Corporates can make their businesses secure by following these simple guidelines:

• Setup an e-security program for your business
• Ensure your security program facilitates confidentiality, integrity and availability
• Identify the sources of threats to your data from both internal and external sources. Examples: disgruntled employees - leaving bugs behind in your system, hackers looking to steal confidential information.
• The security program that you create for your business must have provisions to maintenance and upgrades of your systems
• Administrators have access to all files and data. Therefore, one must be mindful of who is guarding the guards
• Roles for security should be defined, documented, and implemented for both your company and external contractors.
• Establish a security awareness program for all users. Content should be communicated in non-technical terms. This could include briefings, posters, clauses in employee contracts, security awareness days etc
• Implement security training for technical staff that is focused on the security controls for their particular technical areas
• Maintain logs of all possible activities that may occur on your system. System records must note who was using the system, when, for how long, deletions etc.
• User accounts should not be shared. User authorization should be mandatory. Employees should only be able to see information that they are authorized to see.
• Employee user accounts must be disabled or removed when no longer needed. Example: in case an employee leaves the company.
• Ensure network security from external sources by installing firewalls and intrusion detection systems.
• Allow remote access to employees only through secure communication channels like SSL or VPN
• Install antivirus software on all desktops and servers. Buy Anti-Virus software solutions that allow real time upgrading of systems with anti-virus patches.
• Create a data backup and disaster recovery plan in case of unforeseen natural calamities.
• Ensure back-up procedures are in place and tested
• Ensure back-up procedures include all your critical as well as back office data such as finance, payroll etc.
• Incident response is the ability to identify, evaluate, raise and address negative computer related security events.
• Incase of an incident, do not panic, and continue to save logs.
• Incident response - Take a backup of the affected system and notify the authorities.