Cyberattacks have increased globally in recent years. Small and big businesses get attacked equally, making it vital for all business owners to be vigilant. This is mainly for businesses that hold massive customer and company information on their network.
Businesses need to invest in network security to prevent surging security breaches. If you run a business, knowing some of the best ways you can do this is vital. This article explores some of the best tips to implement that you can implement for your business’s security.
Let’s check them out.
- Identify Out-of-Date Software and Patch it
Cybercriminals mostly take advantage of security bugs or flaws on a business’s software to attack. The good news is that software developers are well aware of this. Thus, they release software updates to close off any security holes on the software they provide to businesses.
Many businesses fail to implement these updates despite their easy availability. However, continued usage of this software as-is leaving so many security holes for attackers to exploit. As a business, implementing a security policy audit and assessment can be invaluable.
- Encrypt any Sensitive Data
Encryption is one of the most effective ways to secure data on transit. Cybercriminals steal valuable data, and encrypted data isn’t. There are various security tools that one can use to encrypt data. For instance, investing in a proxy and using it to transmit sensitive data to and from your business network. For this, pirate bay proxy is one such reliable source for a protected access.
Proxies also provide more than data encryption. The proxy provider you choose will contribute to your business’s safety as not all vendors are ethical. Also, avoid sending passwords for encrypted data via email. This will ensure that no other party gets access to the password if your email is already hacked.
- Implement a Good Password Policy
Passwords act as a first line of defense against cyber-attacks. Your password policy should emphasize the need of having strong passwords. It also needs to prevent password reuse which is one of the things that expose businesses to attacks. Including these in your policy will improve the safety of your business.
Besides a good policy, you can also invest in a password management tool. You can also change your passwords regularly to prevent brute force attacks. In addition, having a multi-factor authentication on your networks can help prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data.
- Use a User Access Restriction Policy
Following a policy of least privilege for user access is another best way to protect your network. According to research, insiders are responsible for 60% of attacks on business networks. This mainly happens when you give people more access to your business network than they need.
A user access restriction policy aims to keep network access to a bare minimum. It means even your employees get access to areas of your network that they need to perform their duties. A user access restriction policy helps keep damages to the minimum if your network ever gets attacked.
- Segment your Network
You can also use internal layers to segment and secure your network. Network segmentation divides an extensive computer network into small subnetworks that are isolated from each other. This measure is used to prevent people with malicious intent from breaking from one part of your network to another.
The main benefit of network segmentation is that it slows attackers down. This is because they have to break every subnetwork’s defense to gain access to it. The more time they take to do this, the higher your team’s chances of spotting their attempts.
- Educate your Employees
As mentioned earlier, insiders can make your business network vulnerable. Thus, the best thing to do is train your employees on the best network security practices. The fact that they have uncensored access to your networks means attackers could use them to attack your network.
You need to train your employees on good password practices. Also, focus on threats that your business could face. For instance, showing them how phishing works and how they can recognize a phishing email can help. This education shouldn’t be a one-time thing, as criminals come up with new threats.
- Backup your Data
Many businesses still lose data even after putting preventive measures in place. The best way to avoid losing your data to damage or theft is by backing it up to the cloud. This is another line of defense that could protect your business from common cybersecurity threats like ransomware attacks.
Data backups mean that you can retrieve the files if they get damaged or lost. It can also help prevent financial losses should cybercriminals hold it for ransom and cause monetary damage to your business. The good thing is that the cloud offers more than enough space for every business to backup and store its sensitive data.
- Install Centralized Firewalls
Firewalls like passwords act as the first lines of defense on business networks. A business that lacks firewalls today operates at considerable risk. Firewalls are barriers that protect networks from any external attacks. This is an essential addition to your security whether you think your business is safe or not.
Besides, it would be best if you always kept your firewall on all the time to be sure of your security. Attackers do not warn before they launch an attack on a network. That makes it vital to keep security tools like firewalls on all the time. It makes it easy to prevent attacks anytime criminals may want to launch it.
Conclusion
Those are some popular network security tips that you can use to prevent security breaches. They include investing in a variety of security tools such as proxies. Other tips like implementing a good password policy, backing up your data and educating your employees are vital best practices.
No business is immune to cyberattacks in today’s online environment. Thankfully, the tips shared in this article can be effective in prevent surging security breaches. The best way to stay safe from potential threats is to combine as many security breach prevention tips as possible.
