Tips to Protect Your Data While Traveling

As the economy slowly recovers, small and midsized businesses (SMBs) are expected to loosen some existing restraints on travel.

However, when employees travel to destinations such as trade shows and conferences, their computer data may travel with them, making it vulnerable to theft and loss. Fortunately, new technology is helping to ensure that when your data leaves the office, it doesn’t get lost or mugged on the way. To stay safe, consider these six technologies that can help keep your digital files secure, wherever your employees take them:

Automatic backup
Hard drives do fail from time to time. Safeguarding against the inevitable ensures that precious time and money won’t be spent re-creating lost information after a crash. Some of the most recent operating systems offer the capability to set up a file backup system.

Encryption
Protect against data loss or outright theft. One option developed with feedback from SMBs, Microsoft’s latest operating system, Windows 7 Professional, has an Encrypting File System (EFS) that provides a powerful encryption technology for files and folders to protect confidential information such as financial or customer data.

Virtual private networks
Ensure employee access to company files and systems remotely without the threat of security breaches. Well-known providers, including McAfee and Microsoft, regularly update their software with security patches to protect against new hacker threats.

Anti-virus and anti-spyware protection
Block spyware before it infiltrates and slows down employee computers. Windows Defender, a free feature in some of the more recent versions of Microsoft Windows, helps stop spyware before it infiltrates a computer.

Storing data in the “cloud”
The buzz phrase “cloud computing” commonly refers to the practice of “renting” software applications over the Internet. While the details may be more complex, SMBs that choose to use a cloud-based solution–such as a business productivity online suite (BPOS) that combines e-mail, instant messaging and collaboration tools–can purchase a subscription to a set of online applications that streamline communication and come with comprehensive security built in. By storing data in the cloud and not on laptops, SMBs need not be as concerned if a device or machine goes missing.

Password protection for login and individual files
These enable employees to secure their entire computer, or implement a more robust security policy by assigning passwords to individual files.

These technologies can offer you peace of mind and the security you need to effectively grow your business, now and in the future.

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