Secure your Network with Cyber Security Services Near Me

If you are thinking about beginning a business, the information system will presumably join your plans at some point. The business will need the essential information built from some kind of application software and applications - whether the solution is just an Excel spreadsheet or something more advanced and automated like the Enterprise Resource Management System. Topics like disaster recovery, data protection, cybersecurity, web filtering, etc. are topics that entrepreneurs should think about. Protecting Your Business is the next article in a series of articles that will introduce new, and experienced, business owners to information technology intricacies that should be included in your business plans. Because security should be a layered approach this first issue will introduce the idea of network security.

Cybersecurity services near me should be a layered approach to your business-like physical security. To secure your business for the evening, you lock your doors and windows, turn on the alarm system, lock your valuables, or take whatever is important to you to a safe place Go or take the item with you. Cybersecurity is no different and perhaps even a little more intimidating. At least physical protection is somewhat of a difficult event, meaning you can touch and feel what you want to protect. With computer systems, attacks can appear intangible until the system penetrates and information is stolen. If your business is connected to the Internet, someone is trying to break into your network, or at the very least, scan your network and look for vulnerabilities to exploit all the time.

During research regarding next-generation cyberattacks, the analysis clarified that attackers are targeting more applications and users than network vulnerabilities. In further complicated cases, attackers are preying on domestic networks and small businesses. Why? Most of the time, system owners believe they are off the radar of malicious individuals when it is actually easier to penetrate and manipulate small networks. From these launching points, the offender can exploit large institutions from a reliable small entity.

Applications become the point of attack because the operation of the software depends on the ports remaining open through a firewall or router. An example of a port would be HTTP. For HTTP to work, TCP port 80 must be allowed. So if Joe Hacker writes an exploit that works on TCP port 80, you cannot stop the attack unless you want to use HTTP or appropriate changes are made to minimize exploitation.

Users are exploited by luring emails and malicious websites, enticing users to click on links that exploit computers to infect them with worms, viruses, Trojans, rootkits, or bloatware. Being infected with a rootkit usually means the owner of the computer system will have to reinstall the operating system and application to erase the infection. Rootkits are particularly painful because exploitation becomes part of the operating system. A rootkit went so far that other competitors had to install an anti-virus tool to keep it off their property.

If the business is connected to the Internet, a router is a bare minimum you need to set aside. There should be an access control list to deny using the router as a security tool or to allow entry and exit into your network - ideally, the denial should be the default and the permission is the exception. At best, the network should have a firewall and screening router for households and businesses that have a cable modem or DSL connection. Unfortunately, configuring and maintaining firewalls is not for the faint of heart. Please keep in mind that a firewall is just a computer with multiple network cards installed and highly specialized software. Firewalls are somewhat "geeky" and are unfriendly to say the least.

Cisco Pix firewalls are good but there is no such thing as a graphical user interface (GUI) to manage and setup firewalls. Checkpoints and junipers are no friendlier to small businesses because they have a GUI. And those devices can be "pricey". You can also look for an open-source solution for your firewall solution. The open-source for the software will be free - which is actually a firewall - sophisticated software. You will already need hardware but you do not have to have the latest largest hardware. I used an old desktop computer and added a network card to build a firewall.

• Ideas for securing your network:
• web filtering
• Intrusion detection system or intrusion prevention system
• Anti-virus
• Stateful inspection
• Application Filtering
• Spam filtering

If you have children in your family or employees in your company, web filtering is a must. Trying to filter websites is an interesting task but by blocking some internet sites you can save yourself a lot of trouble. Web filtering can be expensive but there are free options. For example, OpenDNS is a free service whose business can run today with instant results to filter your Internet connection. You only have to change the DNS entry in the DHCP server whether it is a cable or DSL modem. You can filter pornography, parked domains, advertisements, etc. You must set up an account before using the service. I would also recommend installing the OpenDNS client to help us track our IP addresses. Most cable or DSL connections use Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) to allocate addresses.

For large implementations, an integrated threat management tool can be used. These devices can filter spam, catch known malware as exploits are entering your network, an intrusion prevention system eliminates known network threats, as well as standard packet inspection. A professional must be hired to establish UTM. The UTM professional should be able to help you set up the filtering properly. Discuss a maintenance contract when you purchase the device. Maintenance should be negotiable. If you are not getting a fair price, look for someone else who knows your product.

Protecting your business at the network layer is a sensible move but putting it in the screening router and firewall is only half the equation. The firewall and router logs should be kept for a time so that history can be analyzed. But, analysis of security logs takes a certain amount of skill and knowledge. It should be possible to find a managed service to take care of the rules involved to secure your firewall and network. This is why you need a maintenance agreement or hire a managed service. One of the first things done for your network is to do a baseline assessment. The baseline will provide a set of common levels for your network. The MSP or maintenance agreement should provide a monthly report from which traffic can be blocked or filtered.

EndNote

Network security is a requirement for both home and office. There are a number of steps you can take to protect your network, systems, and communications to avoid piracy, connection theft, and damage to your computer and documents. You can also contact your local IT support company for more detailed information.