The case for remote protection |
|
|
| Technology | |
| Written by Mark Tickle, EMEA managing director of Webroot | |
| Wednesday, 06 May 2009 | |
|
At the moment, smaller businesses especially, have a problem with technology. Nowadays it looks so simple and yet the reality of how it all works is so complex. This is especially the case with information security. Nearly all companies have to use the Web to do business and the chances of a security breach are guaranteed without appropriate protection. Web threats are on the rise.Based on Webroot research, web-borne malware increased over 500 percent in 2007, and 85 percent of malware is now distributed through the Internet. IDC states that web users are now more likely to encounter malware at legitimate web sites. Business continuity is paramount in our 24/7 world, yet the vast majority of organisations also have a problem with spam (nearly 80 percent according to my company’s research in the SME sector) and malware that risks shutting the place down. Nevertheless I still hear people saying that their IT systems are working so that’s OK. If your running water was interrupted periodically by someone blocking the supply (which is what a surfeit of spam will do to your email), you wouldn’t put up with it. We have somehow acclimatised ourselves to this because it’s always been ‘normal’ in IT. Except it’s not.The problem is growing exponentially. In 2005 there were under half a million unique samples of malicious programs around. In 2006 this rose to a million and then in 2007 the total was over 5.5 million. This is frankly not a problem that is standing still and the sharpness of the increase suggests it’s going to continue. But there are so many options for IT security, so what should you do? The managed approachIt doesn’t mean ‘don’t go out onto the Internet’ or ‘don’t use social media’. The solutions are many. You can buy an all-round security package off-the-shelf or go the best-of-breed route. There’s nothing wrong with either approach, but it does put the onus on the business to protect its own systems and keep the software up-to-date -- many people will prefer not to do this, as it is a costly, time-consuming business Nobody goes to a building security specialist expecting to wire in their own burglar alarms; nobody buys the hardware for a new phone system and expects to connect it to the network themselves, and – I believe – the increasingly complex area of IT security should be no different. Maybe it’s time instead to call in the experts and take a managed approach to securing your network. The way to do this is to look at the Software-as-a-Service model (SaaS), in which a small business rents software when it needs it rather than buying outright and installing everything on a local system, then trying to maintain the whole infrastructure in-house. Business benefitsThe approach makes sense not just for technical reasons but offers solid business benefits. Saves time: no software to install and upgrade or patch – you get the latest versions as soon as they are available. Plus deployment is faster – only takes as long as the download. Better business continuity: you’re using a system with built-in fail-safe procedures and equipment. The service level agreement (SLA) you sign will guarantee better performance and more up-time than you’d get managing your own computer systems. Better business performance, less stress: leaving it to real experts to ensure your system runs smoothly, frees you to manage your business and without oceans of spam to delete staff can focus on customers and spend more time on their jobs. Saves money: you only pay for the applications and usage you want. Scalability: as your business grows you won’t be hiring new people to maintain your IT infrastructure. Leave IT to the expertsAs I said at the start, one of the best things and one of the worst about IT at the moment is the perception of simplicity. Putting a computer network together can look like a walk in the park, and only a specialist will be aware of the complexities and risks that exist in a networked and inter-networked environment. Many organisations have benefited from outsourcing this element of their infrastructure to experts in security and other related fields, and have noted significant improvements to their performance both operationally and financially as a result. Will you be next? Comments (0)
 Post a comment
|
|
digg 
del.ico.us 
Newsvine 
Reddit 
Furl 
technorati 
Subscribe to this comment's feed
