What is Network Security?
Corporate network security is a term that describes measures taken to ensure the safety and privacy of company data and information. It encompasses the protection of devices, technologies, processes, locations and employees. Good network security ensures that proprietary data and information is protected physically and digitally from hacking and cyber threats.
How to Keep Your Corporate Network Secure
Network security is important when employees work remotely, particularly if they need access to the corporate intranet. Here are things to consider when designing a network security system:
- Employee education: Employees must understand the processes involved in keeping data and information secure. This includes the personal and corporate legal ramifications if security is breached.
- Social engineering: In the context of network securiy, social engineering involves human interaction and psychological manipulation to trick users into making security errors or giving away sensitive information, for example passwords.
- Physical security: Devices (laptops, tablets, smart phones, flash drives) containing proprietary company information should never be left in an unsecure or easily accessible location.
- Remote Locations: Security measures may need to vary for remote employees who work at another office, at home, another city in the same country or abroad.
- Data access: How do employees access data and information? Do they take copies when at work? If accessed remotely can they see just the data they need or all company data?
- Device ownership: Who owns the devices use for company work? In the event of a data breach could you recall all devices immediately for investigation? If employee-owned, do you have an agreement to this?
- Device security: Do devices use meet company security standards for antivirus and antimalware? Are they ever left unattended at home or in a public place? How easy would it be to get access if someone were in physical possesion of the devices?
- Phishing: This involves tricking a user into clicking a malicious link, which installs malware or freezers the device. Users are then forced to reveal login information to unfreeze. Can lead to the theft of or unlimited access to company data.
- Malware: Malicious software including viruses, ransomware and spyware. Typically, they exploit security vulnerabilities to spread themselves across computers and networks to damage or allow unauthorised access to data and information.
- Wireless Network Security: Wireless security prevents unauthorised access over wireless netoworks, such as WiFi networks. Devices operated over an unsecured WiFi network may be accessible. Excellent WiFi security addresses many of the other considerations.
VPN for Better WiFi Network Security
VPN (Virtual Private Network) technology allows remote employees to access company data safely, even over an unsecured WiFi.
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