When you think of internet security, you probably picture yourself running anti-virus software to protect your business computers. And yes, it is true that your computers are a key component of your daily operations, not to mention they’re expensive equipment that you naturally want to protect! But today, the ever-expanding Internet of Things means that plenty of other devices are also connected to our networks.
Each device on your network represents a unique function for your daily operations. Perhaps you use security cameras, smart appliances, mobile devices, or even medical equipment that are all logged into your network. In fact, devices such as cardiac monitors and insulin pumps are becoming increasingly complex as technology improves. This is good news for patients who need additional monitoring or specialized care, but there are risks involved as well. A design flaw in syringe infusion pumps was recently discovered, and could have potentially allowed hackers not only to access the network to which the pumps were attached, but could also theoretically allow them to alter the patient’s insulin levels!
And that brings us to our point: Any device attached to your network provides benefits, but also serves as a potential point of entry. Once inside your network, a hacker would now have access to all machines on that network, including those that store sensitive customer data.
Hackers have succeeded in accessing equipment such as tablets and even baby monitors, so we wanted to issue an important reminder: Make sure to promptly install all security updates to any device on your network – not just computers! And of course, protecting the network itself is of paramount importance. Give us a call at 888-RING-MY-TECH, and we will review your internet security protocol, identify possible weaknesses in your system, and help you establish strong safeguards to protect every device on your network.
