With cybercrime costs expected to jump by 15% in the next two years, there’s never been a better time to invest in your network security. As one of the first points of entry to all your sensitive business data and assets, it’s important to secure your network’s perimeter and address any potential vulnerabilities hackers could exploit. Below, we dive into some of the most essential forms of network protection and the key benefits for each.
What are the key types of network security measures?
To safeguard your network and systems from vulnerabilities and attacks, implement the following network security measures:
Firewalls
One of the most basic yet fundamental types of network protection is a reliable firewall solution. Designed to monitor and control both incoming and outgoing network traffic, firewalls act as barriers against potential cyberattacks, data breaches, and general unauthorized access. Their ability to comprehensively log all data activity also provides you with useful information for future security audits, making it easy to keep track of suspicious activity and maintain regulatory compliance for the long term.
VPNs
Commonly used for both personal and business purposes, a VPN (virtual private network) helps mask a user’s identity by encrypting their data and hiding their IP address. This effectively keeps their browsing activity, location, and other private information safe from prying eyes and accidental exposure. Companies, especially those currently catering to work from home arrangements, may find remote access VPNs particularly useful, as they offer secure access to one’s business network while on the go. On top of the usual encryption features, these kinds of VPNs may also provide multifactor authentication and endpoint security.
Access controls
Access control refers to who gets access to certain resources within a company’s network. Implementing access control measures requires users to prove their identity through varying authentication procedures (i.e., passwords, biometric data, multifactor authentication, etc.), ensuring that only authorized individuals or systems can view sensitive information or assets. This approach may additionally assess whether their role, location, and device is appropriate for the level of access requested.
Cloud network security
Applications and data are no longer limited to local servers, with companies increasingly migrating their digital resources to cloud-based platforms. Though it comes with inherent safety measures (such as providing online data backups in the case of physical server damage), the cloud may require additional means of security to fully protect its network. Consider investing in solutions such as software-defined networking (SDN), which allows administrators to manage your cloud’s network from a single point without having to worry about the underlying hardware. Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS) is also a must-have, providing a cloud-based firewall solution that’s delivered, managed, and fully scalable online.
Intrusion detection systems (IDS)
An IDS makes network monitoring a breeze, helping automate the process of identifying any suspicious activity or potential security breaches. It analyzes your network traffic for any indicators of unusual behavior, system vulnerabilities, or possible cyberattacks. If any are found, the IDS automatically alerts the network administrator, who can then take action to prevent or mitigate the issue. Administrators are thus granted a transparent view of your network activity, allowing them to nip problems in the bud before they escalate.
Zero trust network security (ZTNS)
Finally, one of the best ways of protecting your network is to simply not trust anyone. The zero trust approach relies on this, ensuring every user (no matter their role, position, or device) is made to verify their identity before accessing any company resource. Even then, the user’s permissions are strictly limited to the specific data they need to fulfill their duties. While ZTNS is a highly granular type of access control, it effectively minimizes the risk of unauthorized data access and the potential damage malicious internal actors could cause.
Looking to improve your network protection? Our experts at outsourceIT offer proactive solutions to keep your business network safe from the latest cyberthreats, complete with regular data backups and employee training in security awareness. Stay one step ahead of online criminals — get in touch for a free consultation today.