The modern day club is full of technology, from server and workstations to mobile devices such as tablets and smartphone to wireless internet access. This technology is essential to ensuring that the club runs in the most stable and productive manner.
The modern day club is full of technology, from server and workstations to mobile devices such as tablets and smartphone to wireless internet access. This technology is essential to ensuring that the club runs in the most stable and productive manner. However, as it has become a great tool for you, it is now being exploited by criminals to steal data and staff and member’s identities, and they will also look for ways to exploit your club such as ransom or blackmail.
The good news is that it isn’t all doom and gloom.
The bad news is that some clubs have still not addressed the basic ways of protecting themselves against even the low level attacks. The whole scope of the levels of attack and the preventative measures are vast and generally specific to each club, but as a baseline we would recommend that a minimum level of prevention is taken.
We have created a list of the bare minimum actions that should be taken or at least assessed by clubs to protect themselves against such attacks.
Protection from internal threats
- User password length and complexity policy
Implementing strong passwords is the easiest thing you can do to strengthen your security. - USB port access restrictions
Disabling USB ports can prevent any dangerous applications from getting into your system but also make copying the data from your system by malicious employees. - Check and define access to club shared files
Finance, HR and management data should be accessible only by selected users in organisations. - Secure your servers physically
No matter how good your software security solutions are, it will not help if someone breaks in through the window and walks away with your server. All core business hardware should always be stored in lockable cabinets, located in comms rooms separated from office floor. - Secure and separate your members and guest wireless access from production network
Allowing guests access to your production network is as bad as leaving you front doors unlocked at night. Whether you are providing guest or members access it should always be done through secure network separated from your confidential club files.
Encrypt any data which leaves the club premises
Whether it’s a laptop or USB drive, any data leaving your premises should be fully encrypted so that if the hardware is lost or stolen your data will remain secure and unreadable to the potential thief or finder. - Backup your data regularly
Secure encrypted cloud backup of your club data is one of the fundamental solutions to ensure your clubs security and integrity even in case of a security breach such as a crypto-locker attack.
Protection from external threats:
- Antivirus and antimalware software installed and up to date
Virus and malware infections are still the number one security threat to clubs of all sizes. Antivirus and anti-malware software are essentials in your arsenal of online security weapons - Web filtering
Protect your business from any real-time web based threats and restrict access to unwanted content with category-based filtering with customisable block pages. - Spam filtering
Modern cloud spam filters block viruses, spyware and other harmful programs before they even reach your network, which minimises the risk of infection. - A hardware firewall with defined firewall policies
A firewall protects your network by controlling internet traffic coming into and flowing out of your club. It is common to see these left with default set of rules configured “out of the box” which often is not enough to protect your network efficiently. Always define and assess your firewall rules periodically.
Reliable Networks is the CMAEs preferred IT service supplier and they can assist and advise you on this and many other IT related matters. They are currently offering all CMAE members for a network security assessment test and report to highlight any frailties and also just to give awareness of the network security for an 80% discounted price of £195.00*
*Travelling charges may be added depending on the club location.
Contact Reliable Networks
Tel. 03333111133
