IT professionals are in a constant battle with cyber criminals, and the criminals will always strive to stay one step ahead. There’s nothing to suggest that the battle will ever cease, as the potential rewards for the cyber criminals are far too compelling.

Keeping an SMB network secure is about far more than installing a well-regarded antivirus package (although this does still play a part). Network admins must do all they can to thwart criminals in their tracks by taking a multi-layered approach to security. GFI Cloud helps IT Admins save time in protecting and managing their network. The following are the five essential components of a well-secured network:

Antivirus:

Antivirus software has always been key to IT security, but it’s never been so important to select the right package. For antivirus software to be effective, it must deal with all kinds of malware: Trojans, rootkits and adware are just as important as traditional “viruses,” which based on recent studies are now a mere “drop in the ocean” compared to the other threats.

GFI Cloud’s antivirus helps you deal with all of these threats, plus has a low impact on system performance, and doesn’t cause a squeeze on bandwidth.

Updates and Patches:

A high proportion of successful virus attacks are based on “Trojan Horses” that take advantage of known security flaws in third-party systems such as Java and Flash. To make things extra complicated, some of these attacks take the form of fake updates for these systems. It’s extremely unwise to leave it to users to apply updates to third-party software and have them judge whether each update is genuine. The only way to avoid falling victim to these attacks is to implement a quality patch management system that covers everything from the client operating systems to the plug-ins working within users’ browsers. Patch management in GFI Cloud can alleviate these risks through the automated, regular patching of computers and servers, whether they are in the office or on the go.

Filtering and Monitoring:

Some IT pros contemplating filtering and monitoring immediately think of blocking Facebook (News - Alert) and Twitter, and other things that might affect staff productivity. However, filtering and monitoring is very relevant to security, too. Cyber criminals have turned to phishing and social engineering to compromise personal and business information, so you must counter this threat by implementing systems that stop users being tricked by fake PayPal (News - Alert) login screens and other Web-based threats. What level of filtering and monitoring you require will depend on the individual needs of your business – the customizable policies in GFI Cloud can help you maintain control of your systems.

Asset Management:

Managing assets is also very important for system security. Once a laptop is out “in the field” you must ensure you maintain control of it, and that it’s not allowed to become an easy entry point for viruses due to a lack of antivirus updates and patches. Asset management systems put you in control of these geographically dispersed assets and homes in on problems of which you might otherwise have been unaware. Install asset tracking on all your devices to make sure you know where they are.   Asset Tracking is a FREE service from GFI Cloud – no credit card required, no limits on the amounts of devices you can track.

User Education:

Human beings can often prove to be the “weak link” in IT security. Users need training on the potential risks associated with things like plugging in un-scanned USB devices and downloading files from unknown websites. The IT team should never assume that users take a keen interest in the latest cyber-security developments – it’s far more likely that they couldn’t care less! It’s down to IT to teach them what they should know. GFI Cloud is a single solution that offers multi-layered IT security of antivirus, monitoring, patch management, asset tracking and web protection, all controlled from a web based console. Win the fight against cyber criminals with GFI Cloud. Try it free for 30 days.