It is very important to maintain the security of our networks whenever we connect to the Internet. This becomes even more vital when it comes to a company. It does not matter if we are talking about a small commercial premises or a large area where we have hundreds of connected equipment. Hackers often set their sights especially on business computers. Therefore in this article we are going to give a series of tips to keep a business network safe .
How to secure a business network
Cyber attacks are very varied and attack users through methods that can steal information, infect with malware or even render our systems completely useless. Cyber criminals can attack private users but also companies. This means that we must always take extreme precautions when using the network.
Protect wireless networks
Without a doubt, something fundamental is to correctly protect our wireless networks . Today it is a reality that we increasingly use Wi-Fi. We have more devices connected to the network wirelessly, and that also comes with added risk. Therefore we must correctly protect our networks.
If we talk about a company, whether large or small, we can have different computers connected to the network wirelessly. This makes them visible and even accessible to potential intruders if we do not take precautions.
The first tip is to always encrypt the wireless network correctly. This means using a password that is strong and complex. It must contain letters (upper and lower case), numbers and other special characters. Always in a random and unique way.
Of course the router itself must be well protected. We refer, for example, to having the firmware updated, using correct encryption, also changing the access password to the router, etc. In short, the wireless network is going to be a key point to avoid security problems.
Have security tools
Safety tools should never be lacking in our equipment. There are many types of malware that can affect and it does not matter what type of operating system or device we are using.
A good antivirus can prevent threats from entering. However, keep in mind that there are many programs and tools that can protect us. For example, we are talking about firewalls, something that is vital to protect our network.
Therefore our advice is to always have security tools installed on our systems. It is basic and at the business level it becomes essential to protect computers from possible attacks.
Change factory settings
This is something that many users overlook. The same is true at the business level. We can buy a computer, a device that is connected to the Internet or even the router or access point itself, and keep the values that come from the factory. This is a mistake, since a possible attacker could try to exploit that initial configuration, that security barrier that a specific team may have.
It is important that we change the factory settings . In this way we will make it more difficult to carry out a possible attack against our network connected devices. It is something that we must apply at all levels.
Keep all equipment updated
Of course the equipment has to be up to date . There are many occasions when security vulnerabilities arise. Hackers can take advantage of those flaws, those mistakes, to attack. We always need to have the latest patches and updates available. It is something that we must apply regardless of what equipment we are using.
Monitor the network
Do we notice something strange online? Could we have intruders and we don’t know? There are methods and tools that help us monitor the network . In this way we will have greater control over everything that happens. We will see possible intruders that there may be, an improper use of the network, changes in the configuration, etc. In short, clues that may indicate that we must make changes.
Create backups
Among all the tools and functions that we can have at our disposal to protect ourselves and avoid problems, backups are undoubtedly essential. This must always be present at the business level. Some types of attacks can encrypt our files, erase them and, ultimately, make us lose them. We speak for example of ransomware.
Therefore our advice is always to create backups in a reliable way. This way we will avoid possible problems that put us at risk. We leave you a manual on how to make backup copies .
Encrypt all systems
In the same way, something fundamental is to have the systems correctly protected. By this we mean to use passwords that are secure and reliable on all the computers that we are using. We are not only talking about computers, for example, but also other devices that can access the network.
More and more devices are connected to us. We are talking about the Internet of Things, possible printers in a company, tablets and other equipment that, ultimately, can be vulnerable. It is essential that we always use correct encryption.
Common sense
Finally, although perhaps most importantly to protect a business network, common sense . Many types of attacks are based on errors that users make. For example, when receiving a possible malicious email and clicking on a fake link, downloading a file that is actually malware, etc.
We must always take precautions and maintain common sense. In this way we can always maintain security when surfing the web, using our business equipment.