Security threats are a serious risk in today’s digital workspace. Business and consumer data are becoming increasingly valuable to outsiders including advertisers and search engines. Understanding how businesses and consumers operate is advantageous insider information for any third-party to acquire.
As technology evolves, so do minute synapses that open up barriers to hackers. The challenge, then, is continuing with progressive software and technology while also working to ensure the safety and security of your operating network. It’s two-fold, and both parts are essential to the health and wealth of your company.
Network security threats pose a significant risk to businesses of all sizes and industries. Thankfully, several defense mechanisms are available to protect your company’s sensitive data. First, let’s look at the types of threats you are up against so select the appropriate protection method.
Types of Network Security Threats
The types of threats to network security vary and continue to evolve. Some might apply to your type of business more than others, which is why working with a professional team can help zero in on likely threats. It is imperative that someone on your team thoroughly understands potential threats, plausible outcomes and preventative measures to take against them.
Here are a few of the current types of network security threats:
- Malware
- Virus
- Worms
- Drive-by downloads
- Spear phishing
- Botnets
- Exploits
- Spyware
- Trojan horse
- DDoS
- Ransomware
- Cryptojack
- Adware
- APT
- Insider threat
What Are Offenders Looking to Gain?
Hackers are after you and your clients’ sensitive data. They might want to gather proprietary information, steal sensitive software, infect your system to gain a competitive lead, extract consumer data to use or sell, or wipe your system out altogether. Regardless of the reason for entry, network invasions are imminent threats and yield negative results. The one caveat here is that you might learn about an existing security weakness, and therefore learn from the experience; hopefully, you can set up thorough protection before reaching that point.
- Business data: Whether or not you organize and analyze your data on your network, everything going on online for your business is useful to a data thief. Data might be operational, financial, HR, or employee-related. Letting any type of data out of your hands is a severe threat to business.
- Competitive advantage: A bot, virus or person who taps into your data gains an immediate advantage over you in your respective market. Hackers can use data against you, wipe your system to cause harm or damage your ability to do business, to spy on you without you knowing they’re aware of new and evolving operations, or to steal ideas or make moves right before your own plans to execute on new ideas.
- Consumer data: Consumer data is one of the most valuable assets companies hold today. This type of data is useful to a number of entities and can be sold at high price points for revelations about consumer demographics, behaviors, and specific personal profiles.
Thankfully, We Have Network Security Protection
As far as technology has evolved, network security has formed alongside it, enabling businesses to grow data while also protecting proprietary and consumer data from security threats. As mentioned above, a number of security threats pose a risk to your company; each has its own solution to overcome weakness and ensure stability and safety of system and information. A few of the basic threats to protect against are listed below; all companies should work with professional third-parties to identify other potential and likely security threats.
The Most Basic and Critical Network Threats Are Often Overlooked
Data and online activity are so standardized, any threat to said data is often overlooked. Simple tasks such as chatting with co-workers through bots can leak and destroy the company’s reputation if not properly protected. Similarly, information that most people don’t think of useful or valuable to others might be exactly what an information predator is seeking. Ensuring all communication and software platforms are protected is essential to business security.
Protecting Against the Most Common Network Security Threats
At a bare minimum, there are measures your company can take to protect its consumers and future. Let’s look at a few of the most common security threats to make sure your company has the basics covered.
- Maintain software updates
- Minimize access
- Strong passwords
- Network protection
- Employee Education
- Software awareness
Maintain Software Updates
Software updates often include security updates. When you neglect to update the software you’re currently operating on, you open the system up to significant vulnerabilities. Whenever prompted to update software, choose to do it immediately. Trained hackers will have this window of opportunity on their mind, and if you’re a target it is imperative to prevent hacks by updating immediately.
Minimize Access
Be selective with who you allow on platforms and who has access to controls within software programs. The fewer people who have access to sensitive data or programs, the fewer chances there are for mistakes or oversights. If a data leak arises, it also minimizes the possible reasons or suspects involved.
Create Strong Password
Password strength is, unfortunately, one of the most overlooked security measures. Take the time, memory, or task to create and remember difficult passwords. Updating passwords frequently across all systems can have a critical role in risk reduction. Did you update your passwords this quarter? Get to it.
Network Protection
Depending on the network you use in your business, there are particular systems you can use as protection. Think of protection as your data army, standing in line to keep enemies away, ready to act whenever necessary, and protect all that exists inside territory lines.
Here are a few common defense systems to keep in place:
- Firewall
- IDS/IPS
- VPN
- Maintenance
- Employee education
- Network segmentation
- Access controls
Invest in Ongoing Employee Education
Arming employees with system security education is a powerful seed to plant and nurture at your office. As company workers understand what the business stands to lose, what the system stands to protect/promote, and how they directly interact with all of the above, they can actively contribute to helping maintain solid security on your network.
Understand What Software Is on Your System
If you don’t know what software your company operates on, it is difficult to protect it. Schedule frequent meetings with your developers to understand the software you use, who has access to it, what kind of information it stores, and what type of security measures are in place to protect it. The more you know, the better protected you will be.
Saving Money Isn’t Worth the Network Security Risk
Choosing to invest in network security is always worth the resources and peace of mind. The value of customer trust and brand reputation are indispensable to your business.
On-Going Surveillance Is Essential
Another way to help your company stay safe is by implementing ongoing security. Whether you oversee network security in-house or outsource it, around-the-clock management and monitoring of system security are vital.
When to Hire a Professional for Computer Security Threats and Solutions
Hiring a professional team is often the best course of action to take when setting up security for private and personal data. An experienced team knows how to analyze your current setup, which threats are possible with current technology, which are likely in your industry and how to best protect against them. Hire our team at Frontier Business Products for your network security needs.
Let Us Know in the Comments
Have you experienced threats to network security or enforced system policies to protect sensitive information? Let us know in the comments so the entire business community can better protect their assets, consumers and private data.
Frontier Business Products
Frontier Business Products is Colorado’s most trusted vendor for business supplies, equipment, security software, and maintenance. Locally owned and operated for over forty years, our company has seen and solved every business inefficiency with one of our one million+ locally inventoried parts and expert guidance. Call us to learn more about how we can help protect your company from common network security threats. We look forward to helping your business improve and grow.
