Increasing Security in Your Company’s Network

Running a company is almost impossible without the use of a network to store and share data amongst employees. While your company’s network makes running your business much more convenient, it can also make you more vulnerable.

Hackers are constantly looking for new ways to infiltrate networks and steal or destroy vital information. When hackers get in, your network (and everything on it) becomes compromised. Not only is your business at risk, but so are your customers. Here are 5 ways that you can increase the security of your company’s network.

Set up a VPN

A virtual private network (VPN) encrypts your internet connections and all data transferred by your network. Encrypted data becomes scrambled to anyone who intercepts it. Hackers won’t be able to read it, so it will be useless to them. Employees can use a VPN to connect to Wi-Fi when out of the office (such as during a business trip or working remotely), ensuring that all data stays secure.

Use an SSL Certificate

An SSL certificate allows an encrypted link between a web browser and a web server. This allows your customers to make transactions securely, without fear that their personal information will be compromised.

In addition to SSL encryption, your company should also use ssl decryption. With hackers getting smarter, malware can be hidden in an SSL session, hidden from view of security measures. With decryption, encrypted information can be temporarily unscrambled and inspected for safety before being re-encrypted and sent to its destination. This helps to expose potential threats that might otherwise go unnoticed until they were in your network.

Change Your Network Name

When you get your network router, one of the first things that you should do is change its name. The original name of the router often contains the model number, which is unsecure. Hackers can use this information to find the documentation they need to gain access to your network and gain access to sensitive data.

Keep Software and Firmware Updated

Hackers are always looking for ways to get around even the best security measures. Software and firmware developers are constantly working to patch vulnerabilities, ensuring that your network, your computers, and all stored data stay safe.

To ensure that your network stays safe, you should always have the latest versions of all software and firmware. As soon as an update is available, it should be installed. One of the best ways to ensure that you’re always running the latest versions is to enable automatic updates. This way, the moment an update is available, it gets installed. It’s one less thing that you need to worry about and you can be assured that your systems are always up-to-date.

Train Employees to Recognize Threats

No matter how many safety measures you have, your network can be compromised by an employee who doesn't know how to detect potential threats. An unsuspecting employee could click on a link in an email or open an attachment, completely unaware that anything is wrong. This is because hackers are getting smarter and creating phishing emails that look legitimate.

To ensure that your network is safe, all employees should be trained to recognize potential threats. Training should include:

• What phishing emails look like

• What makes seemingly legitimate emails look suspicious

• How to check a sender’s email for accuracy

Your employees should know to never open links or download attachments in any suspicious-looking emails.

In addition to training your employees, you should stay informed of the latest threats and how they can affect your company. When new information becomes available, be sure to educate yourself and pass the information along to your employees. With everyone working together (and with other network security measures in place), you can ensure that your company’s network remains safe.

Don’t take any risks with your company’s data. Keeping it safe is essential for your business as well as for the trust and safety of your customers. Make sure that you stay up-to-date on the latest threats and take all necessary measures to keep your company network secure.