SmallBusinessNewz

Security consultants aren't cheap, and online guides are often written by people of questionable expertise.  So if you're curious about how your business is doing on the online security front, an inexpensive and reliable - if slightly biased - option has been provided by Microsoft.

A post on the Small Business Blog from Microsoft suggested to readers, "Use our free Security Assessment Tool to get an online review of your security.  You can download a report at the close of the 15-minute assessment and use it to determine your requirements."

This SAT, as we'll call it, is much simpler than the test high school students must take.  You just have to answer a short series of questions (38 to be exact), and at the end, your business's security is rated.  You're also given the option to contact a local Microsoft qualified specialist.

The key thing, though, is that every question acts to point out an issue you shouldn't ignore, and many are accompanied by helpful hints about how you should address potential problems.

15 minutes is probably even a too-long estimate with regards to how much time it takes to complete the survey.  So consider using the Security Assessment Tool to get an idea of how safe your business is going into the holiday/high crime rate season.