Every day, thousands of new cybersecurity threats appear. Fake antivirus programs, ads infected with malicious JavaScript, and other malware programs proliferate as cyber threats become easier to deploy. Although malware is a point of concern for companies of all sizes, small to midsize businesses - which typically have access to fewer dedicated resources - are particularly vulnerable to these threats.
For organizations handling any kind of sensitive data (e.g., credit card and personal information), a data breach can prove disastrous and have long-term negative effects. Subsequently, it's important for SMBs to implement reliable security programs. Stratosphere Networks offers extensive security solutions - including email spam protection, secure VPN, and data management security - for businesses of all sizes and across all industries.
When you're deciding on a security solution for your business, you'll want to consider a number of key factors first. Here's what you should keep in mind to make sure that you select a security product that fits your company's needs.
- Heuristics. Consider whether the solution uses heuristic analysis, which can detect modified forms of known malware in addition to completely new malicious programs. An antivirus program that leverages heuristics will use file emulation and a rules-based approach to determine whether a suspect program behaves like malware. Heuristic analysis can result in false positives and end up quarantining programs that aren't actually malware. However, this method can potentially offer an advantage over antivirus programs that depend on definition files, since heuristics can detect new threats that haven't been defined yet.
- Resource usage. Your security solution should consume as few resources as possible to operate, while still protecting your business from cyber threats. Too much resource usage can bog down your system and interfere with productivity.
- System footprint. It's best if your security solution has a light system footprint, in addition to using minimal resources. A light footprint means it won't slow your system down, and it will extend the life of your legacy hardware, compared with a solution with a heavier footprint. Look for solutions with minimal disk space usage requirements.
- Maintenance. Ideally, a security solution should be easy to deploy, manage, and run. When evaluating your options, be sure to consider ease of network status tracking. Additionally, the process for upgrading should go smoothly and not result in a call to your vendor's support hotline every time.
- Cost. Security programs shouldn't break your budget. Stay away from solutions that necessitate buying expensive server hardware and licensing pricey external databases. Finding vendors without those requirements can help SMBs realize savings.
- Web and device control. Users can accidentally pick up viruses or spyware from the Web or by sharing files via USB drives, CDs, and other devices. A security program with Web and device control will allow you to prohibit risky Web browsing and block dangerous devices based on attributes such as the manufacturer and device number.
- Live grid access. A security solution with access to a live grid - a cloud-based listing of files and their reputations (safe or not) - can save computers and devices the time it would take to scan files that have already been checked and white listed.
- Two-factor authentication. Companies with mobile workforces face the risk of data breaches that could happen when employees access corporate applications while working remotely. Two-factor authentication reduces the risk of compromised passwords by requiring remote users to input a unique one-time password that they receive via text message.
With new threats arising every day, businesses can't afford to ignore cybersecurity. Implementing a security solution will help your company comply with industry regulations and protect sensitive customer data. Call us at 877-599-3999 or contact a sales rep at sales@stratospherenetworks.com to learn more about cybersecurity solutions.