When talking about network security, the first thing we need to know is why network needs security and the importance of network security. First of all, what do you want to protect? You want to keep some information private, and that would definitely be confidentiality, integrity, access, non-repudiation, and authentication. From what should you be afraid of? There are numerous kinds of cyber attacks, and you need to know the most common ones. Phishing, denial of service, worms, trojans, viruses, IP spoofing attacks, and eavesdropping are most common internet attack methods.
Network security tips should be always followed if a person wants to protect its sensitive data. So, what can one do to protect it? We will now represent the best cyber security tips everyone needs to know!
1. Encrypting your data. This would definitely be the most important step when it comes to protecting the data and of course preventing its loss that may happen due to equipment loss or theft.
2. Using digital certificates. You can easily save your digital certificates by signing all of your sites. In that case, your certificates will stay safe at hardware device (for example routers, load balancers etc.).
3. DLP and auditing. Implement it and it will help you to understand the advantages of network security. DLP and auditing will alert, block and of course, identify the potential threats.
4. Secure the websites. You can secure the websites by using the malware protection. It is definitely one of the best network security tools. Also, always remember to scan everything daily.
5. Removable data policy. Implementing this policy will help you to restrict the usage of writable media (for example USB drives or any other external hard disks).
6. An endpoint security option. By using this security option you will have a multi-layer security solution. You will always be capable to fight back against malware.
7. Spam filters. Do you remember those ”weird” e-mails? Have you opened them? You know that emails are the targeted ones when it comes to phishing. With spam filters, you will be able to filter your messages completely.
8. The security patches. Maintaining security patches will keep you safe, as long as you take care of them and as long as you know that they are up to date.
What do experts say about cyber security tips? They say that it is very important to get a strong password. Can you believe that literally 85% of people use the same password? Be sure that your password is long enough, with small and big characters, and numbers within it. Also, change it regularly, and never use the same password for different accounts. Experts also claim how people are not well-aware when it comes to using public wi-fi networks. Do you know how many people use it? If you are ‘unlucky’, you may easily become a target to a hacker.
What if you have customers who put trust in you and you lost all of your sensitive data without even realizing it? When it comes to network security, you won’t realize immediately that something was stolen from you. So, the best thing would definitely be to keep everything protected. Once it is lost, you will either need to pay some amount of money to get it back or you won’t get it back at all. Back up your data!
There are different types of network security, and we will now discuss everything you need to know about it. The importance of network security is that it will make you feel safe and not worried. Is that a little thing? I don’t think so. Let’s take a look at different types of network security!
1. WPA. It is also known as a wi-fi protected access. What WPA does is that it encrypts the information and always checks to make you sure if the key to the network security has been modified. There is also a WPA2 which is known to be even more secure.
2. WEP. WEP is actually a Wired Equivalent Privacy. It is characterized by some kind of an older network security type but it is still available for some older devices. Be sure that all of your devices are kept safe!
3. 802.1x authentication. If you want to enhance the security of wireless networks then you must use this type of authentication. It validates the users and also provides the network access to those users that are valid.
4. Firewall. Controlling incoming and outcoming network traffic is of a big value. Firewalls are the ones that will keep you safe in such situations, and you are very aware that they happen daily. It determinates whether the data packets should or shouldn’t be received.
5. Authentication and its types. There is a one-factor authentication. You can best understand it as a password. This type of authentication is something the user knows. The two-factor authentication is always something a user actually has. What can that be? It can be a device which is generating a predetermined code, for example. Three-factor authentication is something the user is. User’s voice? Maybe a fingerprint? Yes, all those personal characteristics are three-factor authentication.
6. Physical security. People rarely think about this fact. Being secured in the cyber world is great by using all those recommended network security tips, but someone can also steal your computer, mobile device, a laptop etc. So what is a physical security? It is your house door, security guards, walls and other similar things.
Network security basics are a must if you want to stay safe. What else can you do about it? You can use network security tools. For example, there are many free tools that will keep you safe and I am sure that you have realized through this article why network needs security. The best 10 free network security tools are:
- Rapid 7 Small Business.
- Rapid 7 Nexpose Community Edition.
- Kali Linux.
- Nmap.
- Zenmap.
- Wireshark.
- Aircrack-ng.
- ThreatFinder.
- Reputation Monitor Alert.
- Root the Box.
Now that you have realized all of the advantages of network security, we will take a final look through the network security concepts. Network security concepts are:
-creating the security blocks for the information;
-securing the policies;
-manage and evaluation of the risks;
-securing the network’s management.
All in all, you are ready to go into cyber world and to keep yourself protected!