The 5 IT Tasks That a Small Bank Must Do Every Day

Some of the most popular apps for cell phones are task managers.  You probably have one on your phone or tablet right now.  You enter the meetings or phone calls you have to make, maybe your grocery list, and that nifty little app will send you reminders to stay on task. 

This same idea works great for anyone who is tasked with maintaining the IT system of their small community bank.  Usually this person wears many different hats at the bank and it is easy to forget the daily maintenance and reporting that is necessary to ensure compliance to banking regulations.  

So, borrow a page from those phone apps and make a To-Do list.  Write it down and post the list where you can see it every day.  

Here are the Five IT Tasks That Every Small Bank Should Do Every Day:

  1. Review the Security Activity Journal.  This will show any unusual activity from users (and intruders) who try to access your network.
  2. Review Security Violations Report.  Is someone attempting to log into your system.  This report is critical in stopping intrusions before they occur.
  3. Review Daily Windows Logon Failure Report. This could be as simple as someone forgetting their password or an indication that an intruder is ‘testing’ passwords for logging into your system.
  4. Review SonicWall Firewall Usage Report.  Another indication of intruders attempting to gain access to your system.  
  5. Review of Backup Report.  Do you have an accurate backup of important data?  This report will show areas of weakness.

It’s okay to print this page and post it near your computer. Just remember that its not enough to know what to do every day, you also have to be disciplined and committed to actually performing the tasks on this list.