Biggest Network Security 1 Mistakes. How often do you hear about network security breaches? The sad reality is that cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated every day. They are constantly finding new ways to infiltrate networks and steal data.
Here are six common mistakes that can put your network at risk. Learn how to prevent them today.
1. Not Monitoring Your Network
If you don’t monitor your network, you won’t know when something is wrong. One of the most common network security mistakes is failing to install a monitoring system. Further, that alerts you whenever something happens.
Avoid this mistake by making sure you have a good network monitoring system in place.
Detect and respond to any problems
It should be able to detect and respond to any problems that occur on your network, such as these:
1=Malicious insiders trying to access data they shouldn’t have access to
2=External hackers trying to gain access
3=Servers that are down or misconfigured
4=Hackers trying to send spam through your network (which can crash your email servers)
5=Poorly configured firewalls and routers
A monitoring system should be able to tell you which server or device is causing the problem so that you can quickly fix it. This can really help reduce downtime and keep your business running smoothly. And it allows you to spend more time focusing on other areas of concern rather than endless trouble-shooting.
2) Not Using Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) on Firewalls & Routers
A big mistake many business owners make is using “stateless” packet inspection on firewalls and routers. Stateless packet inspection simply looks at the header of each packet, without taking into account the previous packets in the conversation. As long as each packet’s header meets certain criteria, the firewall will allow it through.
This opens up a huge security risk because it can allow hackers to craft packets that look valid but actually contain malicious payloads.
3) Using Outdated Operating Systems & Software
Updating software is one of the best ways to prevent cyber attacks from succeeding. If outdated software contains critical security flaws, hackers can take advantage of them in order to steal data or take down your network entirely.
Here’s why it’s so important for businesses to update their software: Software becomes outdated after about 3 years. After three years, no new features are added, no patches or fixes are released for vulnerabilities found after the software was released, and no support is offered. That means that your business is at risk of cyber-attacks if you’re using outdated software.
4) Not Backing Up Your Data
Many businesses fail to back up their data because they don’t want to spend the money on a good backup solution. They figure that their data isn’t worth much anyway, so if something happens they’ll just buy new servers and start over again. This is the biggest mistake you can make when it comes to data backup.
If you lose all your data without having backups in place, it can put your business into a very bad spot financially. It can also affect your reputation with customers who lose valuable information like credit card numbers, social security numbers, or other sensitive data.
5) Not Training Employees On Cybersecurity
The biggest way businesses can avoid cyber-attacks is by training employees on cybersecurity best practices. Make sure every single employee knows what they should do if they see a phishing email, suspect that their computer has been hacked, or if they accidentally open a malicious attachment.
If an employee doesn’t know how to handle a cybersecurity problem, they can put your entire network at risk of being taken down. They don’t have to be experts on cybersecurity, but they should have basic knowledge of what to do if they come across something suspicious.
6) Not Hiring Employees That Pass Background Checks
One of the biggest complaints I hear from business owners is that it’s hard to find good employees for their businesses. If you’re looking for someone to fill an IT position, A background check can tell you whether or not an employee has a criminal record and whether they’ve been involved in any legal issues in the past.
If an employee has a history of lying on resumes or skipping out on rent payments, this information will be obvious during a background check. But if you don’t run one before hiring someone else, you’ll never know these things until it’s too late.
Conclusion
So, If you want safe and secure network security, it’s important to avoid these six common mistakes. Make sure your business is using all of the right types of software and hardware for maximum security. Then make sure your employees know how to handle cybersecurity issues in case something happens. And don’t hire employees who come with red flags that indicate poor decision-making skills or that may put your network at risk.