Cyber intrusions seem to be popping up left and right in the headlines lately. From the Sony PlayStation network hackto the News of The World phone hacking scandal, there is no question, hacking is becoming a growing threat to business.

Hackers have become increasingly virulent and according to The Wall Street Journal, small firms have become their main target. Whether they are after financial gain or just looking to make a statement, the following electronic security measures can help protect your business.

• Antivirus updates - Update the antivirus program you have installed. If you do not have one, we recommend Microsoft Security Essentials for your home and office - best of all, it's free.
• Firewall activation - Secure your in-bound and out-bound communications via firewall activation to monitor unauthorized internet access.
• Email filters - Inbox clearance can be policed effectively by setting up email filters that control harmful viruses and spam.
• Eliminate unnecessary data - If you do not need it, do not keep it. For data that must be kept, identify, monitor and securely store it.
• Secure remote access - Restrict these services to specific IP addresses and networks. It is important to minimize public access to them.
• Monitor user accounts - The best approach is to trust users but monitor them through pre-employment screening, limiting user privileges and implementing security policies and procedures.

Landry Harris & Co. can provide insurance coverage to protect against data breaches and other fast-evolving cyber exposures not covered by the standard property and liability coverages.  We have A Rated Carriers that can provide you with the right level of coverage.  If you are interested in obtaining additional information on Cyber Liability or Identity Theft coverages, please contact us at 337-266-2150.