Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Web Conferencing Security Procedures

In a typical office meeting there are certain conversations and documents you want to keep within a limited number of people. That is why you only hold meetings on certain room, doors locked, away from people that are not involved.

Same rule applies when you hold meetings using web conferencing hosting service. But unlike a typical meeting where you can shut your doors, close the blind or even sound proof the room to keep unauthorized people away, web conferencing, just like any other web activities, poses threat on your security, your participants, documents, product secrets, earnings projections, employee records, and conversation. It is imperative, therefore, that during the conference, take note of every tiny detail that can be done to keep everything secured.

During a web conference, your data is temporarily stored on a server that can be accessed by participants. But there is a tendency that people hack your system and access these data. To counteract this access, web conferencing employ 3 security standards: SSL, non-persistent data flow and intrusion control.

SSL or the Secure Socket Layer is a web conferencing security feature that prevents your documents to be read by users other than the intended receivers.
Instead of keeping the data stored in one computer during a web conference, the non-persistent data flow feature constantly shifts the data from one host to another – making it undetectable from unauthorized access.

Intrusion control keeps unauthorized users from accessing the data by shutting the transfer ports down.

Although web conferencing hosts differ in their security construction, most follow voluntarily to these 3 standards. The rest who do not follow these standards are services that are free and downloadable in the internet. (If you are running a large industry, you may steer away from these free programs.)

Tips:
As a web conferencing host, you have to make sure that your documents, as well as your participants are secured. If you are using a hosting service, be mindful of the security features that should be active during the web conference.

Carefully send emails to the participants about the conference. You may want to limit important details about the conference to the people concerned especially if the information is confidential.
Be watchful of the people who are trying to enter the conference. Uninvited users should be terminated immediately. (Most hosting providers automatically do these for you.)

Sensitive information that should only be revealed on particular persons during the conference should not be sent to others. Determine which detail should be shared and which should be kept within specific persons.

After a web conference, make sure that the important and confidential data are deleted immediately (if you are using the services of a web conferencing hosting company). Security measures do not end after the web conference. If your files are left on the service somebody might be able to get access to it.

As business norms begin to go global and methods on doing business begin to extend beyond the boundaries of your office, hackers and online criminals tend to adapt and become more creative. These are what you should look out for.

Web conferencing maybe one of the better ways to run and expand your business but if you are not careful enough, you might become a victim. When holding a meeting online, these things will be able to protect you.

Web Conferencing Security Tips

Web conferencing has evolved from a mere sending and receiving data via internet to a sophisticated online communication tool where everyone can find it as real as a typical office meeting setup. Web conferencing gives participants the freedom of communicating, actively interacting and sharing data without going into logistical and financial complications.

But just like any other online activities, web conferencing is prone to hackers and online criminals. If not properly secured, a web conference may be at risk and may place your confidential information on the hands of unauthorized individuals.

Security breach happens. That's a fact that should be dealt by people who are doing businesses or exchanging vital business information through web conferencing. Thus, no matter what type of web conferencing system you are using, security should be your main priority.

To protect your trade secrets, earnings projections, employee information, product knowledge as well as the people and conversation during a web conference, here are the security measures you can do:

• Get a web conferencing system from a reputable vendor.
Running a business that requires online meetings and presentations to exchange vital information should not be done with free and downloadable web conferencing tool. Since reputable vendors sell web conferencing systems that are both secured and reliable, you can be assured that conversations and confidential information are kept within yourselves.

Take note of the 3 security features you should look for:
1. Encryption with SSL (Secure Socket Layer) limits the data readable only to the intended persons.

2. Non-persistent data flow continuously transfers your data from one host computer to another to prevent hackers from detecting and accessing your most important files.

3. Intrusion control automatically detects and shuts down unauthorized user from accessing your system.

These are standard features that are set by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and are adopted by the web hosting companies and manufacturers.

While web conferencing hosting services or software can cost a bit, the benefits, savings and peace of mind surpass any amount of investment you made.

• Give the information only to concerned individuals
Carefully send web conferencing notice to intended participants through email.. Access codes should only be given to the participants. There are things that should only be discussed within a group, do not allow others to interfere to your conversation by giving them access to your web conference.

• Be watchful of the uninvited participants during the conference.
Just like a typical meeting, you kick out unauthorized persons that enter the room. Make sure that you maintain vigilance on the movement of the participants particularly the uninvited entrants. (Many vendors include this feature to their products. Be sure to check on it.)

• Erase data on the storage after the web conference.
Security does not end after the meeting. Make sure that your provider deletes all your uploaded data from its server.
• Assign the level of information access to every participant.

Some participants need not know everything. Even among the participants, give information on a need to know basis.
There are 3 certain things in life: death, taxes and hackers. The first two cannot be avoided; the latter can be dealt by making sure that you are properly protected. Keep these tips in mind so you can keep you, your clients, business and employees protected.

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