Computers allow churches to collect and store vast amounts of personal information. Unsecured, this data is vulnerable to computer criminals--putting your ministry and church members at risk.
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You wouldn't leave members' personal information lying out in the open, but you're doing a similar thing if you're not protecting the information stored on your ministry's computers. Thanks to the Internet, your computers are exposed to millions of people every time you're online. This group includes hackers, identity thieves, and others intent on harm.
Safeguarding ministry computers not only makes business sense, but it also can reduce the likelihood of crippling data loss, embarrassing public disclosures, and lawsuits.
To determine if you need to secure your church's network, ask yourself what would happen if the information you store about people fell into the wrong hands, recommends Stuart Washington, president of Stewardship Technology. The Howard, Ohio, company helps churches manage tithes, offerings, and other donations electronically. "If this data were lost, could you be sued for it?" Washington asks. "If you can be sued for it, you need to secure it."
Source: ChurchSafety.com | Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company
