With the increasing use of technology in business, cyber attacks have become more sophisticated—and also more devastating. One of the most memorable hacks in recent history, the 2018 Facebook data breach, exposed the data of over 50 million users and allowed the attackers to take over users’ accounts, gaining access to other services.
Due to the detrimental impact of cyber attacks and their ever-increasing frequency, robust security is a top priority for organizations vying for cyber safety.
What is Network Security?
Network security prevents unauthorized entities from accessing your networks and connected devices. Physical and digital preventative measures protect the underlying networking infrastructure from unauthorized access, malfunction, misuse, destructure, improper disclosure, and modification.
Proper security ensures a secure platform for programs, users, and computers to perform their required tasks within a safe environment. By securing proprietary information from attack, this security protects your reputation.
Defense in Depth
Relying on a single line of defense is risky. A crafty adversary can eventually defeat a single defensive tool. Multiple defenses ensure that only authorized users gain access to the network and its resources. Network security should exemplify three main stages of security:
- Protection: Correct configuration of systems and networks
- Detection: The ability to identify configuration changes or problematic network traffic
- Reaction: Immediate response to identified problems to quickly ensure a safe state
The Risks Without Proper Security
The news is full of horror stories about cyber attacks, reminding us what could happen without proper security. In April 2022, Cash App, a popular mobile payment service, experienced a significant data breach within its stock trading feature that affected over 8.2 million users. The stolen information included customer names, brokerage account numbers, stock trading portfolios, and activity.
Although no personally identifiable information (PII) was compromised, the incident exposed a serious security risk and highlighted shortcomings in access control policies. Consequently, Cash App faced multiple class-action lawsuits for its alleged negligence in implementing appropriate security measures to safeguard user data.
20 Types of Network Security
Now that you know why you should implement this tool, here are some cyber-safe options:
1. Access Control
Only certain users should have access to your network. With access control, each qualified user on each device must be recognized so you can enforce your security policies. Non-compliant endpoint devices can be blocked or given restricted access.
2. Endpoint Protection Software
Malicious software, or malware, can enter your network and remain dormant until activated. Trojans, viruses, worms, ransomware, and spyware are common examples of malware. Choose an anti-malware program that scans for malware immediately and continuously tracks files afterward to detect suspicious activity and remove malware.
3. Application Security
Any application could contain vulnerabilities that attackers may use to breach your network. All software your business uses should be protected, regardless of whether it is purchased or created by your IT team. Application security involves securing all the hardware, software and processes you use to fix vulnerabilities.
4. Behavioral Analytics
You cannot detect abnormal network behavior without understanding what that behavior looks like. Behavioral analytics tools automatically detect irregular activity. This detection allows your security team to identify and remediate indicators of a compromised network.
5. Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
Staff should not send sensitive information outside the network; however, employees may not always know which information is sensitive. Human error will always introduce a degree of risk as long as it is left to employees to control their data transmissions. DLP technologies prevent people from uploading, forwarding, or printing important information unsafely.
6. Email Security
Verizon’s 2020 Data Breach Investigation Report confirmed once again that email gateways are the top method for security breaches, building on the previous year’s finding that 94% of malware was sent through email.
By using social engineering tactics and personal information, attackers build advanced phishing campaigns that trick recipients into opening malware sites. Email security applications block incoming threats and control outbound messages to prevent the loss of sensitive data.
7. Firewalls
Firewalls are the barrier between your trusted internal network and untrusted outside networks. Using a set of defined rules, a firewall will block or allow traffic. A hardware, software, or combined firewall manages PC traffic, monitors incoming and outgoing connections, and secures connections while you are online.
8. Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)
An IPS is a network security measure that scans network traffic to block attacks. The administrator configures the rule-set in the IPS setting interface. Then going forward, rule-set updates can be scheduled to automatically run at certain times or on demand.
9. Mobile Device Security
An increasing number of cyber attacks happen on mobile devices and apps. In the next few years, a majority of IT organizations may support corporate applications on personal mobile devices. You must control which devices can access your network and configure their connections to keep network traffic private.
10. Network Segmentation
Software-defined segmentation categorizes network traffic to make it easier to enforce security policies. Classifications should be made based on endpoint identity, not just IP addresses. Assign rights based on role, location, and other specifications so the proper access is given to the right people and suspicious devices are weeded out.
11. Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
SIEM products combine all the information your security staff requires to identify and respond to threats. These products come in a variety of forms, including physical or virtual appliances and server software.
12. Virtual Private Network (VPN)
A VPN encrypts the entire connection from an endpoint to the network over the internet. A remote-access VPN often uses an IP-sec or Secure Sockets Layer to authenticate the communication between the network and the device.
13. Web Security
Web security refers to the steps you take to protect your own website. Additionally, an optimal web security solution should control user web use, block web-based threats, and deny access to malicious websites.
14. Wireless Security
Wireless networks are less secure than wired ones, so it’s significant to implement stringent security measures to prevent an attacker from taking hold. We recommend investing in products specifically created to protect a wireless network. These products often feature intrusion protection and internet gateway software.
15. Metasploit Workload Security
Metasploit is an open-source framework and penetration testing tool that runs on many operating systems, providing a modular platform for creating, testing, automating, and sharing exploits. It’s a powerful tool that enables security teams to enhance their security awareness and gives them the ability to proactively anticipate and counter potential threats.
By using Metasploit, defenders can stay ahead of the game, ensuring they are well-prepared to protect their systems and networks from malicious attacks.
16. Sandbox
A sandbox creates an isolated environment to run unfamiliar applications or codes to determine whether they are safe before running them in the production environment. This enables users to test and execute files without affecting the application, computer, or network.
The technique is often used by security professionals to test whether a new software or code could be infected with malware. Sandboxing also allows developers and testers to run their code in an environment that mimics the production environment while protecting the underlying system from potential impact.
17. Remote VPN
This is a specific type of VPN that enables remote users or employees to connect to a private network from a remote location securely. It allows users to access resources, files, applications, and services within the private network as if they were physically present in the office or connected directly to the network.
This type of VPN is perfect for businesses that need secure remote access, as it ensures all data transferred remains confidential by providing a secure tunnel for remote users to access internal resources and maintain privacy and data integrity while working remotely.
18. Application Whitelisting
This security practice allows only pre-approved applications to run on your systems. It blocks malware from launching regardless of whether an attacker has full access to a business network. With this method, users are prevented from downloading unapproved applications that could be compromised.
19. Intrusion Detection System (IDS)
An IDS is responsible for identifying and protecting against inbound threats. IDS deployment must be used in conjunction with other security strategies to provide the best line of defense. It can identify malicious activity and warn security teams to take immediate action.
20. Network Monitoring
A robust network monitoring system captures all traffic traversing your organization’s networks and scrutinizes it for security vulnerabilities. This type of monitoring helps your team quickly identify and respond to security threats.
It’s also important to implement Network Access Control (NAC), which ensures that only authorized devices can access a network. It provides visibility and control over all the devices connected to your network, enabling administrators to identify any potential threats quickly.
Increase Your Network Security With AIS
Diagnosing your organization’s vulnerabilities through security maturity will help you develop a strong mitigation strategy. At AIS, our experts construct personalized information security programs that adhere to regulatory and compliance standards. With experience across industries, AIS can help you protect your network from attacks with our advanced toolsets and experienced team through a variety of services, including:
- vCISO
- Audits
- Compliance & Governance
- Managed Detection & Response
- Managed Risk
Don’t wait for disaster to strike your network. Set up a cybersecurity assessment with one of our specialists today.