Computer Tip of the Day "08-31"

The "absolutely necessary" actions that a small business should take to protect its information, systems, and networks.
These practices must be done to provide basic information security for your information, computers, and networks.
For the next ten posts by me I will cover the necessary actions mentioned above.

Install, use (in "real-time" mode, if available), and keep regularly updated anti-virus and anti-spyware software on every computer used in your business.
Many commercial software vendors provide adequate protection at a reasonable price and some for free. An internet search for anti-virus and anti-spyware products will show many of these organizations. Most vendors now offer subscriptions to "security service" applications, which provides multiple layers of protection (in addition to anti-virus and anti-spyware protection).
You should be able to set the antivirus software to automatically check for updates at some scheduled time during the night (12 Midnight, for example) and then set it to do a scan soon afterwards (12:30am, for example). Schedule the anti-spyware software to check for updates at 2:30am and to do a full system scan at 3:00am. This assumes that you have an always-on, high-speed connection to the Internet. Regardless of the actual scheduled times for the above updates/scans, schedule them so that only one activity is taking place at any given time.
It is a good idea to obtain copies of your business anti-virus software for your and your employees’ home computers. Most people do business work at home now and then. You want their home systems to be protected, too.