Small Office/Home Office Network Security: Part 3

By Dave Moore
Jun 1, 2006


Continuing our examination of the security needs of the small office, let's look at configuring the existing security options that are built into the operating system (OS) and programs that you use.

Whether you use a Microsoft Windows operating system, Apple OS X, or some variety of Linux, your security needs and options will be essentially the same. If your only need is to provide Internet access to multiple computers, that is easily accomplished with a good quality router/firewall combination, and by making sure that you have properly set up the correct Internet protocols (rules that establish communication and interaction between computers and networks).

However, if you need to share files (documents, pictures, spreadsheets, etc.) between your computers, as well as providing Internet access, things can get a bit more complicated. There are easy, sloppy, and insecure ways to share files that are promoted on many "how to" networking websites found on the Internet. Avoid Windows XP Home Edition "simple file sharing" schemes; they are not secure enough for professional settings. A secure office network is one that has, at the very least, implemented what (in Windows 2000 and XP Professional Edition) are called "access control lists (ACLs)." ACLs allow you to control exactly who has access to specific files. That way, only your accountant can access accounting files, only your lawyer can access legal files, and so forth. Otherwise, you may not only be inviting strangers into your office, but you may also be allowing them to rummage through your file cabinets and take whatever they please!

Your web browser also has security options that should be tweaked. Move your office toward using Mozilla Firefox, and reserve Internet Explorer for performing Windows updates. As a result, your computers will be less prone to being invaded by spyware and adware. In Firefox, set it to not remember passwords or information entered into forms. You should also set how Firefox will manage "session cookies," which are tiny files put on your computer by websites that you may visit, designed to track your movement around the Internet, often to collect information for demographic and advertising purposes. While usually harmless, think of cookies as spywares' little brother. Set Firefox to accept cookies only from the originating website, and to retain those cookies only until you exit Firefox. You can also set Firefox to block most all of those annoying popup ads, so you don't need to be running around the Internet downloading and installing every popup "blocker" that you see (half of which actually install spyware on your machine!).

You should also look at the security options offered by your day-to-day office programs, such as word processors, presentation and accounting programs, etc. Many of these programs allow you to password-protect files using varying degrees of security. In addition, make sure that these programs are regularly updated, for example, at the Microsoft Office Update website.

Next time: password logons, routers and firewalls.