Networks are becoming more complex. This impacts network security because complex networks have essentially altered the playing field, making it more difficult to protect against hackers. By taking a few steps, you can strengthen the layers of protection in your network.
If you think you can avoid the complexities in today’s networks, you might want to rethink that notion. Most organizations will never go back to an exclusively on-premise network situation, nor should they — there are many advantages to cloud computing. Rather, the goal should be to more easily manage complex networks in a way that allows you to fully embrace new technologies yet avoid headaches.
Managing Pain Points
While there is much more involved in today’s networks, you can eliminate some of the pain points by taking a closer look at redundancies, invalid rules, and obsolete rules while also analyzing policies that allow a wide swath of workers to access data they shouldn’t have the ability to view.
Start by auditing your process. How are people trained? Your audit should reveal weak spots where the bulk of your data security issues are derived. Seeing where you’re most vulnerable gives you the ammunition you need to more effectively educate your workforce.
Divide It Up
Your data is an asset constantly under attack. By separating your networks, you don’t run the risk of having one breach get access to everything. Furthermore, when a cybercriminal does access a network, the breach will be more easily detected, which means they have less time to snoop around or build compromising code.
Speaking of monitoring, endpoint monitoring is another way to improve network security. Furthermore, by controlling what endpoints are granted access to your network and what they’re actually capable of doing, you are keeping everyone in line with compliance issues, which, consequently, reduces the likelihood of a breach.
Visualize Tomorrow’s Needs
You’re definitely focused on today’s threats, but what about tomorrow’s needs? Network security needs to be flexible enough to account for what’s coming down the pike. You know your network is going to evolve, so you have to be ready to take the changes head-on and be proactive with your approach rather than reactive, which can leave you vulnerable.
Make sure you’re keeping up with the tools that will enable future infrastructure upgrades. By partnering with the right agent, you can bypass the live-and-learn process and rest assured that you’re dealing with the right providers.
At Clarksys, we focus on helping our clients minimize risk. With nearly three decades of IT experience behind us, we’re the organization that knows how to lower costs while driving rapid growth. Our strategic sourcing and cloud solutions include a hands-on approach, making life easier for senior executives and technology teams involved in improving network security.