Contact us today!
866-348-2602

Total Tech Care Blog

Total Tech Care has been serving Florida since 2001, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

Why You Need to Think Through Which Employees Have Access to What Files

b2ap3_thumbnail_windows_admin_400.jpgIt’s clear that your IT department should have administrator privileges with your business’s technology, but the average employee is another story altogether. Administrator privileges provide users with the ability to do many things, such as install programs and access admin settings. Administrator privileges are exactly what you want to keep users away from, and it turns out that the majority of flaws in the Windows operating system depend on these privileges.

According to a report released by security firm Avecto, it’s estimated that a solid 85 percent of all critical flaws within an operating system can be plugged simply by removing administrator privileges. Most home and consumer-based PCs utilize administrator accounts by default without much thought, but this is a dangerous practice in a business. If hackers can gain access to administrator privileges, they can make changes to the core OS files and steal important information. Most businesses that prioritize security will have limited user privileges on their provided workstations, which help to keep malware and other threats out of central files imperative for the continued functionality of the machine.

As reported by ZDNet:

The report said that removing admin rights could have mitigated more than 99 percent of flaws affecting Internet Explorer, which had a critical-rated flaw almost every month; and mitigated 82 percent of all vulnerabilities affecting Office. The company analyzed the entire batch of vulnerabilities in Microsoft's monthly security patch update, dubbed Patch Tuesday, to see which flaws would be less impacted whose logged-in accounts "are configured to have fewer user rights on the system." Out of the entire batch of vulnerabilities reported, 63 percent would be mitigated or unexploitable if admin rights were removed.

User privileges are an easy topic to set on the back burner and forget about, especially if you’re a small business with a small workforce. You might like to think that there’s minimal chance for user error, but the cruel reality is that people make mistakes, be it accidentally misplacing files or allowing malware to run rampant throughout your business’s critical systems. Unfortunately, all it takes is one oversight to leave your entire business infrastructure vulnerable to damage caused by hackers who have administrator privileges.

Therefore, it’s recommended that your organization take full advantage of a user management solution that puts a lid on what the majority of your employees can access. Your users should only be accessing files and information that’s important for their daily duties. For example, the average employee doesn’t need access to personal employee records or client payment information.

Are you doing everything that you can to limit your mission-critical data’s exposure to threats? Security-minded businesses will be taking advantage of not just role-based user access, but also secondary security solutions like firewalls, antivirus, spam blocking, and content filtering solutions that are designed to prevent infiltration in the first place. These four features can be implemented in one comprehensive solution called a Unified Threat Management (UTM) tool.

For more information about proactive IT measures, remote monitoring and maintenance, or IT security, give Total Tech Care a call at 866-348-2602.

 

Comments

No comments made yet. Be the first to submit a comment
Already Registered? Login Here
Guest
Wednesday, 25 December 2024
If you'd like to register, please fill in the username, password and name fields.

Blog Archive

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

  • First Name *
  • Last Name *

      Free Consultation

      Sign up today for a
      FREE Network Consultation

      How secure is your IT infrastructure?
      Let us evaluate it for free!

      Sign up Now!

