Over the next few weeks I’ll be looking at the various computer and network security myths that we often come across as an IT provider. Since almost all business information and an increasingly large amount of your personal data is stored digitally, you can be more informed and more in control when in comes to protecting yourself in the digital world.

“I don’t care about the data on my computer so I don’t care if someone hacks into my network”

This is the number one myth we hear regarding computer security. The idea behind this is that if your data is boring or unimportant, or if it only has value to you then you’re not a target for malicious activity. At home or at work, you are considered responsible for the activity on your network, so the number one cause of network attacks is not data theft but hackers looking for somewhere to begin their malicious activity. If your account is detected as the source of a malicious attack it will be you that is held responsible and you that faces the consequences. Most computer and network equipment generate logs, but these are often insufficient when it comes to proving your innocence in a court of law. Another reason why you could be a target is the illegal sharing of copyright materials. If your network is easily compromised, an intruder could store music, movies or even pornography on your systems, even in a way you may not discover them immediately. Your network is your responsibility, and one of the major foundations of network security is that prevention is the best cure. Contact us for more information, and look out for our next security myth soon.