According to CBS, over 80% of businesses have reported that their systems have been hacked. It gets worse: 85% of small businesses reported that their sensitive information was stolen.
Why are so many companies being hacked? The answer is clear: they didn’t have the proper digital security measures to protect their information. But your business doesn’t have to fall victim to hackers. Here are eight easy ways to secure your business network with digital security.
1. Step Up Your Network Firewall
Wondering how to secure a business network?
First of all, stepping up your network firewall is the simplest measure you can take to protect your business from virtual intruders.
While most standardized routers utilize Network Address Translation to guard your information system, businesses are able to implement firewalls on a much larger scale.
For example, demilitarized zones (DMZ) are a great way for companies to keep their data safe. Not only do DMZ servers decrease your server’s restrictions, but they also monitor the server less than a typical internal network.
That’s not all. You also need to make sure that your firewall has packet filter technology so it can deny any data packets that aren’t related to the destination address.
2. Strengthen Your Malware Protection
Even though most malware-scanning products rely on your device’s processing abilities, companies can actually centralize their management to strengthen malware protection.
There are several advantages to anti-malware software, including:
- Double-checking a link before it clicked
- Analyzing files before they’re opened
That means that your business will be secured from various malware threats.
3. Enable Your Virtual Private Network
Here’s the deal: today’s employees are often working on the go. However, opening up company documents at Starbucks isn’t the best idea due to the lack of secure public Wi-Fi.
That’s why many companies use a virtual private network (VPN) to keep their information safe for employees to access.
How does this work? VPNs use an encrypted tunnel to conduct user traffic back to your company’s network.
Nonetheless, there are a few downsides to using a VPN, including:
- Expensive to use, costly to put into place
- Complicated to set up, requiring you to call in backup
- Easy for hackers to access data from a stolen laptop
But as long as your company has the necessary income, knowledge, and security measures in place, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.
4. Detect & Prevent with IDS and IPS
It’s time to talk about detecting and preventing hackers with intrusion detection systems (IDS) and intrusion prevention systems (IPS). While IDS keeps an eye out for virtual invasions in advance, and IDS uses failed log-in attempts to find intruders.
Want to know the best part? IPS can literally block specific IP addresses, alerting network administrators as soon as it senses danger.
5. Shut Down Your DHCP
Have you ever heard of DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocols)? Basically, they determine the IP address of your business’s network. Essentially DHCP helps to keep your Wi-Fi connection afloat.
But there are always ways to tighten up business network security. Here are a few network security tips:
- Reduce the amount of IP address that your DHCP can assign
- Completely shut down your DHCP
Pro tip? Set up your own IP addresses if you choose to deactivate your DHCP.
6. Keep Router Firmware Up-to-Date
When was the last time that you checked to see if your router firmware was up-to-date? While most businesses update their router firmware annually, some smaller companies don’t think that it’s necessary.
However, your company will probably want to stick to updating its firmware every year in order to fix any bugs in the system.
7. Create Strong Password Guideline
I can’t emphasize this enough: all businesses should create a strong password guideline for their employees to follow at all times. Of course, that means that it’s up to you to set the password rules.
Don’t know where to start? Try to make sure that your staff avoids writing passwords on a physical item (like a piece of paper) or on unsecured digital media (like e-mail).
If your employees find this method to be too difficult, there are various password applications that can do the work for them, such as:
- KeePass
- EnPass
- 1Password
8. Ramp Up Your Physical Security
Remember good old-fashioned physical security? This tried-and-true method is the final step that you should take if you’re looking for network security for business.
Just make sure that you restrict access to your company’s servers by using a passcard system. It goes without saying that you shouldn’t let any staff or suppliers into the room without proper supervision.
Also, it doesn’t hurt to turn off your network plugs when you’re working outside of the office.
If you’re looking for more digital security tips, you can check out this guide by these experts to tell you everything that you need to know.
Keep Your Company Safe With Digital Security
Keeping your company’s digital security safe doesn’t have to be difficult. With all of the network security for small businesses on the market, you can take the necessary steps to prevent your data from getting hacked.
From stepping up your network firewall protection to strengthening your malware protection, there are many different ways to protect your business.
Even doing something as simple as creating a strong password guideline and ramping up your physical security can help strengthen your company’s data. Good luck with your digital security journey!
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