With internet connectivity booming, network security is becoming a major concern to many organizations irrespective of size. It might sound like a cliché, but prevention is miles away better than cure, especially in the world of cybersecurity. As a business owner or IT leader, it isn’t smart to wait until the disaster strikes so that you can take cybersecurity seriously. There are many reasonable best practices and strategies that you can leverage to fortify your network security, as explained below.
Use Strong Passwords
Passwords are the primary yet effective way of blocking unauthorized access to a network system. It isn’t just about using passwords, though. You need to create and use a strong/complex password so that hackers can have a difficult time trying to decipher. Develop good password policies like avoid reusing passwords, short or predictable passwords, and changing passwords regularly. A complex password involves a combination of characters, numbers, and special marks without any predictable order/sequence. Keep in mind that we are living in a technologically advanced world. There are top-notch password attack tools and methods that can be used to bypass your passcodes. Some of these tools try millions of passwords in seconds. If your password is weak, then it just a matter of time!
Implement BYOD Security
BYOD policy is both a challenge and an opportunity for businesses. The good thing with the BYOD policy is that it offers device flexibility as employees can use their devices to run business/ organization’s tasks. However, it can become a challenge because integrating several users while lowering security risk is not easy. Each employee and his/her device can be a serious flaw to network security. Nevertheless, with good BYOD policy, proper tools, and training, these flaws can be tamed. Implementing BYOD alongside MDM software offers the best way to centrally manage your device inventory and avert common network security breaches. MDM software allows IT administrators to effectively deploy and manage applications and policies to end-user/employee devices. With MDM software, you have a seamless platform to provision a new employee device so that it becomes part of the system. If you want to de-provision an existing device from the system, MDM also lets you remove it with ease. This creates device flexibility and improved network security.
Educate and Train Employees
Every possible network security breach measure can be deployed but if the employees are reckless or, let us say ignorant, they can pose a huge risk to network security and nullify the efforts made by the company. Well, make sure all employees are educated about the dire consequences of network security breaches to appreciate measures taken by the organization. Employees can also be trained by IT guys or network security specialists about techniques used by hackers to make them vigilant. This will shield the company from being a victim of avoidable network security breaches.
Tip: Do regular sessions and better even tap into creative approaches to create cybersecurity awareness among employees.
Put Network Protection Measures
This is no doubt one of the most important parameters in keeping your systems safe. There are several suitable security measures that you can put in place to deter breaches. One such strategy is updating any relevant outdated software. Whether it is an antivirus or the operating system, update them regularly. Remember updates come with improved capabilities including better security features. Another good network protection measure is to install a Virtual Private Network (VPN). However, make sure you use trusted VPN providers for your business. Other plausible measures include the use of network segmentation, firewall installation, and the use of IDS/IPS for tracking potential packet floods, etc.
Improve Physical Network Security
Any network devices like a server, for instance, should be located within secure premises. The mechanical access systems should be strong enough to block intruders from physically accessing the unit. It is best to hire security services to help man the area and keep intruders at bay in some cases.
Develop a Breach Response Plan
In as much as we can deploy every top-grade network security mechanism, sometimes the hell may break loose and becomes inevitable to avoid a network breach. What if your network is already breached? Do you have any response plan in place? A good response plan helps to minimize damage once your network is breached. Developing an early response plan will enable the organization to identify and analyze attacks that would easily go unnoticed especially in the wake of high profile attacks.
Wrap up
The tips we have covered are a few best practices in cybersecurity. You can use them as a foundation to build a secure network for your business. Again, don’t wait for disaster to strike to respond. Stay ahead of cybercrime via defense strategies.
