Top SMB security tips for resellers and service providers

Small and midsized businesses (SMBs) may shy away from the latest and greatest information security projects, but with proper planning and your help they stand to benefit as well as their larger counterparts. These top tips from SearchSecurityChannel.com offer resellers and service providers advice on choosing and selling security technologies that will meet the needs of their SMB customers.

TIP #1----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Email firewalls: A good fit for your SMB customers

Integrated security devices like email firewalls offer centralized management of otherwise disparate products such as antispam, antivirus and email content filtering -- a benefit that cannot be overstated for businesses with limited IT staff. This tip provides an overview of email firewalls, their features and hardware requirements.

TIP #2----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unified threat management benefits for SMBs

The traditional approach

SMB Security Project Guide for Resellers Get more tips on how to sell security technology projects to your small and midsized customers in this project guide.

to network security calls for network firewalls, gateway antivirus and antispam, intrusion detection systems (IDS) and more. All these technologies require time and money -- both of which are sparse for many SMBs. Learn how these disparate products are integrated in unified threat management (UTM) devices and how your SMB customers can benefit from them.

TIP #3----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two-factor authentication for SMB customers

Two-factor authentication isn't just for your small and midsized customers complying with the FFIEC's strong authentication mandate. This tip will help you explain to SMB customers the value of two-factor authentication and the many options available to them. Customers will need your help choosing between smart cards, tokens and biometrics.

TIP #4----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Email threats: Educating your SMB customers

Small and midsized businesses are exposed to the same email threats as their larger counterparts, but the potential damage can be more devastating in an IT environment that lacks properly educated staff. This tip will help you sell your SMB customers on email security services by conveying the seriousness of email threats such as spam, man-in-the-middle attacks and phishing.

TIP #5----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Choosing the right VPN for your customer: Four questions to ask

Customers large and small can benefit from the secure remote access provided by a virtual private network (VPN), but VPNs are not one-size-fits-all. Whether your customer operates Microsoft applications, requires remote access to Web-based applications or has the expertise to manage a VPN, all help determine which technology is the best fit. This tip outlines four questions you should ask when choosing between an IPsec VPN, OpenVPN or SSL VPN for your customer.