Office security: 'important' small business issue.

Here are ten tips to help your firm and your clients fend off security attacks.

The nation's small to medium-sized businesses rank office computer security among the most important issues they face, according to a member survey conducted by the Information Technology Solution Providers Alliance (ITSPA), a Dallas-based national, nonprofit alliance that helps businesses understand how technology and local technology providers can help them succeed.

The ITSPA survey polled IT solution providers across the United States. Members indicated that they spent nearly 25 percent of their professional time resolving security issues for small and mediums-sized businesses (SMBs). The issues ranged from fixing viruses to upgrading computer firewalls. Solution providers--companies that help small and medium size businesses (SMBs) purchase, customize, and install technology equipment and software to meet business challenges--also indicated their clients have been hit by hackers or viruses an average of more than seven times in 2004.

According to the ITSPA survey, the majority of solution providers ranked the following five SMB security issues as "most important":

1. Upgrading the computer network

2. Upgrading the computer firewall

3. Regularly auditing computer and software inventories

4. Downloading computer security updates

5. Installing up-to-date antivirus software

The factor that had the greatest impact on protecting their SMB customers' computers and systems was regularly updating security software. Companies that download security updates, install antivirus software, and lock down their wireless networks using data encryption are best prepared to avoid computer and network security breaches," said ITSPA president Russell Morgan.

Small Businesses 'More Vulnerable'

According to Morgan, "Although SMBs are not attacked as often as large companies, they are very vulnerable when massive computer attacks take place such as worm or virus outbreaks. Also, security at large companies is much better which encourages hackers to view smaller businesses as an easy target."

ITSPA's Technology Committee urged SMBs to begin to put in place basic security measures designed to prevent outsiders from breaking into their networks from the Internet. Other ITSPA Technology Committee recommendations included the following ten tips:

* Install antivirus software and update it regularly. This software scans incoming emails for virus signatures and, if a virus is found, deletes...