of protection. Even if intruders intercept a message or hit your business network, your data will still be secure.

This checklist reflects what you can do today. But with the latest gateway security (firewall) technologies you'll be able to stop attacks before they can affect your business.

To learn more about how to protect your business, contact us for further information and assistance.

Guardian Mentor Pty Ltd © 2001