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Protect your business from viruses

December 16, 2011 By Daisy Lewis

One of the many responsibilities of running your own business is protecting your assets, and your computers are included as your part of these. They also hold the key to much valuable information about you, your business, your bank accounts….the list goes on.

It’s estimated that over 150 malware programmes are written and released on the internet every day, so if you’re online at all, there’s a chance of your computer being infected with a virus.

So, it’s vital that you have good antivirus software installed on all the computers in your business.  You can do this by downloading a programme from the internet or buying a software package from your local computer supplier.

If you don’t have anything installed as yet, it’s a good idea to start with an online scan.  These are popular as you don’t need to download a file for it to do its work.  But, if your system gets infected with a virus or Trojan, you may find it impossible to get online at all, so it’s far safer to install some antivirus software now – prevention is better than cure.

There is a huge range of internet security software to choose from, including free antivirus downloads, through to full-blown internet security suites that not only have antivirus, they also have spam filters, anti-spyware and firewall as well.

Shop around and look at what different packages include.  Get advice from people in your business network as to which programmes they have found reliable – or not.  If you’re not sure which to go for, sign up to a trial version for 30 -90 days and try it out for a few weeks before committing yourself.

When considering your business computers, don’t forget about protecting any smartphones that you have. With internet access and email facilities, mobile devices are just as susceptible to attack as computers.  Mobile antivirus programmes are available from the same companies that sell antivirus software for computers.

Filed Under: Business, Online Tagged With: , ,

Check your sources

September 13, 2011 By Daisy Lewis

You don’t have to be risk being called a miser if you decide to put cost high on your list of priorities when it comes to protecting your computer.
If you search the forums online to find out the best kind of antivirus software to use, you’ll get a great deal of conflicting information.
There are some people who say that you should never take any risks when it comes to your computer – if you should fall prey to a virus that wipes out your hard drive then you may lose information that is irreplaceable, so paying top dollar is not an extravagance.
Others, though, will tell you that they’ve used free antivirus programs for years and never had any issues. Their view is that anyone who pays for such programs is wasting money.
So how do you know who’s right?
The internet is full of people with opinions, but often it’s virtually impossible to know who those people are and whether they have a hidden agenda.
For example, when you visit a forum you might find one particular writer who recommends a top-selling software title and gives it fulsome praise. In these days when a lot of people make money through affiliate links, though, you are to some extent taking a risk when trusting unverified sources.
The writer may just be recommending a program because they’re an affiliate of the company who manufactures it, and they don’t really know whether the title is any good or not. Their motivation is simply to drive sales, which earns them money.
It’s always a good idea to talk to people you trust. Almost everyone has a computer, and probably 99 per cent of them use antivirus programs, so talk to your friends and relatives and you can be sure that the advice you’re getting is impartial and not motivated by profit.
Once you’ve got an idea of a good product, see if there are any free antivirus downloads for trial versions available, so you can find out if it really is what you’re looking for.

Filed Under: Online Tagged With: , ,

Online Budgeting

March 13, 2011 By

If you would like to form your own business, the quantity of selections available are nearly infinite: beginning from nil, purchasing a franchise, partnering. If you do not have prior business experience nevertheless, it may seem clever to consider purchasing an existing business, which can put you ahead of the contest by throwing you straight into the business sector. Prior to making the final choice, though , these are some of the benefits and disadvantages of previously established firms and how best to handle them. Some advantages of purchasing an existing business include: the key advantage of purchasing an existing business is the incontrovertible fact that all legwork has been done already for you. Getting a business off the ground is frequently the toughest part, so you are guaranteeing an early lead by skipping the 1st stage. No necessity to file documentation, get allows, and consult with counsels.

Purchasing an existing business gives you the benefit of a longtime purchaser base. Folk will know the place, so that the costs of advertising will be less. You’ll also avoid the doubtful primary period, where enticing purchasers to the business can become a full time job itself.

When you purchase an existing business, you’ll get workers that are already working there to remain and work for you.

This will permit you to use their experience rather than having to coach new folk to take over the work. Some Downsides of purchasing an existing business include : you may inherit all issues that run with the business. If the prior owner had difficulty captivating new customers, paying the lease, or running new campaigns, you’re going to have to cope with everything to set things right before it is possible to even begin to think about moving forward.

If the business has a record of displeasing shoppers, you may also have a difficult time convincing folks that things will change under your direction. Purchasing an existing business will most likely mean a large original investment, sometimes way higher than it’ll need to start a business from nothing. The investment will also need to be in an one-off sum, and you will not have the opportunity to go thru the method in phases.

Filed Under: Finance, Online Tagged With: ,