As 2008 comes to a close, we are seeing a significant increase in information sent via intra-office networks. While printing off a memo and distributing it to co-workers was common practice as recently as 15 years ago, today, most college students and new hires do not even know how to write one. No, the days of thick files and paperwork are almost obsolete as more and more information is transferred over digital networks.
While this makes it easier to transfer data, it also makes this data easier to steal if you aren’t working on a secure network. A thief would not even have to enter your building in order to steal information about your company, simply parking a van across the street and hacking into your network will do the trick.
Not only is it important to have a secure office network, it is important that the contractor who sets up your network has signed a contract to verify his work. If information from a “secure” network happens to be stolen, someone is liable. The initial liability will fall on the company that the information was stolen from. You can protect yourself and your company by using a well written contract for all work that is done by outside contractors. The contract should specifically assign responsibility, expectations and any potential liability that might arise from a lawsuit. Having a sound legal document when working with contractors is as important as having a sound office network!
As more and more information becomes digital and contained in office networks, the more important it is to have a secure network. In fact, many potential clients may refuse to do business with your company because of a lack of security on your network. Companies will be hesitant to hand over their credit card information or other important information if it is to be contained on an unsecured network. Do yourself a favor and get your network protection up to speed!
