There are bad days, and then there are really bad days. Do you think that just because your company is small, nobody will want to break into your computer? Do you think that any old security software will keep you safe? Do you believe that — even if you do get hit — it just won’t be that bad? Do computer security people simply worry too much?
Eberson carries a laptop, a tablet, and a smartphone with her wherever she goes. She has a sales rep who sometimes carries a laptop and always carries his personal smartphone, which he lives on for business as well, since he can access his emails and contact information at any time. Eberson also employs a designer with a high-end graphics desktop, and a bookkeeper/office manager who also uses a laptop. Cover Story’s staff members connect to the Internet and share information via email. They don’t have a server on-premises. Whenever there is any computer management to be done (like installing new programs or setting up new accounts in the bookkeeping system), Eberson does it herself. She sometimes calls in a technical consultant, but only when she’s adding a major new capability or if she encounters issues that she can’t handle on her own. Eberson knows about the importance of computer protection and has made sure that each of her computers has security software installed. In most cases, she downloaded a couple of free trials and some freeware. She’s been on a tight budget, so she decided to just keep using the freeware.