Data Security by Blogtrepreneur is licensed with CC BY 2.0
Your company’s data is a priceless resource that allows you to serve your customers, develop your products, and create achievable goals for the future. No matter your industry, investing in network security can help protect your most crucial information from the threat of attacks. At Golden Tech, we want our customers to be able to focus on their companies’ important work without worrying about their data being at risk. Here are a few tips to help you protect your most prized information, including some information about how Golden Tech can keep you safe.
Why Is It Important To Keep Your Network Secure?
When your network is secure, it means that employees can use company technology to complete their work and share data without the threat of an information breach. A threat that can affect your system is a ransom attack, where a hacker encrypts the files in your system and makes your data unusable. To return access to your important files and data, an attacker may ask for a cash ransom. Not only can this be stressful and financially draining, but it can also stop business operations as you wait for the issue to resolve, costing you valuable profit and customer relationships.
With the proper security measures, though, you can make it so that threats can’t get through to your data. Or, if any potential issues arise, a secure system should be able to monitor, locate, and eliminate an attack before it occurs. If you’d like your business to continue running smoothly, it’s important to take some steps to invest in network security today.
Network Security Tips
Want to maximize your network’s security? Consider the following measures:
Secure Access Points
A wireless access point (WAP) refers to the connection point for any Wi-Fi-enabled device in the office. Essentially, these are the points where your employees connect their devices to the company’s network to complete their work. If these points aren’t properly protected, though, anyone can use them to get into the system and cause havoc.
There are a few steps you can take to secure your access points. Consider changing the WPA encryption key on company routers, changing any default passwords, using two-factor authorization, or masking the name of your company’s network from outside threats. For more information on creating strong and effective passwords, check out our blog.
Set Up A Firewall
A firewall is a network security device that you can use to monitor incoming and outgoing traffic in your network and permit or block data packets based on how well they match the system’s security rules. You can use a software or hardware firewall, or a combination of the two. With a firewall, you can essentially keep tabs on any network activity, allowing you to avoid unpleasant hacks or surprises. Since you can create the protocols, or security rules, for your firewall, you can make them as strict as the company’s security needs require.
Stay Up-To-Date
It may seem simple, but a great way to protect your network is to make sure that all your company’s applications, hardware, and software stay up-to-date. Not only can outdated technology slow down your company’s productivity, but it can also give hackers a chance to learn system vulnerabilities and exploit them. You can also invest in staying up-to-date with the latest anti-virus protection for an extra layer of security.
When you perform regular updates, you can patch up security holes and ensure that your system works as well as it can. Keep in mind, though, that some software updates may not work with older hardware models. You may need to seek out replacements to keep your network strong.
Invest In Cybersecurity Education
In many cases, a network’s security system is only as strong as its weakest link. That’s why it’s important to get all employees on the same page about best cybersecurity practices. A simple mistake can cause massive damage to your company’s network.
If an employee clicks on a link from an unknown source on a connected company device, for example, they may give a hacker access to the entire network. Some other dangerous behaviors you may want to discuss with employees include leaving files open on shared computers, ignoring device updates, using weak passwords, and sharing information or devices with those outside the company. Consider implementing regular security training to make sure that all employees understand potential threats and how to defeat them.
Complete An Audit
If you’re unsure about your network’s performance or would just like to be extra cautious, a network audit is a great way to discover any potential weak spots in your system. Your audit can tell you how well a firewall performs, describe the health of any software, hardware, or applications, and suggest a recommended system backup frequency. It can also help you install and update anti-virus and malware protection.
Let Golden Tech Help You With All Your Security Needs
While some of these steps may seem simple, we know that managing network security can feel like a full-time job on top of everything you do to keep your business running. So, why not leave all your network worries to the professionals? At Golden Tech, we offer fully managed IT services, meaning that we’ll complete an audit on your system, install any required security devices, and continuously maintain your systems for threats or required updates. Want to spend your time at work actually doing what you love? Let our skilled and professional staff take care of everything else.
At Golden Tech, we know how crucial it is for you to keep your company’s network secure. While there are some immediate steps you can take to improve your security, we also recommend investing in IT services that can give you peace of mind. Have any questions about network security? Or, would you simply like to learn more about how our services work? You can always contact us today, and we’ll be happy to discuss your options with you. We can’t wait to help you get secure and get back to business.