Your business network and data are central to your continued revenue and success. It’s important to ensure they are protected and secure at all times. You can’t afford a data breach due to network vulnerabilities that are preventable.
Network Security Tips to Keep Your Business Secure
Keeping your network secure is an ongoing endeavor that requires attention to detail and adherence to certain cyber safety measures. Consider the following 9 tips to keeping your business network secure:
1) Network Access Control
Control physical access to your machines by unauthorized users. You can do this by locating your office equipment in an area inaccessible to the general public. It’s also important to control the access of authorized users to your network. Implement user authentication on all your network devices to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data.
2) Security Software and Firewalls
Make sure you have adequate antivirus and antimalware software installed on all your machines and that it’s set to real-time monitoring and auto-updates. Hackers are ever-more sophisticated and you need to be ready. Utilize the software’s firewalls or the firewalls included in your operating system as well.
3) Password Protocols
Make sure all your password are strong passwords and change them frequently. Strong passwords include a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters. Use an acronym that’s easy for you to remember. Use different passwords for each account. Consider using password management software to make it easier.
4) Keep it Updated and Upgraded
It’s vitally important to keep all your software, operating systems, and browsers patched and updated. You can set it up to do this automatically. Not doing so will cause system vulnerabilities that can be easily exploited. It’s also a good idea to keep your equipment upgraded to newer models with the latest technology.
5) Encrypt and Protect Sensitive Data
Do not leave sensitive data on equipment you are retiring or sending in for repair. Wipe hard drives before removing them from your premises. If you have anyone in your company who accesses network data outside of the office, use a virtual private network (VPN) with wireless encryption to keep your network secure. Make sure it is secure in storage as well as while in transit.
6) Back It Up All the Time
How often do you backup your business data? To keep your data protected, it’s best to have regularly scheduled backups either onsite or via cloud services. Using an off site cloud service will protect you even from loss of data due to a natural disaster.
7) Safe Email and Internet Practices
Be careful with email attachments, strange links, and forms. Be extra cautious with emails from unknown sources. It’s best to ignore unsolicited emails and be familiar with phishing methods. Avoid downloading files from unknown or potentially untrustworthy sites.
8) Session Timeouts
Reasonable session timeouts should be enforced for all sensitive programs and applications. Your employees shouldn’t have to reconnect for every little thing, but you want to make sure if they forget to log out, it will log out automatically. This will prevent unauthorized users from accidentally accessing sensitive data.
9) Employee Training
Keep your employees trained on all network security matters. Make sure they know what a strong password is and are using them. Make sure they use a different password for every important account. Inform them of the user access controls and session timeout policies. Provide frequent training on safe email and internet practices.
Keep It Simple
You may be reading this and thinking it sounds like a lot of work, and with good reason. Hackers are highly intelligent and skilled at their craft, and their cyber attacks are ever more sophisticated. They are looking for any and every vulnerability to exploit and will find yours if you leave the cyber door open. Protecting your business data takes knowledge, steady attention, and careful implementation.
While there will always be a part for you to play in the process, managed IT services can take care of a significant portion of it for you. You can focus on revenue-producing activity knowing your data is protected and secure.
Secure Your Network
Hackers are highly intelligent individuals with ever-more sophisticated methods to exploit vulnerabilities in your business network. It’s crucial to take every precaution and leave no opportunities for attacks. Use this guide to essential network security tips to get started securing your network today.
Contact Us to learn more about how managed IT services could be your business network security solution.
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