      Free Consultation
       

      Tag Cloud

      Security Tip of the Week Technology Best Practices Business Computing Cloud Privacy Hackers Productivity Hosted Solutions Software Efficiency Network Security Business Google Internet Microsoft Email Malware Backup Workplace Tips Innovation User Tips Data Computer Mobile Devices IT Services Hardware Disaster Recovery Android VoIP communications IT Support Business Continuity Smartphones Communication Miscellaneous Smartphone Mobile Device Browser Small Business Network Collaboration Productivity Cybersecurity Quick Tips Users Business Management Managed IT Services Windows Phishing Upgrade Data Backup Outsourced IT Ransomware Windows 10 Save Money Data Recovery Office Cloud Computing Server Passwords Windows 10 Social Media Chrome Virtualization Tech Term Saving Money Holiday Gadgets Automation Microsoft Office Managed Service Managed IT Services Artificial Intelligence Operating System Cybercrime Computers Facebook Wi-Fi Hacking Health BYOD Mobile Device Management Internet of Things Networking IT Support Managed Service Provider Information Technology Covid-19 Information Spam Office 365 Telephone Systems Alert Remote Social Engineering Mobility Recovery Employer-Employee Relationship Router Bandwidth BDR Big Data Password Money Data Breach Human Resources Encryption Mobile Computing Applications Remote Monitoring Application Law Enforcement App History Managed IT Data Storage Patch Management VPN Blockchain Apps Paperless Office Remote Computing Mobile Office Government How To Private Cloud Office Tips Training Vulnerability Bring Your Own Device Gmail Data Management Work/Life Balance Windows 7 Word Settings Servers Flexibility Two-factor Authentication Marketing WiFi Google Drive Mouse IT solutions HaaS Entertainment Infrastructure Data Security Website Voice over Internet Protocol Budget Avoiding Downtime Wireless Lithium-ion battery Conferencing Cleaning Scam Vendor Firewall Managed Services Staff Software as a Service Display Telephone System End of Support Virtual Reality Machine Learning Vendor Management Physical Security Apple Education Connectivity Remote Work Safety Employee/Employer Relationship Social HIPAA Sports Redundancy RMM User Error Keyboard USB Meetings Risk Management Data Protection Hacker Save Time The Internet of Things CES SharePoint Help Desk Data storage Automobile Printing Content Management Business Technology Business Intelligence Computing Infrastructure Access Control Customer Service Environment Audit Going Green Managed Services Provider Worker Virtual Assistant IT Management Authentication Virus Database Fax Server Botnet Remote Workers Unified Threat Management Battery IT Plan SaaS Computer Accessories Shadow IT Legal Processor Update Unsupported Software Internet Exlporer Hard Drive Network Congestion Charger eWaste Google Docs PDF Printer Identity Theft Compliance Bluetooth OneNote Computer Care Computing Current Events Telephony Proactive IT Samsung Wearable Technology Best Practice Augmented Reality YouTube Fraud Retail Hard Drives Value Instant Messaging IT Consultant Black Market Digital Signage Robot Excel Remote Worker Spam Blocking Electronic Medical Records Biometrics Cryptocurrency Humor Virtual Desktop Document Management Solid State Drive Wireless Technology Hiring/Firing How to Downtime Procurement Workplace Strategy DDoS Comparison Net Neutrality Employee/Employer Relationships Assessment File Sharing Employees Camera Windows 365 Windows Server 2008 Best Available Colocation Inventory Distributed Denial of Service Uninterrupted Power Supply Specifications ISP Customer Relationship Management Analyitcs Tools WIndows 7 Wire Video Conferencing Evernote ROI Monitor Bitcoin Television Travel Shortcuts Programming Sales Printers Point of Sale Personal Millennials Cryptomining Smart Office Supply Chain Management Wireless Charging Reputation Batteries Antivirus Public Computer Streaming Media Monitoring Content Virtual Private Network Windows 8.1 Regulations Digitize Tech Support Workforce Transportation Windows 8 User Techology Computer Fan PowerPoint Laptop Cables Windows Server 2008 R2 IT service Rootkit Windows Media Player Customers Customer relationships Audiobook Project Management Email Best Practices Nanotechnology IT Assessment Workers Telecommuting Manufacturing Benefits Tablet Managing Stress FENG Touchpad Cortana Domains Digital Signature Managed IT Service IBM Security Cameras Computer Tips Politics Warranty Virtual CIO Flash Advertising OneDrive IaaS Cameras Biometric Security Maintenance Smart Technology Bloatware HVAC Peripheral Google Apps Analysis Using Data Supercomputer Notifications Digital Security Cameras Software Tips Administrator Sync Devices Copiers Emails 5G Tablets Entrepreneur Enterprise Content Management Quick Tip Relocation Accountants Smartwatch MSP Ergonomics Microchip Thought Leadership Development Netflix Printer Server Credit Cards OLED Shortcut Two Factor Authentication Cost Management Video Games Password Management PCI DSS Root Cause Analysis Password Manager Virtual Machine HBO Fiber Optics Knowledge Multi-Factor Security Employee Social Networking Music Worker Commute 2FA Experience Search Engine Skype Twitter Messaging Cabling Scalability NIST Policy Data loss Business Mangement Hypervisor Outlook Smart Tech Trend Micro Running Cable Leadership Trending Troubleshooting Business Owner Dark mode Start Menu Addiction SMS NarrowBand Amazon Default App Memory Loyalty Search Procedure Screen Mirroring Recycling Saving Time Frequently Asked Questions iPhone Practices Shopping Google Search Books Wiring dark theme Mobile Cache AI Windows 10s Amazon Web Services IT Infrastructure Bing Safe Mode FinTech Cast Criminal GDPR Tip of the week Consultant Files Hosted Computing Social Network webinar Emergency Science Professional Services Wireless Internet Public Cloud Analytics Chromecast Online Shopping Investment Employer Employee Relationship

      Top Blog

      The reasoning for this is simple: you want to make sure that operations are proceeding as intended, even if you’re not there. If you completely check out from the workplace every time you leave, you could return from your vacation to a complete and total disaster that may have been prevented with y...
      QR-Code