In the 21st century, a business without a network mirrors a city with no roads. Small businesses, in particular, arguably have a greater need for network connections and information systems. Small businesses rely on information systems for several things, to include their communication and customer database.
Small businesses rely on network connectivity for communications. With the advancement in Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP), many businesses are using the internet to save on phone costs. Additionally, it is common for a business to have an in-house communications system. Take some installations in the Air Force for example; they use an Instant Messaging (IM) service for member-member contact. Many times, it is easier to reach…show more content… Today, good password security strategy is more important for the business owners to keep any kind of their business information privacy online. Since a customer database is usually accessed via a network, password protection is vital to customers’ PII. Not only does this practice speak to the credibility of the company, it also prevents hackers from gaining access to network systems. A password is a relatively weak form of protection though. Passwords are the most common form of authentication used to control access to information, ranging from the personal identification numbers we use for ATMs, credit cards, telephone calling cards, and voice mail systems to the more complex alphanumeric passwords that protect access to files, computers, and network servers. Passwords are widely used because they are simple, inexpensive, and convenient mechanisms to use and implement. At the same time, passwords are recognized as being an extremely poor form of protection. In 1995, the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) estimated that about 80 percent of the security incidents reported to them were related to poorly chosen passwords. Password problems are very difficult to manage because a single local computer network may have hundreds or thousands of password-protected accounts and only one needs to be compromised to give
