7 Reasons You NEED a Secure Wireless Network

Keeping up with the evolution of technology is a monumental task. Nowhere is this more apparent today than in the wireless/mobile space. There are several trends that have converged to build what has become a wireless/mobile revolution within computing. They are:

• A Global Marketplace
• A Migratory/Mobile Workforce
• Cloud Technology
• Faster Hardware
• Handheld Computing Devices – Smartphones & tablets

This boom of demand for wireless/mobile connectivity brings yet another challenge to I.T. providers around the country. That challenge is the challenge of security for these multiple thousands of wireless networks.

Television has reported it. You’ve likely seen the myriad of reports of how a criminal with a laptop can access your home or business’ network from the privacy of a car parked across the street. If you want the “why” in a nutshell…that’s it.

7 Reasons You NEED a Secure Wireless Network For Your Ottawa Business.

You NEED a secure wireless network because your reputation is at stake.

Every day, we see news stories about people accessing, downloading, and sharing things that are illegal on the internet. Smart criminals don’t use their own home wireless networks for this nefarious activity. They hack into and use the wireless networks and accounts of unsuspecting people like you.

What does that mean? That means that if criminal activity is traced back to your wireless network, at the very least you will have some very uncomfortable conversations with the authorities, and at the worst, unjustified criminal charges may be levied against you that you have to defend against.

You NEED a secure wireless network because your children use your tablet, phone, or computer from time to time.

So often we talk about business security being solely a business problem, but here’s the deal… We often take our business home.

Little Johnny or Susan asks to play their favorite game on our computer, tablet, or smartphone. We think nothing of it and hand over the device. Now, there is likely nothing that is going to happen, but if someone has hacked your wireless network at work and taken control of your device…anything COULD happen.

Sometimes security is about much more than protecting business interests.

You NEED a secure wireless network because it calms the customers.

With a secure wireless network, a good I.T. managed services provider like Fuelled Networks can give you secure, segmented WIFI for your office. This gives you security for your workflow and at the same time gives WIFI ability to your clients sitting in the waiting room.

Do you want them to wait more patiently without complaint? Get secure, segmented WIFI set up and offer it for free to your waiting clients. Doing so makes them happier, and your receptionist’s workday much easier.

You NEED a secure wireless network because of proprietary information.

Every business has its “secret sauce”. These are the ingredients, processes, numbers, files, and ideas that you can’t afford for your competition to access.

At this point, you’re thinking, “I don’t have anything like that. I have no secret sauce.” Sure you do! Do you want your clients or competition to know the exact margins you are making? Do you want everyone to know what your sales numbers were for last quarter? Do you want internal employee emails about clients to be put out for your clients to read?

Yes, even if you don’t have secret ingredients, you have proprietary information you need to keep within the company.

You NEED a secure wireless network because it is cheaper to secure your wireless network than it is to clean up a security breach

If you are unprepared, and your wireless network is insecure, the recovery costs associated with a cyber intrusion will quickly run into several thousand dollars. This is assuming that the hacker is only interested in making a mess. If, however, the criminal chooses to steal or delete information – even innocuous information – the labor costs to rebuild a simple database will cost your company some serious money.

You NEED a secure wireless network because of lost productivity.

The tough thing about falling prey to a cyber attack is not simply the money and labor that it takes to get up and running again. It is the lost productivity that your company will suffer during the downtime you will experience.

How big are your reserves? How many days can you pay employees to sit around without internet connectivity and the ability to make you money?

Most small to mid-size businesses don’t have large reserves and cannot endure much downtime and productivity loss. A secure wireless network is a reasonable insurance policy against downtime and productivity loss resulting from cyber-intrusion.

You NEED a secure wireless network for your employees.

So often in our talks about business, we forget to discuss the issues surrounding what is helpful to and best for our employees. Secure wireless networks help our employees to:

• Be more productive – work from anywhere in the facility
• Be more collaborative – no worries about sending sensitive documents or files to others across the network
• Be safer on the internet – safeguards and filters put in place

The simple fact is that although we live in a society where most people are good and honest, there are those that are only interested in what they can get through cheating and stealing. Still worse are those that do not want to cheat and steal, but instead only want to wreak havoc with other people’s networks, computers, tablets, smartphones, businesses, families, and livelihoods.

Fuelled Networks can easily secure your wireless network against unwanted visitors and dangerous intrusions. We welcome your call at (613) 828-1384 or an email to info@fuellednetworks.com. Contact us today to find out about wireless network security and our comprehensive, business cyber security packages.