This site is dedicated to helping small business owners. One of the most important ways I can help you is to encourage you to make the security of your customer’s information a top priority. It’s as basic a need as paying a light bill and as vital to survival as your accounts receivable. Yet, here’s some very sobering information I came across recently:

The National Cyber Security Alliance has released a new study conducted with Symantec and Zogby International to analyze small business’ cyber security practices and attitudes (view the complete report at www.staysafeonline.org). Here’s what small business owners revealed about themselves:

• 86% of these firms do not have anyone solely focused on information technology (IT) security
• 75% use the Internet to communicate with customers
• 66% store customer data
• 62% use wireless networks (25% do not password-protect those networks)
• 53% of firms check their computers to ensure that anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewalls and operating systems are up-to-date (and 11% never check them)
• 43% store financial records
• 33% store credit card information
• 21% believe cyber security is “a nice thing to have”
• 20% say they use the minimal threshold of security to protect customer and employee data

In today’s society, as a business owner, you cannot afford to do business without a great sensitivity to information security. Here’s another important thought: your customers cannot afford to do business with you if they believe their personal or professional information may not be secure.

In the sidebar on the left, I’ve provided some links which can give you some practical steps and functional directions to protect the information which is becoming a sacred trust between you and your customers.

An excellent resource for learning how to protect your personal information, as well as what to do in the event your identity is compromised, can be found on the OmniAmerican Bank Web site by clicking “Online Security” located at the bottom of every page on our site (including this one).  This is also a resourceful link to recommend to someone who may be a victim of identity theft.

Stay safe.  Stay in business.  Stay focused on your customer.

Note:  Statistical information referenced in this article is from The National Cyber Security Alliance study conducted with Symantec and Zogby International which polled nearly 1,500 small business owners. The Zogby International poll has a margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points.

Now, phishers are after your small-business customers. They craft e-mails addressed to the business CFO or owner which look like court subpoenas, tax liens or other documents the businessman might be tricked into opening. The CFO, owner or other business employee's name might be in the body of the e-mail, making it seem even more professional. When clicked on, however, malware is posted on the business' computer which patiently waits for you to enter passwords and IDs. Armed with these credentials, the criminals have attached school districts, utilities and other public entities.