Technology and the Internet opened up a whole new set of security risks for businesses. But they didn't make the old ones go away! Securing your physical environment and enforcing policies that protect your business information and assets remain critical. A casual break-in can potentially cause more damage than an unknown intruder who attacks via the Internet.          

Is Your Business at Risk?

With so much privileged business information stored on computers from customer credit card numbers to inventory balances to payroll records ensuring the physical security of your computers is a key step in securing the information stored on them.        
        
Consider:        

• Your salesman leaves his laptop on a bus or a cab or a plane with everything on it, including details of your new product line which is know at risk of exposure
• Your partner's kid comes in after hours and plays computer games on the server , everything on that server is now at risk of corruption, or failure.
• A break-in in occurs in your office and they make off with a couple of computers. They may not want the financial records they discover, but he more then likely know someone who will.

You can't predict how your computing environment will be threatened. But you can be prepared.        

Basic Steps You Can Take:

1. Restrict access to sensitive areas such as server rooms or employee records.
2. Consider risks such as fire and flooding when locating a server room or other sensitive area. Install fire extinguishers.
3. Mark computers and major components with identifying information, including your company name, location of computer and user.
4. Log serial numbers of computers and components so they can be identified and recovered if stolen.
5. Encourage staff to pick up documents immediately from fax machines and copiers. Set up secure printers for confidential information. Invest in a shredder.