How should your company react in the event the so-called Bird Flu (H5N1 influenza virus) strikes? According to the nation's top avian flu coordinator the Bird Flu could hit the United States this fall.

A recent survey of businesses conducted for the University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy found most believe an outbreak would have a significant impact on their businesses, but only 18% had preparedness plans in place.

Is your company prepared to move employees to remote locations or have them work at home, or to access your data center remotely for an extended period of time?

The time may have arrived to inoculate your business by making appropriate plans.

NSI recommends VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) as the backbone of your risk management plan, as well as training your IT staff to increase the number of applications available through the gateway and increasing the resources employees are authorized to reach over a VPN.

Click here for Business Preparedness Checklist from the Centers for Disease Control.