Network security is an essential part of any company. Creating a comprehensive IT strategy and implementing it correctly is critical to keeping your business safe. Your IT network is like a brick wall around your company. This wall protects all your business data, files, and information from cyber criminals. Building a strong base and adding security layers, is the starting point for protecting any size company.

The idea behind creating layered security is to provide a variety of strategies to help secure your network. Layered security might include email security, antivirus, firewalls, and network monitoring tools. The use of these layers can protect you from hacking, phishing attacks, malware and viruses, denial of service, and even insider attacks from your employees. Not every business needs the same type of security wall for their company, but they do need a strong base to protect them from outside weaknesses. As a managed service provider, we customize a solution that is right for you and your business.

4 Basic Ways to Increase Your Network Security

Here are 4 basic ways to increase security in your network and keep hackers out:

1. Spam Filtering – Email is one of the easiest ways for a hacker to get into your company. They start by creating an email that looks like it is coming from a reputable source. Most of these emails ask the recipient to click on a link or attachment, enter login credentials, or encourage them to go to a website. In any of these cases, the recipient will most likely get infected with malware or have their login credentials stolen. If having your email secure is important to you, it is imperative that you have a good spam filtering software in place to ensure that these spoof emails don’t ever get in your inbox.
2. Antivirus – It is important to have a good antivirus software that scans your network regularly. More importantly, your antivirus software should be up to date so that it is proactively scanning all types of traffic and files to prevent something from hiding in your network.
3. Firewall – Your firewall is like your defensive perimeter wall. It is the only thing that stands between your network and the outside world. It needs to be as strong as possible. A firewall will continually be updated with new virus and malware definitions, and other prevention data to keep threats at bay. Make sure you firewall is up to date at all times.
4. Network Monitoring – The last piece of your layered security wall is a network monitoring tool. This is a relatively new approach in cyber security. Network monitoring works by monitoring the network and learning about what its normal traffic looks like. This allows the program to detect when something happens that is not normal, like a hacker trying to access your network. When you have this data, you are able to look into the suspicious activity and properly kick out the intruders if needed.

When you start with a strong security foundation and then add layers to your network, you are doing what you can to protect yourself from outside threats.  At Protek, we take network security seriously. To learn more how we can help you create a strong security plan and wall in your company, contact Protek at 844.796.1717.