Business Security

All businesses that conduct business via the Internet have a responsibility to keep their data safe. When a customer registers to receive information or to purchase a product from your business, it's very likely that they are trusting their personal information to you as part of the process. If their personal information is compromised, the consequences can be far reaching and dire. Your business' risks commence with upset customers who may be unwilling to continue doing business with you through jail time and large fines.

The standard to which business owners are held has risen dramatically over the past year. These days, it's considered common sense that any business that collects personal information from customers also would have a security plan to protect the confidentiality and integrity of the information. For financial institutions, it's an imperative: The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the Safeguards Rule, enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, require financial institutions to have a security plan for just that purpose. Due to other recent laws and regulations, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and HIPAA regulations, business data security imperatives are being brought into the mainstream.

The threats to the security of your information are varied -- from computer hackers to disgruntled employees or even simple carelessness. While protecting computer systems is an important aspect of information security, it is only part of the process.