You don’t want to wake up one day to the news that your organization’s network security has failed. When a network failure occurs, critical operations may be hindered, and sensitive data could be leaked without proper security reinforcement.
In March 2020, Sina Weibo, China’s biggest social media platform, disclosed that a hacker gained access to a segment of its database, affecting 538 million users. The compromised information included real names, site usernames, gender, locations, and phone numbers.
Similarly, LinkedIn found itself in a tricky spot when the data of 700 million users was offered for sale online. However, LinkedIn denied the occurrence of such a data breach. Most organizations take their network security very seriously. According to a new International Data Corporation (IDC) spending guide, global security investments are expected to experience 12.1% growth in 2023, reaching a total of $219 billion.
Let’s look at a few ways you can improve your network security.
Organisation-wide visibility
It’s important to integrate applications and technologies from different vendors to keep the network secure. Organizations need a central viewpoint for all the data from each system in their IT infrastructure. Let’s say a multinational company has offices worldwide. In this case, having enterprise-wide visibility is an important parameter for securing its network. One way to achieve this is by deploying an enterprise network monitoring tool. It helps analyze and monitor devices, including routers, switches, and firewalls.
Monitor risk continuously
According to a report by Forrester Research, 74% of companies worldwide, spanning various sizes and industries, encountered a cybersecurity breach in 2022, representing an increase from the 59% reported in 2020. The rising number of cyberattacks is alarming and requires around-the-clock monitoring to mitigate them. The 2020 SolarWinds hack is a perfect example of how a network failure could lead to a catastrophic data breach. Government departments of homeland security, state, commerce, and treasury were all impacted, with evidence of missing emails from their systems.
Private companies, such as FireEye, Microsoft, Intel, Cisco, and Deloitte, also experienced repercussions from the attack. Deploy a robust SIEM solution to analyze and correlate security events across the enterprise to avoid instances of network failure. SIEM solutions monitor and analyze every device connected to the network in real-time and alert you after detecting vulnerabilities.
Use a next-gen firewall
The firewall, as the first line of defence for your organization’s network, must be given the utmost importance when building the network security posture. While a traditional firewall monitors the inflow and outflow of traffic, a next-gen firewall comes equipped with features such as application control, intrusion prevention, and URL filtering. As cyberattacks continue to evolve and increase each day, it is imperative not to rely on legacy firewalls. Instead, deploy next-gen firewalls that offer extensive application control and enterprise-wide visibility.
Update your software
Software updates and patch management, although simple, are crucial to defend your network from cyberattacks. More often than not, vulnerabilities present in various applications leave a loophole for attackers to infiltrate your network.
Keeping your software up to date is one of the easiest ways to secure your network. Since patches and updates for applications are crucial, they shouldn’t be left to the mercy of human errors. Therefore, automate software updates and patches for vulnerabilities using a patch management solution. This ensures the automation of patching and software updates, preventing oversights.
Key takeaways
Securing your network is crucial for maintaining uninterrupted business operations. Implementing a single point of visibility for enterprise-wide network devices, continuous traffic monitoring, next-gen firewall deployment, and regular software updates are essential measures to protect your network effectively. Learn more about network monitoring.
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