10 steps to securing your network: part two

Network security should always be a top priority. Experienced downtime decreases productivity and profitability and tarnishes reputation and a total crash could result in major data loss or even business closure. In addition to the concerns of business functionality, certain federal and state regulations require compliance with specified network and data security standards for the purposes of privacy protection and e-Discovery.

Last month you learned the first five steps every enterprise should take in order to properly secure their valuable business network from all internal and external threats. To recap, these steps were as follows:    

1.      Create a network security policy

2.      Deploy a firewall

3.      Employ web content filtering

4.      Ensure endpoint security  

5.      Perform a multi-point security hardening procedure

To refresh your memory on the first five steps, please visit the Bryley Blog at http://www.bryley.com/blog/post/10-steps-to-securing-your-network-part-one.aspx.  

And so, without further ado, we present steps 6-10.  

Step 6: Email protection

Never forget that email is another potential entrance for hackers into your network. Spam and email attachments could be carrying malicious code designed to hack into your network, take over your endpoints, crash your system and steal your data.  In order to prevent hackers and malware from entering your system through email, you will need to implement email protection software.  

You are going to want to invest in an email defense system that includes spam filtering, virus and worm filtering, email attack protection, content and attachment filtering and built-in and continuous upgrades. For additional email security there are also automated, web-based message continuity services (for network outage damage control), message archiving solutions (for e-Discovery compliance), outbound filtering products (for reputation management) and email encryption devices (for personal information privacy regulations).   

Step 6 in a sentence

Use email filters for protection against spam, viruses, malware attachments and hackers.  

Step 7: Malware and intrusion detection and removal products

Despite all of your precautions – policy and access list creation, firewall deployment, endpoint security management – malware and intruders may still slip into your network. Fortunately companies such as SonicWALL and Cisco offer intrusion detection, removal and prevention software that will root out any network intrusions as well as add a second layer of intrusion protection over your firewall. Kaseya offers a comparative product for malware detection and removal.   

Step 7 in a sentence

Deploy malware and intrusion detection and removal solutions to rectify security breaches.

Step 8: Laptop encryption and secure VPN connections  

Your mobile employees depend on their business laptops to conduct their work on the go.  As a result you need to be certain that these laptops are encrypted and linked to your network through secure VPN connections as laptops are frequently targeted by cybercriminals due to their vulnerability.  

Step 8 in a sentence

Encrypt all work laptops and link them to your network through secure VPN connections.

Step 9: Deploy a BUDR solution (that doesn’t rely on tapes)

In the event that your system should crash, what would happen to your mission-critical data? You must protect your valuable and irreplaceable data by deploying a backup and disaster recovery (BUDR) plan, preferably one that does not rely on backup tapes as they will only backup files and are subject to human error.

Bryley’s Backup/Disaster Recovery™ solution creates an image of your entire system state (a tape cannot do this)— operating system, user settings, business applications and data—which is then replicated offsite and stored in a fireproof safe in a secure facility. Backup occurs in real-time and is automated and encrypted for complete security. Recovery happens immediately upon request and hardware is included for necessary bare-metal restore (a tape cannot do this).     

 Step 9 in a sentence

Backup and duplicate your data (do not rely on tapes), storing the replication securely off-site.

Step 10: Find a trusted managed technology partner  

Now that you have initially secured your network from all internal and external threats, you need to locate an experienced managed service provider that can become your trusted business partner.

Network security is not a one-time fix. Hackers are constantly thinking up new ways to enter your system and creating more and more advanced forms of malware that are harder to detect both due to their novelty and sophistication.  You need to adopt ongoing measures to ensure that network security endures in your organization. But network monitoring is both time-consuming and costly.  That is why you need a managed technology partner. Since their services are all proactive – catching threats before they can become problems – they are more cost-effective and reliable than traditional IT service providers and onsite teams.  

Step 10 in a sentence

Partner with a trusted managed service provider for continuous network monitoring.

Conclusion

By following these 10 steps you can guarantee total network security as well as optimize the speed, reliability and potential of your system.  

Want to learn more?

Contact Bryley today for a free business-technology consultation on how to properly secure your business network.

Call 978.562.6077 or email Gavin Livingstone at GLivingstone@Bryley.com to learn more.