Networks and Communications

4. Security

Allowing everybody to share files and resources entails some security risk.

The risk depends on the nature of your business. If you have commercially sensitive data you should discuss how to secure your network with an IT specialist. But for most businesses it is rare for somebody from the outside to hack into a system.

You are far more likely to suffer because an employee accidentally deletes some software or gains unauthorised access to confidential information.

4.1 Network operating systems allow you to give different users different levels of access.

• Each user has a username and a password.
• Individual users can be limited to certain sections of the network to prevent unauthorised access. For example, you can configure your system so that only nominated userscan access confidential data.
• Individual users can be allowed to decide who else may use any files they create.

4.2 Businesses that transmit commercially sensitive information may need to encrypt messages.

For example, any business which makes sales over the Internet.

• Encryption scrambles your message so that unauthorised users cannot read it.

4.3 You may need additional software and hardware to prevent viruses.