Email and document security is no longer just an option for companies, it is
a necessity. Couple that with the costly user licensing of most enterprise software
solutions and many small business operators can be locked out of taking advantage
of Best Practice strategies that ensure the privacy of intellectual property and
communication. Setting rights permissions to documents and encrypting email will
be essential to future security practices for all businesses.
Common knowledge has been that the less sophisticated small business operates
on a pricing sensitivity and is more apt to take advantage of promotions, whereas
the more sophisticated make security decisions based on perceived business necessities.
Overall, small businesses tend towards waiting to implement internet security measures
until after suffering an email breach or informational leak. By this time privacy
and accompanying monetary loss may have already done irreparable harm to a company's
intellectual property and reputation. Large enterprise solutions make it necessary
to adopt complex IT infrastructures and processes that are usually dependent on
an IT staff - a solution that does not fit well into the budgets of most small businesses.
According to published reports in PCWorld.com, there are nearly 70 million small
businesses worldwide and over 20 million in the U.S. alone. Small business is a
major part of the global economy - that means it's time to replace a general passivity
towards the possible threats from email and document theft with a look towards initiating
security measures as a business standard. The increasing level of security risk
due to email and intellectual property theft make it imperative for small businesses
to raise their level of security knowledge and investment.
Recent studies show that although information security is a high concern for
small business owners, lack of actual knowledge and awareness of the economic impact
of security incidents is equally high. Imparting an awareness to the small business
community of the real threats in regards to security vulnerability should be top
priority. Through education in this arena, small businesses can better enable them
to not only determine their own level of risk but also choose the necessary email
and document security solutions.
The responsibility of raising awareness of security provisions needs to come
not only from governing agency reports, but also from security solution vendors.
Providers of business tool solutions are better equipped than any other entity to
position themselves as leaders in educating businesses on not only the dangers but
the appropriate basic security measures to complement a small company infrastructure.
Especially here, being informed on which internet security products best suit a
company need is important as the needs of small businesses are vastly different
than that of enterprise businesses.
Look to numerous market survey and analysis reports that specialize in studies
on information security and small business. A little research will show they repeatedly
state the same warning to small businesses - they need to change their attitude
towards security and begin adopting a security plan.
Taking the time to gather information on creating good internet security practices
will lead to a decrease in the future cost of lost productivity, and by educating
your workforce you create an even wider prevention of productivity loss.
