If you’re the owner of a small or mid-size business, you’re likely familiar with the practice of turning to the Internet to purchase items and to sign up for information. Whether you are buying supplies and equipment from an online store, or enrolling in online subscriptions, you and your workforce are constantly exchanging all your company’s confidential information, including credit cards and passwords. 

If your employees also have access to the corporate credit card or regularly enroll for online subscriptions, this further increases the chance that your business information is being compromised or employees are falling victim to phishing e-mails. 

With all the information that is shared, how can you ensure that your business is protected and that you and your employees don’t fall victim to viruses, online scams or—even worse—the loss of confidential information?

Luckily, Microsoft is able to help. As a leader in innovative technology, the company offers many solutions for your business that come with enhanced security features to keep your company’s data safe.

You can implement the following tips in your workplace to ensure your business is committed to safer online practices:

• Keep your computer software up to date. To receive the best protection, it’s critical to make sure all of your business software applications, including Web browsers, are current.  Fortunately, browsers like Internet Explorer 8 come equipped with automatic updates, so you and your employees aren’t burdened with manually updating software.

• Make sure the payment websites you visit use encryption. Without the encryption notice, your information is not secure and your company information is vulnerable to attacks.  Always look for the padlock icon on the bottom right side of your computer screen to ensure your computer is protected. The latest browsers also come equipped with a green address bar, which notifies you the website you are visiting is confirmed as a trustworthy site. 

• Watch out for fake Web addresses. We are all accustomed to visiting websites we think are legitimate, only to find out they are filled with malware or other security threats. New Web browsing tools alert you of these misleading websites by highlighting the domain name in your address bar in black, notifying you the website is not authentic.

• Avoid phishing scams and malware. Some of these attacks not only will affect your own computer—they also can threaten your entire company’s network. By default, Internet Explorer 8 runs a program called SmartScreen® Filter that warns you about malicious software and numerous phishing threats. You’ll receive a warning that a dangerous site is unsafe and may harm your computer, so you can prevent a threat from occurring.

• Never respond to unsolicited requests to update your business account information. When we receive so much e-mail on a daily basis, often we’re in an autopilot mode—not taking the time to read e-mails carefully, especially when they come from people we don’t know. A lot of e-mail messages are actually scams trying to steal your business information or company passwords. To ensure your information is safe, it’s important to remember that you and your employees should never open or respond to unsolicited e-mail.

Through the latest Web browsing features, including security notifications, you can make certain that all your valuable business data are protected and your company’s software is current and safe.

By educating your workforce and adopting these tips, your business will become equipped for safer online practices.

		Liz Siver serves as central region general manager for Microsoft Corp. For more information on online security tips, visit www.microsoft.com/security.