How Mature Is the Level of Security Offered by QuickBooks Hosting Providers?

Security is always a major concern for every organization, whether large, medium, or small, and when it comes to accounting, it is bound to be a high-priority concern.

The data that pertains to any organization is significant because the policy, plans, and execution of business objectives are performed only on the basis of this crucial data. In this computer age, every organization keeps the record of their business details in the digital form on their system.

Recommended Reading: 9 Security Threats You Should Be Aware Of

With increasing trust on hosting services and their business promises, people have started to place their crucial database and applications on the internet and access them through a technology called ‘cloud.’ Learning the advantages of keeping data online should not mean it has no disadvantages.

Everything has its pros and cons. Keeping data online, on the one hand, brings mobility to the business to perform tasks from anywhere and anytime while, on the other hand, it places a question mark on the integrity and confidentiality of data.

Accountants need big security as loss of financial details can literally call for the doom of business. Here are the few points to help you check the level of security that your QuickBooks hosting provider is offering:

What are the security layers being used?

Know the security level of your data. The more the number of layers of security, the safer will be your data. Ensure that your hosting provider is using the best methods of security to protect your data from the internet viruses and unauthorized access of intruders.

Generally, antivirus and anti-spam software are installed along with intrusion detection systems to monitor system gateways.

Data encryption methods are implemented on a virtual level to safeguard information from any third-party intruders that can compromise with the confidentiality of data.

Multiple firewalls and multi-level authentication protect from various cyber-attacks and malware threats by blocking and filtering out the unwanted traffic.

On a physical level, most of the data centers holding hosting servers are authorized through biometric access and are monitored round-the-clock through CCTV coverage.

The above-mentioned layers of security are amongst the essentials and should be thus cross-checked with the service provider.

What is the mode and frequency of data backups?

Data backup is a mandate in this unreliable digital world. If this is not being done on a regular basis by your hosting provider, then you must ask them to do so. If they are properly backing up your data, get closer details as to how many locations are mapping the data and how it will be available in case required.

Also, make sure of the frequency with which your data is being backed, i.e., on a daily, weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly basis. Increment and decrement are generally the two methods used for ensuring complete backup.

Moreover, a competent cloud hosting provider offers Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR) options, wherein data is stored at geographically isolated data centers. It further ensures redundancy of information so that even if one of the data centers is down, data can be retrieved from another location, and your business can always be up and running.

How is the server access to multiple users authorized?

Access to the hosted QuickBooks data should be given to the limited number of users and should be asked by the administrator of the company. If you are using your remote server for multiple users, make sure that all security essentials are up with access permissions defined for each specific set of users.

Check whether the cloud hosting provider has implemented multiple levels for authorization and access control to keep privacy concerns at bay.

Ask your QuickBooks hosting provider for further details on the same.

Is the remote server running a genuine copy of QuickBooks application?

If your QuickBooks hosting provider install a crack version of QB software, it can limit accounting operations. If your QuickBooks hosting provider hosts an open-source version, make sure you provide your own QB license. This prevents data safety and reliability issues that can otherwise arise with the freely downloadable version.

You can acquire a genuine copy of QuickBooks license from its official site, or you can contact a QuickBooks Solution Provider for the same. Many of the authorized resellers can get you special offers or discounts as per your business requirements.

If, on the other hand, the provider is leasing licenses, you will have an open arena of functionalities, thereby ensuring its genuineness.

To know more about security standards implementations with QuickBooks hosting, contact our Solutions Consultant at 855-264-8722.