Network Security: Afterthought or Preparedness?
In the ever changing world of IT there are many things to consider when it comes to network security. Unfortunately, most small to mid-sized businesses don’t consider the security of their network until catastrophe strikes. Implementing a proper security plan is essential to maintaining consistent work flow and minimize system downtime.
A security plan starts with good risk assessment that can expose security deficiencies and define system vulnerabilities. Utilizing this risk assessment can provide a plan to secure the network properly and implement user education to avoid exposing your network to malicious attacks.
A good security plan would include:
- Defining System Vulnerabilities
- Determining Critical Data vs Non-Essential Data
- Locking Down Access to Critical Data
- Educating Employees on :
- Site Vulnerabilities
- Phishing Emails
- Password Usage/Creation
- Proper Security Awareness
- Implementing Security Standards such as:
- NIST 800/171
- HIPAA
- HighTrust
- to name a few
- Ensuring Proper Onsite/Offsite Backups
- Creating Redundancy when required
- Maintaining Cyber Insurance
While the cost of ensuring the security of a business network may seem overwhelming and unnecessary due to the size of the network, bad actors are only looking to benefit from your system data. One of the biggest mistakes a business can make is not investing in a proper security plan and implementation, choosing feigned safety over actual preparedness. The upfront cost of ensuring that your network is secure and not vulnerable to system attacks is well worth avoiding costly downtime in the future.
However, a security plan must be reviewed and updated regularly as attacks become more sophisticated. This includes regularly monitoring of the network, daily, weekly, and monthly as well as ensuring that backups are performing regularly and are tested. It is important to choose a company that will not only present a comprehensive security plan for you specific network, but also maintain the security of your system for the long term.