What Business Owners Need To Know About Running Windows XP

Although many businesses have been getting rid of Windows XP for at least the last 3 years, the fact remains that as of early this year, around 500 million business computers were still running Windows XP. While the End of Service for Windows XP is still a few months away (April 9, 2014), here are 7 of the top reasons running Windows XP should scare any business owner right now:

1. Tons Of Viruses: There is a huge library of viruses aimed at Windows XP and limited antivirus support still available.
2. XP Is OLD: (almost 12 years old). The 1st iPod was released the same year as Windows XP. In a world where the 5th iPhone has been released, no one should be left using an O/S that pre-dates the 1st iPod!
3. Least Secure Operating System:  ALL other platforms, including Linux, all versions of Mac OS X, Windows 7 and Windows 8 are more secure than XP by a huge margin. Windows Vista is actually a far safer option (Scary!).
4. Built For A Simpler Time: XP was created for a simpler world of technology. It was formatted to fit to a screen only 640 pixels wide, and it showcased IE6 as a new product. The internet was a different place when XP was developed. Smartphones were non-existent, laptops were a luxury and tablet computers were science fiction.
5. No More Band-Aids: Only so many band-aid fixes on top of one another can be effective.
6. Support Is Ending: All support of XP will end on April 9, 2014.  It’s time to replace your systems now while you can plan ahead.
7. Malware Everywhere: You can continue to use XP, but with more malware than ever. XP is by far the most vulnerable platform to connect to the internet.

 Liability
Running a business on an operating system that is 2 generations out of date after the end of support will put your company in an indefensible position from a legal perspective. The majority of US states have data protection laws in place requiring business owners operate with “due diligence”. I urge you to strongly consider upgrading your computers before the April 8^th deadline. Don’t worry we are here to help! 
Call BEL Networks for upgrade options at 804-796-2631.

The Alternative – Is COPE any Better?
A minority of small businesses has implemented a Corporate Owned, Personally Enabled ("COPE") policy instead.  They buy their employees' mobile devices, secure them, and then let employees load additional personal applications that they want or need.  And the employers control what types of apps can be added too.  The "personally enabled" aspect of COPE allows employees to choose the company-approved device they prefer while permitting them to use it both personally and professionally.  COPE is certainly more controlled and secure, but for a business with a limited budget, buying devices for everyone can add up pretty quickly.  If you go the COPE route and are large enough to buy in volume, you can likely negotiate substantial discounts.

Security Concerns With BYOD
If you have client information that must be kept secure or other industry specific regulations regarding the security of client data, then COPE is likely your best approach.  It takes out any gray area of whose is whose.  Plus, there is a certain comfort level in being able to recover, or confiscate, any device for any reason at any time to protect your company without any worries of device ownership.

• We'll match up your business objectives and your specific risk tolerance with what you want to enable your employees to do and how you want them to work.
• We'll review your current mobile device policy to make sure you aren't missing CRITICAL "must-haves" on your list that could lead to big problems.
• We'll review the "Locks on the Doors" of your devices.  A written policy is not enough!  We'll review the critical areas of your mobile device management system too often missed by small businesses.

It’s Monday morning and one of your employees notifies you that they lost their laptop at a Starbucks over the weekend, apologizing profusely. Aside from the cost and inconvenience of buying a new laptop, could you be on the hook for bigger costs, and should you notify all your clients? Maybe, depending on where you live and what type of data you had stored on that laptop.

An Emerging New Trend In Business Law

Since companies are storing more and more data on their employees and clients, most states are starting to aggressively enforce data breach and security laws that set out the responsibilities for businesses capturing and storing personal data. What do most states consider confidential or sensitive data? Definitely medical and financial records such as credit card numbers, credit scores and bank account numbers, but also addresses and phone numbers, social security numbers, birthdays and in some cases purchase history—information that almost every single company normally keeps on their clients.

"We Did Our Best" Is No Longer An Acceptable Answer

With millions of cyber criminals working daily to hack systems, and with employees accessing more and more confidential client data, there is no known way to absolutely, positively guarantee you won’t have a data breach. However, your efforts to put in place good, solid best practices in security will go a long way to help you avoid hefty fines. Here are some basic things to look at to avoid being labeled irresponsible:

• Managing access

Who can access the confidential information you store in your business? Is this information easily accessible by everyone in your company? What is your policy about taking data out of the office on mobile devices?

• IT security and passwords

The more sensitive the data, the higher the level of security you need to keep on it.  Are your passwords easy to crack? Is the data encrypted? Secured behind a strong firewall? If not, why?

• Training

One of the biggest causes for data breaches is the human element: employees who accidentally download viruses and malware that allow hackers easy access. Do you have a data security policy? A password policy? Do you have training to help employees understand how to use e-mail and the Internet responsibly?

• Physical security

It’s becoming more common for thieves to break into offices and steal servers, laptops and other digital devices. Additionally, paper contracts and other physical documents containing sensitive information should be locked up or scanned and encrypted.
 

The bottom line is this:

Data security is something that EVERY business is now responsible for, and not addressing this important issue has consequences that go beyond the legal aspect; it can seriously harm your reputation with clients. So be smart about this. Talk to your attorney about your legal responsibility.