In a simpler time, data security meant locking file cabinets; today it means everything from cabinets to network security and all stops in between.  While I’m tempted to wax poetic on the advantages of one firewall over another, I’ll stick to some of the simpler items that all businesses and individuals need to keep in mind.

Whole sites are devoted to chronicling our stupidity when confronted with a computer, and I have to admit I recognize myself in a few of the stories.  Rather than try to discuss complicated matters, let’s talk about back ups.  Whether it’s a home computer that you’ve loaded your address book into or a work computer storing invoicing and vendor information, it is important to back up data regularly (daily is ideal, but weekly is better than not at all).  For most home computers or smaller companies, data can be backed up onto a flash drive or even a memory stick.

Don’t be intimidated by this process; take the time to learn the basics and you’ll appreciate it when the inevitable happens and your computer crashes.  To quote a famous technology philosopher, this truly is a case where “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”