Do I need to be concerned about security on my small network?

Every network, no matter how small, is at some risk from attack. A major factor in this depends on the type of data that is on your network. For example if your network is an Accountancy firm or Solicitors then you may have a huge amouont of financial data pertaining to your clients. In the wrong hands this data could be used fraudulently. Your company has been entrusted with this personal data from your clients and should be doing everything it can to keep it safe and secure.

On the other hand you may have a small home network with just some photo's and music and think nobody would ever be interested - you would be wrong!! Many home networks are easy pickings for attackers and once compromised your internet banking details or other online shopping details may be exposed. Or your network could be used to attack another larger network, with all traces of attack coming back to your home address.

What are the biggest threats to my network?

The biggest threats to your network will relate to the data stored there as mentioned above. If your company stores lots of personal financial or credit card data then threats are not only from the internet but also from company employees who can use or sell this information for their own gain.

How safe is it to use a public wifi hotspot?

This question is always causing controversy and often overly hyped in the media. The majority of public wifi hotspots are managed by legitimate companies and as long as you are careful with the type of site you visit then you should be fairly safe. For example some public wifi hotspots offer little or no security and data can be easily stolen. Others however are much better at protecting from this type of data theft.

Is the website I am using secure??

Again this is another question that can cause alot of controversy and media hype. From i2consulting's point of view it again depends on the data that is being input to a website.

For example whenever you are purchasing something online or using your internet banking you should always look for a website certificate being used, this is different in different web browsers but usual entails the web address beginning with https:// or a small padlock appearing in the browser address bar.

What should I do if I think I have been hacked?

If you think your company network has already been hacked or are concerned about the level of security you may or may not have then contact i2consulting and we can offer you a comprehensive review of security controls and procedures and also network or application penetration testing. We can also offer advice in what you should be doing to secure your network from attack.

E-mail: info@i2consulting.co.uk