5 Tips To Ensure Network Security Of Internal IT Infrastructure

Cyberattacks targeted at infrastructure have become more and more multifaceted and disruptive. They disrupt operations, cause systems to shut down, or enable malicious actors to manage compromised systems remotely. The way forward is to allow IT to configure network security properly.

Network security and cybersecurity, in general, are not just a liability for IT companies or organizations with substantial financial risks. 2020 marked a significant increase in cybersecurity attacks on schools and educational institutions. Even though no amount of security will ever be enough to mitigate all types of attacks, you can still substantially reduce your risk if a network security officer is by your side.

What Is IT Infrastructure Security?

If you are reading this blog, we would like to assume that you are either an aspiring cybersecurity professional or a business owner looking for ways to improve their network security. A business IT infrastructure includes networks, software, hardware, equipment, and other facilities that make up an IT network. These networks are applied to establish, monitor, test, manage, deliver, and support IT services.

So, IT infrastructure security describes the process of safeguarding the core networking infrastructure, and it is typically applied to enterprise IT environments. You can improve IT infrastructure security by installing protective solutions to block unauthorized access, theft, deletion, and data modification.

The biggest threat to network security and infrastructure security is from malicious actors attacking and trying to gain access over the routing infrastructure. The essential components of a network infrastructure security include:

◉ Firewalls

◉ Routers

◉ Access control

◉ Network servers

◉ Switches

◉ Local Area Network (LAN)

◉ Application security

◉ Server rooms

◉ Intrusion prevention systems

◉ Wireless security

◉ DSL and cable modems

◉ Physical plants

◉ Load balancers

◉ Remote access service

◉ Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

◉ Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Steps to Secure the Network Infrastructure

Data breaches are grave threats with damaging impacts. If you run an eCommerce platform, a data breach could affect the security of your consumers’ financial information. Even in the healthcare sector, a data breach could compromise patients’ personal health information (PHI). However, you can prevent a data breach when you improve your network security and IT infrastructure security.

Here are some important tips to improve network security irrespective of the size of your business.

Understand the components of your network infrastructure security

The first step to any network infrastructure security policy is to know your network infrastructure. Even before you implement protective measures, you need to see which software or hardware components comprised your network.

This information will give you important insights into network attack prevention. Make sure you include all your hardware (such as printers or routers), software (such as applications, firewalls, IDS/IPS), and digital security certificates (such as IoT certificates) into all your network security strategies.

Conduct network security audits

A network security audit refers to the practice that allows an organization to assess its network security policies and the series of assets on its network. The aim is to detect possible flaws that might trigger a security breach. A third party often performs this audit. However, large corporations with substantial budgets can run this audit internally through their cybersecurity team.

Some professionals take network security courses and have the complete knowledge to conduct thorough audits. Their expertise will help you understand the weak points in your infrastructure, and it will also save you millions of dollars.

Evaluate your network security tools

You don’t have to choose all the network defense tools available in the market. However, it would help if you had a suite of tools required for risk mitigations and to comply with your industry’s regulatory obligations. Ensure that you have the right tools for mitigating risks and for adequate network defense.

Network security tools are regularly upgraded due to new challenges from cybercriminals. While selecting a tool, make sure that it has received good reviews from users and is recommended by cybersecurity experts. Wise selection and good investment will foolproof your information security infrastructure.

Opt for data loss prevention program

If your organization handles overly sensitive and confidential information like banks, healthcare, the retail industry, and other financial organizations, data protection should be your top priority. A data breach is a frequent occurrence in these industries. There are compliance regulations in these industries that mandate the protection of sensitive data. A breach/compromise of data can result in lawsuits and reputational damage.

Organize network security awareness training

The weakest link in any security architecture is the human link. Employees that do not follow cybersecurity best practices can jeopardize all your network attack prevention strategies. Awareness training teaches your staff members about social engineering, phishing, spoofing and other cyberattack techniques that can cause harm and major damages. Cybersecurity awareness training will also establish a point of hierarchy so that the staff members can easily contact the concerned person in case of a possible attack. The training is important because not everyone has time and resources to go through a network security course.

A network security officer will fix all these issues and ensure the IT infrastructure is safe from any future cyberattacks.

Why organizations should hire a network security officer

Organizations are currently in an era where network security is a must. Over the last decades, threat actors have aggressively managed businesses in healthcare, retail, financial, utilities, and other sectors. Identifying weaknesses and gaining visibility into a series of mobile devices and their parts within the infrastructure helps lessen the risk of an effective cyber-attack.

Such amplify the importance of hiring certified network defenders. These professionals are trained to keep your network secure and prevent crippling data breaches. The cost of not having a knowledgeable and certified network defender and experiencing a data breach can cost you billions of dollars.

Bring the Power of Certified Network Defender to Your Organization

Cybersecurity is a non-linear process that demands a continuous approach to mitigate cyber risks. EC-Council’s Certified Network Defender v2 provides a wide-ranging approach to successfully tackling security issues in today’s modern network. As a senior management member of your organization, you should make sure that the employees working in network and IT administration know the fundamentals of network security.

CND v2 is a vendor-neutral network security certification program that offers an impartial tactic to learning secure networking practices. You will learn how to evaluate and strengthen computing systems dominant in the current IT infrastructure.

Source: eccouncil.org