Internet drugstore (Photo credit: nicolasnova)
The web is full of opportunities for users to stumble across something malicious, which can lead to downtime, information leakage, and worse. Should you block Internet access for employees? Of course not! Internet usage is one of the best tools you can provide to practically every user in your organization. But if you are going to allow Internet access to your employees, you need to do it smartly, to make sure that it is a benefit, and not a bane to your company. Here are three ways to improve web security at your place of business:
1. Have an Internet usage policy
Work with senior management, Human Resources, your legal counsel, and a focus group of users to develop an Internet usage policy that details in simple terms exactly what is and is not considered appropriate use of the Internet. Make sure the policy is easy to read and understand, incorporated into new hire and ongoing employee training. I urge you to permit a modicum of personal Internet use, as long as it does not interfere with a user’s productivity. It will work wonders in terms of employee morale, and will help to offset those times when you need a user to work late, work during lunch break, or throughout the weekend. Just make clear how much is considered acceptable, and what indicators will show when it is excessive.
2. Educate your users
The Internet usage policy explains what is acceptable and what is not, but that is only the beginning of what you need to do to educate your users. You work on computers every day, and may not even remember a time before the Internet, but most of your users probably couldn’t explain the difference between a virus and a worm, and won’t know why opening an attachment is not necessarily safe to do. Spend time educating your users. You can speak briefly at company or team meetings, have brown-bag sessions once a month in the lunch room, or send out security tips newsletter by email once a month. Any combination you choose to use will be good if it helps users understand reason for web security, the importance of patch management, and that a little paranoia around email attachments and Internet downloads is a good thing.
3. Use web security software
You use a firewall. You use passwords. You use antivirus software. Web security software is as fundamental to your overall security as any of those other technologies. Web security software doesn’t mean performing the role of an Internet police. It means scanning downloads for malicious content, blocking access to inappropriate sites that violate the Internet usage policy, and protecting users from accidentally accessing those things they should not. Internet monitoring software will greatly improve your web security, but never needs to violate the privacy of your users.
By doing these three simple things in your company, you will greatly improve web security, and proactively protect your company, your coworkers, and your customers from problems that can come about when you lack these three things. They are simple to do, integral to strong web security, and cost effective. Improve your web security so everyone can access the web in a safe and secure manner.
This guest post was provided by Casper Manes on behalf of GFI Software Ltd. GFI is a leading software developer that provides a single source for network administrators to address their network security, content security and messaging needs. Learn more on what to include in your web security strategy. All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
