Computer and Network Security Tools You Need Right Now

Computer and network security is vital in today’s digital world. With cybercrime damages expected to reach $6 trillion annually by 2021, protecting your digital assets is crucial for maintaining operations and safeguarding your company’s reputation. Network security uses tools, tactics, and policies to defend against unauthorized access and cyber threats. Unfortunately, many companies lack effective cybersecurity strategies, leaving them vulnerable to breaches. This post will cover essential network security tools and techniques to help protect your business and minimize the impact of cyberattacks.

What is Network Security?

Network security involves the tools, tactics, and policies used to protect digital assets and network traffic, as well as prevent, detect, and respond to unauthorized access. A network security system includes both hardware and software resources, such as skilled security analysts and incident responders. It is designed to address a wide range of threats that could target your network.

In simple terms, network security is how you protect yourself from the growing threat of cybercrime. By 2021, cybercrime damages worldwide are estimated to cost $6 trillion annually, even surpassing the cost of natural disasters. For individual companies, the impact can be devastating. On average, a cyberattack costs a company $1.67 million, with productivity and operational losses, as well as a negative customer experience, being the main consequences.

Upgrade Your Security Software to Meet Today’s Threats

Data is vital to your business. It drives growth, provides resources, and keeps your company healthy. If data is the blood that flows through your system, then your network is its beating heart. Cyber threats today are like vampires. They will do anything to steal the “blood” that keeps your business running.

To protect your business against these vampiric threats and prevent data loss that could cost millions of dollars, you will need more than a stake, some garlic cloves, and network transparency. You need robust computer and network security software to safeguard your network.

Computer and Network Security Techniques and Tools

Your network is exposed to threats of every size and shape. You should be prepared to identify, defend, and respond to all types of attacks. Most companies are not at risk from fly-by-night threat actors; instead, they are more likely to be targeted by well-funded attackers who aim at specific organizations for specific reasons. Your computer and network security strategy should be able to address all the methods these actors may use.

Here are 14 tools and techniques to help protect your network:

1. Access Control

If threat actors cannot access your network, their damage will be very limited. Be aware that authorized users can also be a threat. You can increase network security with access control by restricting user resources and access to only the areas of the network for which the individual users are responsible.

2. Anti-malware Software

Malware is a type of software that spreads through computers and networks. It can take the form of viruses, trojans, worms, keyloggers, spyware, and more. Anti-malware software is designed to detect and stop the spread of dangerous programs. These programs can also help resolve malware infections to minimize damage to the network.

3. Anomaly Detection

Without a basic understanding of how your network should operate, it can be hard to detect anomalies. Network Anomaly Detection Engines (ADE) analyze your network to alert you when breaches happen.

4. Application Security

Applications are often vulnerable points that attackers can exploit. Application security establishes security parameters relevant to your network’s security.

5. Data Loss Prevention (DLP)

Human error is often the weakest link in computer and network security. DLP policies and technologies help prevent staff from misusing sensitive data, compromising it, or allowing it to leave the network.

6. Email Security

Email security, like DLP, focuses on eliminating human-related vulnerabilities. Through phishing (which is often complex and convincing), hackers convince email recipients to send sensitive data or inadvertently download malware. Email security can identify malicious emails, block attacks, and prevent the sharing of vital data.

7. Endpoint Security

With the increasing trend of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), the distinction between business and personal devices has blurred. Unfortunately, personal devices can become targets when used to access business networks. Endpoint security acts as a defense layer between remote devices and business networks.

8. Firewalls

Firewalls act like gates, securing the border between your internal network and the internet. They manage network traffic by allowing only authorized traffic to pass through while blocking unauthorized traffic.

9. Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS)

Intrusion prevention systems, also known as intrusion detection systems, continuously scan and analyze network traffic to identify different attacks quickly. These systems maintain a database of known attack methods to recognize threats rapidly.

10. Network Segmentation

Different types of network traffic are associated with different security risks. By segmenting your network traffic, you can allow only the traffic you want to see while blocking traffic from suspect sources.

11. Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)

Gathering the correct information from various resources and tools can be challenging, especially when time is of the essence. SIEM software and tools provide responders with all the information they need to take quick action.

12. Virtual Private Network (VPN)

VPN security tools authenticate communications between secure networks and endpoint devices. For remote-access VPNs, IPsec or Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is used for authentication, creating an encrypted line that prevents other parties from listening in.

13. Web Security

Web security includes tools, hardware, and policies. It also describes the measures businesses take to secure their internal networks to ensure safe web usage. This prevents web-based threats from using browsers to access the network.

14. Wireless Security

Wireless networks tend to be less secure than conventional networks. Wireless security is essential to prevent threat actors from gaining access.

Three Main Areas of Focus in Network Security

Three key areas should be the foundation of any computer and network security strategy: protection, detection, and response.

1. Protection: Any security tool or policy designed to prevent intrusion into a network falls under protection.
2. Detection: This is the ability to quickly analyze network traffic to identify potential problems.
3. Response: This refers to the ability to respond to identified network security threats and resolve them as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, most businesses do not follow effective security policies and are unaware of how to do so. A survey of 4,100 executives, departmental leaders, IT managers, and other key professionals in the U.S., Canada, and Europe revealed that almost three-quarters of organizations (73%) have a novice cybersecurity strategy. This is a growing problem because when malicious threats and network breaches occur, more than just data is at risk.

Benefits of Network Security

There are many tools and devices that can help protect your organization’s sensitive data, as well as its performance and reputation. Effective computer and network security is essential for maintaining operational capability and a good reputation.

Cyberattacks can cripple companies from the inside, making them unable to provide services to customers or address their needs. Networks are crucial to internal processes, and attacks can prevent businesses from delivering services or meeting customer demands.

A network breach can also have a significant impact on your business’s reputation. Many customers are already reluctant to share their data due to the increasing incidents of identity theft. If a cyberattack occurs, these customers will likely switch to safer alternatives. Why take the risk, after all?

The stakes are high regarding network security, and the damage to your reputation can last long after other damages are repaired. It’s estimated that 66% of SMBs would be forced to close temporarily or permanently if they experienced a data breach. Even larger and more established companies may struggle to recover their previous standing.

On the other hand, reliable software and hardware for computer and network security, combined with the right policies and strategies, can help ensure that cyberattacks have minimal impact.

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