It seems that one topic on the lips of every business owner these days is IT security. All modern firms use computers and networks, and they all go online each day. As you can imagine, hackers would love to gain unauthorized access to private networks. And they would relish the chance of exploiting security vulnerabilities.
The ugly truth is that some companies have no choice but to shut down because of data breaches. The results of such an action can often prove disastrous for a variety of reasons. Even if a business regains control of their network, they have to carry out damage limitation.
Are you worried about unknown vulnerabilities on your network? Perhaps you worry about the data your staff sends over the Internet using your systems? In today’s blog post, I will talk you through some simple ways to lock down your business IT network.
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Set up a host intrusion prevention system
It goes without saying that Internet-connected devices can often be vulnerable to hacking. They are also often the target of malware infections. It’s crucial that you set up a strong first line of defense at the network level.
One way to do so is by establishing a host intrusion prevention system. In a nutshell, these systems can automatically protect your server and computers from attacks. They do so by monitoring the types of programs that get launched. Plus, they filter out any suspicious network and Internet traffic.
Invest in a hardware firewall appliance
There are many solutions for blocking “bad” traffic from accessing your network. Another popular example is the use of hardware firewall appliances. They reside alongside your network switches and servers.
To all intents and purposes, they are rack-mountable computers. The only difference is their sole purpose is to scan and block any bad traffic. You can set up all kinds of firewall rules according to your needs.
Keep your wireless network’s SSID hidden
Opportunist hackers often try to gain access to a network via a Wi-Fi connection. To quash such efforts, what you can do is “hide” your wireless network’s SSID. Of course, you need to tell your staff what the details are so they can still connect. But, it means that unauthorized people are less likely to break into your Wi-Fi network.
Virtually all wireless routers give you the option of hiding your Wi-Fi network’s SSID. If yours doesn’t, consider upgrading to a better router!
Install Internet security software on computers
It doesn’t matter whether your staff uses PCs or Macs. What does matter is they have adequate Internet security software on them. Malware can often attack unprotected systems through web browsers. Having up-to-date Internet security software means you can minimize such risks.
Scan inbound and outbound mail for viruses
One final thing you can do is ensure all incoming and outgoing mail doesn’t have malware. You can run scans at a client level on each PC or Mac. Or you can use software or hardware firewall solutions for your mail servers.
By following the above guidance, you can lock down your network and make it less accessible to hackers.
