=================================================

A Guide to Small Business Computer Maintenance and Security

Written by Brian K. Reeder

Strayer University - Chesapeake

Bachelors in Internetworking Technology

============================================

1. Most computers for small businesses and companies are not maintained to the optimum capability that they can be maintained, because of one thing: not enough time for the IT personnel to properly maintain the current systems. Specifically, there are the following issues:

All computers need to have a properly installed antivirus program that is weekly updated.

• The antivirus programs are only as good as their virus definitions, and since most normal users usually do not have the power to make the antivirus program update, these should be set to update automatically and run at least weekly.

All computers need to have their hard drives scanned and defragmented at least bi-weekly.

• The hard drives do slow down as their files get fragmented and also if their index files get corrupted, which can make the office/administration workers take longer than usual to create word files and do other administrative tasks.

All the computers need to have their systems protected with some sort of firewall, be it a corporate firewall or a firewall program.

• This is very important for the protection of company assets and can keep the novice hacker out of most systems, if not the experienced.

All computers now need to have some sort of anti-spy ware regime maintained weekly.

• Due to the amount of new viruses that are not being detected by virus programs and that are being detected by anti-spy ware, this type of regime should be looked at very seriously. The regime may include running a slew of different anti-spy ware programs weekly to maintain the computers internet surfing speed.

All computer systems should be cleaned by a professional A+ certified technician at least every 6 months.

• Which includes a cleaning of the computers power supply which is the most ignored part of the computer when it is cleaned. (An experienced technician would not miss cleaning the inside of the power supply.)

2. Security of the company’s files should be of utmost consideration.

For all users, there should be a shredder located in their office for shredding of papers that could be utilized by the competition for acquiring the company’s corporate business partner supply chain information, etc.

All PC’s need to be properly secured against inadvertent administration access for users. To verify that this is completed properly, the test is very easy. The following is a test for seeing if a Windows XP system is properly secured.

• Boot your system up while pressing F8. When it comes up with a menu, boot it in safe mode then pick the Administrator login. If it asks for a password then it is properly secured, but if it doesn’t and it boots up then the system is not properly secured from the users from gaining administrator access.

If your company has wireless access then there are three things that need to be checked.

• Is the wireless system encrypted? – The system needs to be secured with 128 bit encryption.

• Is the wireless system set for MAC code settings? – which really means that the only pc’s that will work on the wireless system would be the one’s that the system has been set to recognize as an authorized system.

• Is the system broadcast? Has the access password for the wireless system been changed from the default?  - These settings need to be changed as soon as the wireless system is put online.