Network Security for the Financial Industry
Posted by admin in Network Security, Security on October 6, 2011
Network security is not simply the strengthening of firewalls or installing antivirus software. Rather, network security is an integral part of business continuity planning for companies or organizations that use electronic information systems for storing data. In fact, having an effective network security policy that includes regular assessments is required for businesses to meet industry best practices and to comply with laws like Sarbanes-Oxley or HIPAA.
Business continuity planning, or BCP for short, pertains overall to developing strategies for minimizing financial losses, serving customers with few disruptions, and reducing any negative repercussions. While encompassing all aspects of a business, BCP covers information technology, including mitigating potential threat scenarios by risk management practices and assessment.
Certain industry best practices or federal laws lay out specific BCP standards for the financial industry. The Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) describes all principles, standards, and report forms for federal examination of financial institutions, and network security is listed in the FFIEC IT Handbook. The FFIEC IT Handbook specifies an audit program for businesses that involves evaluating risk management practices and compliance with corporate policy. In general, any finance institution’s audit program needs to identify and reduce risk exposure for the institution. Read the rest of this entry »
Basic Principles of Computer Security
Posted by admin in Computer Security, Data Security on October 6, 2011
Antivirus software protects your private information, secures data integrity, saves computer from viruses and helps prevent identity theft; therefore, it is very essential to install antivirus software for your PC’s virus protection. However, some users are unaware of the significance of an antivirus download to protect their PC, and by doing so open up their PC to numerous threats.
To have computer virus protection you only need a good antivirus software that provides an anti-spyware program and firewall. You can find many good antivirus software online with many offering a free version. Choose the best possible antivirus as per your requirements so that you can get complete protection along with total security. Some of the basic protections that you will need to secure your PC are:
Physical Security
The first thing you need to do is to protect your computer from physical damage. You should never plug your electronic devices directly into a wall outlet but should purchase a surge protector to protect the computer from electrical damage. In addition to this, purchase a standby-uninterrupted power supply (UPS). A standby UPS gives power to the computer even when the main power source is lost. Read the rest of this entry »