Managed Security for the Small and Medium-Sized Business

In today’s global marketplace, every business needs to be vigilant in proactively protecting its corporate assets. Gone are the days of simply scanning a floppy disk for viruses. Today a comprehensive, layered approach is required to secure the network and company resources from multiple types of threats. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are particularly vulnerable because they typically do not have expert resources on staff to ensure the network is secure, that regulatory compliance issues are being properly addressed, and that network monitoring and updates are effectively maintained 24 hours a day.

Service providers can help SMBs secure the network by deploying a layered approach by using various advanced technologies and solutions, protecting the network, and anticipating multiple types of potential security breaches – from Trojan horse attacks and spyware to data tampering and information theft. The cost of remaining vulnerable is significant, and no business can afford to be compromised. This document outlines the technologies, solutions, steps, and measures that SMBs can undertake to implement a solid security strategy. It provides a basic overview of security services and service options along with a security requirement checklist. It also explains the advantages and benefits of using a service provider to implement and manage various aspects of the security solution versus an in-house, or do-it-yourself, approach.