Last month, news came out about a government agency being infected with malware because an employee liked to visit, let’s say, “adult” sites on his work computer. An employee at the US Geological Survey (USGS) EROS Center, visited hundreds of pornographic sites, and even downloaded content onto a personal USB flash drive. This is a textbook example of not putting preventative safeguards in place.
And it’s the nightmare of any IT admin, IT service provider or business owner out there. Fortunately, the USGS isn’t an agency with highly sensitive, or classified, information, but the employee shouldn’t have been able to access sites like this in the first place, and doing so introduced malware into the USGS network. So, what are the take-aways from this kind of event?
First, every company needs an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) which includes what is and isn’t appropriate use of company IT resources, especially with respect to Internet access. While it should go without saying that an AUP should cover non-work use and visiting “adult” sites, say it anyway.
Next, educate users on what’s in the AUP they read and signed, as well as on the very real risks of visiting questionable sites.
Finally, implement a Web filter to actively block and report access to questionable Websites. This can be quickly and easily done as part of anti-malware software (ask us about Webroot and its add-in DNS Protection). It can be included in the threat protection services of a business-class firewall, like the Watchguard Fireboxes many of our clients have. It can be implemented as a cloud-based service.
But the important thing is to do it. Policies and education are necessary and important, but the enforcement and protection that come from a filter are essential.
Need some help with an AUP or making sense of how best to protect your network with an appropriate filter? Contact us today.
