Digital hacking continues to become a more advanced problem as the age of the internet progresses and new technologies are introduced. From the theft of credit card information all the way up to wide-scale corporate data theft, hackers have contributed heavily to the fear and danger that many experience when using the internet. In recent years, hackers have breached network security in an attempt to steal or damage everything from financial data to election tallies, and organizations in the business world around the globe have been negatively affected as a result. 2020 has hosted entirely new challenges for businesses as the world strives to cope with a global pandemic that many hackers seek to exploit. Churning out spam emails with bitcoin ransom demands, these hackers have created new problems that even the World Health Organization has had to endure, and those businesses with employees working from home are now susceptible to a new breed of data theft making the need for cybersecurity solutions tantamount to the success of their organizations.
All is not lost, however. Cybersecurity is on the rise, and many vendors are working tirelessly to develop new strategies that will protect businesses from harm. While hackers run rampant and find new ways to infiltrate network security, there are many ways to combat their efforts and protect your organization’s data and other sensitive information.
Best Ways to Protect Your Network From Hackers
Hackers target businesses with lax network security, and they succeed on a daily basis. But just as a good security system can deter criminals from forced entry into brick-and-mortar buildings, enhanced network security initiatives can deter hackers and protect your data from harm. If the code is too tough to crack, it will often be abandoned for an easier and more vulnerable target. Here are six ways that you can ramp up your own cybersecurity efforts to prevent breaches:
Implement Two-factor Authentication
2FA, MFA, or multi-factor authentication involves enhancing your network security with a second stage of login protection. This is a multi-device solution that requires users to have a code sent to their smartphones, usually via SMS or an authenticator application. Before they can complete a successful login to their accounts, they must input a code from their mobile device or approve the sign-in request manually in order to gain access. Microsoft 365 accounts utilize 2FA to help organizations prevent unauthorized sign-ins or unauthorized devices from accessing sensitive information – a method that your organization should definitely be taking advantage of.
Keep Your Systems Up to Date
It might seem like a pain to constantly install updates, but there is a reason that these updates are constantly being developed and released. New updates and can reinforce your network security by applying patches over known weak spots to prevent hackers from gaining access. This is extremely important for many organizations where compliance and legal protocol dictate that mandatory update maintenance be a part of their overall network security. Always ensure that your systems are updated regularly and that any new security patches are installed to keep the latest in cybersecurity solutions present on all machines within your organization.
Install Antivirus and Antimalware Software
It should be expected that preloaded or factory antivirus software can only do so much for your overall network security. These systems are designed to remove obvious threats that prevent your machines from normal operation, but they do not dive into the advanced threats that hackers initiate to breach through corporate walls in an attempt to obtain data. Creating robust firewalls and using dedicated antivirus and antimalware software can help to identify, quarantine, and remove threats before they become serious problems. Your organization should be using powerful enterprise-grade software that is designed to protect business interests and filter malicious threats.
Ask for Help From a Professional
Cybersecurity companies have developed ways to combat malicious hacking and can integrate their software into your organization’s digital fabric to give you enhanced network security. If your organization has a problem with spam or has been the target of data theft in the past, ask for help from a professional. At Cyber Sainik, we protect our customers from cyber threats using the best-in-breed technology, tools, and software as part of our SECaaS – Security as a Service – solution. With intrusion detection and prevention, vulnerability protection, identity management, and email security, our SECaaS offering creates an impenetrable layer of network security that will protect your data at all costs.
Perform Attack and Penetration Tests
Testing your own cybersecurity efforts is an effective way of measuring the durability of your network security. Attack and penetration tests completed after new cybersecurity measures are put in place can help you identify any weak spots in your organization’s digital armor. The results can help you plan, adapt, and introduce new measures to enhance your network security as well as gain insight into how hackers approach your organization during malicious attacks. There are numerous tests that can be conducted such as external testing of a company’s visible assets (websites and domain name servers) or internal testing to determine the potential impact of a rogue employee with malicious intent.
Make Sure Firewalls Are Configured
Firewalls use rules to control digital traffic and can provide access to authorized users while blocking unauthorized entry attempts. As hackers develop new skills for malicious infiltration, more powerful firewalls are being designed with advanced encryption to ramp up cybersecurity efforts and offer enhanced network security tools. You can utilize the power of firewalls to prevent hackers from breaching through the digital walls of your organization and gaining access to your systems. When configured correctly, firewalls can help you eliminate blind spots within your network security and provide live visibility into how breaches are being attempted. Contact us for more information
