03/29/2024
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By Dr. Lisa Bryan

Small business and personal computer users must be aware of the need to protect the information assets stored on their computers.   For small businesses, company records, financial documents, and customer confidential data must be protected for the business’s success and reputation.  For the home user or home business user, many of the same personal information assets are at risk.   The days of protecting our information assets with locked doors and file cabinets are over.   The minute you put your computer on the Internet, you are opening your information, even confidential information, to the world and people who seek to do you harm.  The responsibility is yours to protect that information.  If confidential or sensitive information is lost or compromised, you risk your financial future, legal action, and continued prosperity.

In 2013, I researched this area focusing on small business.   I sought to determine the strategies that small businesses could use to protect their information assets.  Many of these strategies could also help you at home.   I will focus on the first one of these three strategies in today’s article: Information Security Awareness.

Information Security Awareness involves understanding and being aware of the security risks.  For most people, formal computer training is not something they have experienced.   Most people got a computer and figured out how to use it to do what was needed.   Some people even got training on special software they needed to do their job.   Very few people have attended a class on just general good computer practices.   I have done this training for over 30 years and in every class I have a room full of people who have never heard just some of the basic things like putting a password on your computer, not opening attachments or links in emails, not sharing your password with others, not friending others in social networking that you do not know, and backing up your computer files.   Users often, without knowing, open the door for security incidents.

I encourage you to become information security aware.   If you own a business, contact your local community college small business center and request they help you with this training.  You can enroll in continuing education classes at the community college.  You can even take a curriculum class like Introduction to Computers or Business Use of Computers in online and seated formats.  You can hire a consultant to come spend a day with your employees and teach them best practices.   The investment in your employees will be worth your time and money as they are your best defense against security incidents.

You would never leave your business doors unlocked when you leave at night.  You would train your employees to make sure they know how to lockup and set the alarm.   You have another door into your business and home that you really need to know more about – your computer.   Spend the time to learn yourself and train your employees how to secure that door.

Dr. Lisa Bryan is the Program Chair CSU-Global – Management Information Systems/Data Analytics.

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