IT Security & Data Security
Yorkshire PCÂ gives some basic advice on IT Security & Data Security. Yorkshire PCÂ provides general information on how best to protect your computer equipment and data. Note that this is the very basic information to help people understand about the importance of IT Security & Data Security, and does not go into full details. This is so that we avoid confusing those of us with less understanding about computers and data.
 Yorkshire PC has provided this information to help everyone grasp the basics of IT Security and Data Security issues. However if you have a concern about your IT equipment or Data Security issues or maybe you simply need advice, then please don’t hesitate to contact us! We can help you by giving you the right advice with regards to your IT concerns or any other computer problems.  You can contact us by clicking here or please telephone on 01274 900111 to avoid the breach or loss of any data.
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Importance of IT Security and Data Security
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IT Security or Data Security – The Basics
Whether your a residential or a business user, it is important that you carry out your computer data backup and security audit of your computer equipment, as you may have collected important data over many years.  Just to give you an idea of the sort of important information you can lose, we have compiled a small list for your eyes:-
Residential Users tend to have:-
1. Years of precious collected/scanned family photos & videos
2. Bank and other Personal details
3. CVs, Spreadsheets and other documents
4. Your kids may have their school work
Business Users tend to have a lot more to lose due to the nature of their what they do:-
1. Many types of accounting data / spreadsheets / documents
2. Bank and employee details
3. Company strategies
4. Sales Figures
5. Tax information
6. Client Data & Details
Now imagine if you lost any of the above. Not only is the security of this data precious for a home user, but from a business user’s point of view, the loss of such data could spell disaster for their business.
What threats are there exactly to my computer equipment or data?
In order to explain in more simple terms, we divide the threats to your computer security into three main risk categories and then give examples of those risks:-
1. An Event
a. Fire – Computer equipment and data being burnt
b. Theft – Computer equipment being stolen and data being used for criminal purposes
c. Water - Computer equipment and data being water damaged
d. Vandalism – Deliberate damage being caused to your computer equipment and data
2. Computer Programs
a. Virus or Trojan HackTools – A program deliberately created to access and damage your data
b. Spyware or Malware – Malicious Software that steals your details
3. A Person or People
a. Unintentional deletion of your data or damage to computer equipment
b. Deliberate deleting of your data and damage to your computer equipment
c. Hackers/Phishing - Tools, Websites or Emails used to obtain access to your PC or obtain your details
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What can I do to protect myself from such IT security issues?
Due to the different types of data security issues, we have to break this down even further as a different action is required for each risk:-
1. An Event
a. Fire -
          i) Fire-Proof Secure Room or Vault
          ii) Heat and Smoke detectors
          iii) Fire suppression system
          iv) Remote Data Backup System
b. Theft -
        i) Security Alarm/Survelliance/Alert System
        ii) Limited Access Control Cards
        iii) Limited Entry/Exit Points
        iv) Encrypt Data
         v) Secure Network system with User Access Control
        vi) ID Mark all computer equipment
       vii) Remote Data Backup System
       viii) Use of User Access Control to limit access to unauthorised files
          x) Use of strong passwords
c. Water -
       i) Spot Detectors
       ii) Remote Data Backup System
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2. Computer Programs
a. Virus or Trojan HackTools -
          i) Use of a good Firewall
          ii) Use of a good Anti-virus & Trojan scanner
          iii) Strong policy on Regular health-check and scan of computers for viruses and spyware
          iv) Local & Remote Data Backup System
           v) Use of strong passwords
           vi) Secure Computer/Network system with User Access Control
b. Malicious Software, such as Spyware or Malware -
        i) Use of good Anti-Spyware / Anti-Malware Programs
        ii) Local & Remote Data Backup System
        iii) Use of strong passwords
        iv) Strong policy on Regular health-check and scan of computers for viruses and spyware
         v) Secure Computer/Network system with User Access Control
3. A Person or People
a. Unintentional deletion of your data or damage to computer equipment -
        i) Education about IT for staff and home users, to avoid accidental damage
       ii) Secure Network system with User Access Control
b. Deliberate deleting of your data and damage to your computer equipment -
       i) Secure Computer/Network system with User Access Control
       ii) Security Alarm/Survelliance/Alert System
c. Hackers/Phishing -
      i) Use of a good firewall
      ii) Use of strong passwords
      iii) Use of a good Anti-virus/Trojan/Spyware Scanner
      iv) Avoid emails/websites which ask you to enter your personal details, especially if you don’t recognise them
Yorkshire PC - World of Computer Repairs in Bradford. We provide Business IT Support & Computer Repairs to Bradford, Leeds, Halifax and surrounding areas in West Yorkshire. Please visit our main website: Yorkshire PC - World of Bradford Computer Repairs for our vast list of computer services.
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August 25, 2009
Tags: backup, data, encryption, fire, Hardware, identity, it, secure, Security, Software, spyware, theft, virus Posted in: Hardware, Internet, Security, Software
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