According to a report from Verizon, more than 61% of data breaches actually targeted small businesses. More than 90% of small businesses are still not using network security measures. This is very unfortunate as most of the small businesses never recover from a security breach.
If you are using the best network security practices, then you can easily protect your network from attackers. In this article, we are going to share some points that should be in your network security checklist.
-
Software updates
Ransomware attacks are the biggest nightmare of companies. In 2017, millions of businesses were targeted by the Wannacry ransomware. Even the UK’s NHS was targeted by this ransomware. NHS could have easily avoided this attack by upgrading their operating systems.
Google, MS, and other major IT companies will release new updates to protect their applications from vulnerabilities. They will ensure that hackers can’t exploit the latest vulnerabilities. These updates will help you in strengthening your system. Thus, you should ensure that all your systems are up-to-date. You should always look for new updates. Also, you should install them once they are released. If you don’t have time to do this, then you can also hire an MSP. Your partner will help you in updating all your systems.
-
Hardware updates
The hardware that you are using is also very important. Hackers are always upgrading their hardware. They are always building powerful computers that have better processing powers. You should also upgrade your hardware systems after some time. This will help you in boosting your system overall performance. It will also help you in boosting your network’s security.
-
Data backups
Data is the most important thing for modern companies. You can easily lose data due to human errors or hacking. For example, the Wannacry attack actually targeted the system data. It locked the data that was stored in systems. The only way to recover the data was by paying a hefty ransom. This is a great deal as data is becoming more sensitive with time. You need to ensure that your data is protected from attackers. Companies are using their data for planning and marketing their products.
You should always keep a backup of your data. Make sure that you are storing this backup in a secure location. You can also get a secondary server for storing your backups. It is also important to store your backup files on the cloud server. If you are storing sensitive data, then you should backup it every day.
-
Security audits
You should regularly get your IT systems audited. Most companies don’t understand the importance of auditing their IT systems. If you are not auditing your systems, then you can’t check the status of your network security.
Auditing your network and IT systems will help you in finding weaknesses or loopholes. You can seal these loopholes before hackers exploit them. IT audits will also help you in identifying outdated hardware and software. Auditing will help you in improving the performance and security of your IT systems. You should conduct IT audits twice a year.
-
Employee Training
Your employees have access to your IT programs and systems. Thus, they are also an important part of your IT security strategy. Your employees should know about basic cybersecurity practices. This is very important if you don’t have an in-house IT security team. Employees should know about phishing emails and how to identify them. You should also ensure that only authorized employees have access to critical systems and data.
-
Password Safety
More than 63% of data breaches actually occur due to lost or weak passwords. It is very difficult to track them as all your employees will have one password. If they have a weak password, then hackers can easily use a brute force attack for guessing their password. Thus, you should create a password policy.
Your employees should change their password regularly. You should also ensure that your employees are using strong passwords. Also, you should hold your employees accountable if their passwords get breached.
-
Mobile Device Security
Almost every business has a BYOD policy. This ensures that your employees can bring their own devices in the office. Your employees might be accessing your applications on their mobile devices. This is convenient for your employees as they can quickly complete their work. However, it increases the risk of threats. Hackers can directly target your employee’s device.
You should ensure that you are also protecting your employee’s device. MDM or mobile device management software can help you in protecting your employee’s device. Make sure that your employees are using strong passwords and they have installed security systems. If your employees are not using IT security systems, then you should ban them from using their personal devices.
-
Wireless Network Security
Most data breaches actually occur through an open Wi-Fi network. Your employees might connect to public Wi-Fi networks. You should always check your open networks and look for unauthorized users or traffic. There are various firewalls available in the market.
-
IT Security Systems
You need dedicated IT security systems for protecting your systems. These IT security systems will provide an extra layer of protection to your devices. There are various IT security system solutions available in the market. These systems can easily detect threats like malware in your network. Every IT security system has a different capability. However, you should always use a VPN network. It will help you in encrypting all the data in your network.
-
Response Plan
Sometimes your network can get hacked even if you are using the best security solutions Thus, you should ensure that you have a response plan. This plan will help you in quickly recovering your data and systems. It will help you in mitigating the damage caused by data breaches.
Conclusion
These are some things that you should keep in mind while designing your security plan. If you don’t have an IT security team, then you should consider working with an MSP. Experienced MSPs like Bleuwire can help you in protecting your data from attackers. They will create a comprehensive IT security plan for your business. If you need more information regarding network security, then you can contact Bleuwire.
Contact us today to learn about Bleuwire™ services and solutions in how we can help your business.
