Securing Your Small Office

Protect office assets and employees with a comprehensive security plan
By Geoff Kohl, Editor-in-Chief, SecurityInfoWatch.com Your business is a small office. You’re probably thinking, why do I need to consider security – “Is someone going to make off with all my paperclips?” The fact of the matter is that while convenience store robberies make the evening news because they often involve deadly weapons and yield grainy surveillance footage, stores aren’t the only small businesses at risk. Office-based businesses generally face three types of security risks:

1. Equipment theft.
2. Internal theft.
3. Workplace violence.

 Equipment theft will likely apply to the technology in your office. Internal theft can be anything from the employee who steals printer cartridges to the accountant who manages to siphon off $83,000 into a personal bank account, or even theft of proprietary data like client info. Workplace violence can range from a mugging in your parking lot to a threatening “ex” entering the office workspace. Since you may eventually face these risks, it’s best to create a plan now about how to secure your business. Here’s what you should do:
 

Assess yourself

Take stock of your company’s current security situation. A good security consultant will look at your facility, examine policies of access to assets, question your auditing process and even review the issues your location presents.
Try: Hire an outside professional like one from the International Association of Private Security Consultants (IAPSC). You can also inquire about a security assessment directly from companies that provide alarm systems and monitoring, including Protection One, ADT, Vector Security or your local security company.

Alarm your facility

Look for a monitored alarm system that’s easy to operate and that can support a variety of disarm codes. Giving each employee a unique disarm code allows you to track who has operated the system if an issue arises. Let employees pick their own codes so it’s something they can remember easily, thus avoiding false alarms. Consider adding on a simple “buzz you in” access control system so you can control entry to your office.
Try: Get a full-featured alarm system with a control pad, motion sensors, glass break sensors and door/window sensors. Make sure it has a back-up communication route in case phone lines are cut. The Honeywell/Ademco “Vista” panels offer a full-range of features for businesses, even allowing you to upgrade to electronic access control (such as electronic ID cards that open doors) and video surveillance if you should need that. Bosch’s G series systems can control fire systems, burglary and access control. DSC is another vendor to review.

Secure your building

Securing your building means more than just locking the door and turning on the alarm system when you go home. Windows need protection, too. In fact, large windows may be an invitation to burglars. For one, blinds left open can easily show what’s in your office. Secondly, it’s a lot easier to break glass than to pry open a door.
Try: ShatterGard’s window films stop thieves from smashing through a window. While you’re at it, make sure you have a solid door with a quality locking system. Call your local locksmith and havie them assess the security of your doors, since this is a spot where landlords sometimes cut corners with cheap locks. Find a locksmith in your area at ServiceMagic.com.

Secure the premises

The area surrounding your office also needs a security plan. Provide adequate lighting in your parking lot, make sure the landscaping is trimmed, and look into a camera system or a regular patrol from a security guard if the location calls for such responses.
Try: Heath-Zenith has a nice line of security lights. GE Lighting Systems dealers will even use software to help you determine how much lighting you need. GVI/Samsung offers a full camera line, including day-and-night cameras that can see in near darkness.

Secure your physical assets

Items like laptops and computer monitors are common targets. In fact, 2003 data from Safeware Insurance puts the number of laptops stolen annually at 600,000 – and that number is expected to continue rising. The real cost of a stolen IT asset isn’t the hardware, it’s the lost data and the lost productivity.
Try: Lock servers in a room or at least consider putting them in a server lockbox that can blend into your office decor like those offered by Kell Systems. Consider using cable locks from a company like Kensington to secure desktop computers. Also, suggest that laptop users take their machines home with them so they aren’t all at the office waiting to be stolen. Finally, look into a laptop tracking technology like Absolute Software, which is like a Lo-Jack for your PCs.

Examine your employees

Perform routine background checks on potential hires. Note that you may need the applicant’s consent to perform a background check, especially if you intend to pull a credit report.
Try: Ask your company’s lawyer about state laws on employee background screening, then hire a reputable company like Verifications Inc., ChoicePoint, TrueScreen or PreScreen America to help you in this process. Be aware that some vendors in this arena do little more than Internet searches for you.

Empower your IT security

The risks to your IT assets go beyond losing the hardware. If proprietary data leaves your business, what does that cost you in the competitive marketplace? What if your stolen data included Social Security numbers? IT security issues you need to address include who has access to certain data, where it’s stored, and how it’s protected from network threats.
Try: Consider asking IT staff to obtain an appropriate certification, such as MCSE security certification for a business using a Microsoft server environment. This is preventative medicine worth taking.

• Put together a document with details on your security plan, including security alarm operations and who to call if a network security breach occurs. It shouldn’t be a public document; make it available on a need-to-know basis. Do you your homework and talk to the local police about crimes near your office. Find out how prevalent crimes against offices are. Consider doing a regular asset inventory, just like retailers do with their semi-annual inventory counts. That will help you ensure that equipment hasn’t permanently left the building. Consider giving each employee a “last-to-leave” checklist. Are blinds closed? Is the alarm system armed? Are doors locked? Are laptops sitting on tops of desks? Make it simple but effective so your employee can perform the check in about two minutes as they walk from their cubicle to the door.