Information / Network Security

Network security is continually becoming an area of tremendous focus for companies of all sizes. Whether you’re a corporation or a small-to-medium sized business (SMB), you’re a target for a variety of network attacks that can stop your business in its tracks.

Unauthorized access to your private data, eavesdropping and stealing are far too common due to your wireless connection not being secure enough. Setting up a secure network can be easy if you follow along.

Information Security (InfoSec) is a constantly evolving part of cybersecurity that includes methodologies to keep networks safe and secure no matter the level of outside attacks. Small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are no stranger to these cyber-attacks. Even though 87% of small business owners don’t think that they are at risk of a cyber-attack, the Verizon 2019 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) says that 43% of cyber-attacks target small businesses. 

Many SMBs think they aren’t at risk for a cyber-attack, but because SMBs often lack a comprehensive security plan, hackers have figured out that small businesses are an easier target for stealing sensitive personal and/or financial information. Although having an information security policy for small businesses isn’t the end-all solution to combat cyber-attacks, it does provide SMBs with more visibility on the number of intrusions to their network infrastructure.

As more SMBs are targeted and breached by malicious hackers, business owners are seeking the formula for designing an information security plan that’s a fit for any small business. Although information security plans are not one-size-fits-all, they all do follow a similar recipe. Follow along as we cook up the comprehensive guide every small business needs to combat hackers and keep their data infrastructure safe from cyber-attacks.

Every successful organization relies on the strength of its organizational structure. A detailed business plan, efficient employees, and the business experience of key personnel are all critical. A formidable team is built from the consistency and commitment of all of the above, and implementing a strong cybersecurity architecture is no exception.

In today’s world, data security is a central concern for organizations of any size. With attacks happening more frequently and with greater sophistication, organizations must take an increasingly aggressive stance towards protecting their cyber networks and assets against unauthorized access. At the forefront of this effort to combat new and emerging threats has grown a reliance on the tools and best practices utilized to protect enterprise systems from attacks that originate both externally and internally.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires institutions that handle customer data to keep it safe from cybersecurity threats by implementing controls that comply with its Safeguards Rule. FTC compliance helps protect consumers from data privacy and security threats in the short and long term. Read on to learn about which FTC safeguards apply to your business.

There’s nothing as disorienting as discovering that you’ve been hacked. You log in to your company website and find that you’re locked out. There’s a message on your screen asking you to send bitcoin to an address to unlock it. 

What if you knew a way to identify loopholes in your network, patch them up, and prevent that cyberattack? Here’s where network vulnerability assessments come in.

Network vulnerability assessment, also known as network vulnerability test, is a process used to identify and pinpoint loopholes, security lapses, or potentially threatening vulnerabilities in a network. Network vulnerability assessments help you to locate loopholes like malware, unpatched software, and missing data encryption, and so on before cybercriminals can exploit them. An excellent network vulnerability assessment offers insight into your security system’s flaws, allows you to fix those flaws, and reduces the chances of surprise attacks by hackers. 

Companies seeking out lucrative contracts with the US Department of Defense (DoD) need to bolster their cybersecurity to protect our servicemen and citizens, abroad and domestically. To do so, they need to achieve compliance with the Cybersecurity Model Maturity Certification (CMMC), a framework published by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, also known as OUSD(A&S). Employing network security monitoring best practices is a crucial component of CMMC compliance and, ultimately, working with the DoD.

The information your organization processes may decide the success or failure of the business, in both the long and short term. For this fact alone, implementing an information security framework should be on the top of your to-do list.

Network diagrams form the blueprints for security programs in the 21st Century. Unfortunately, creating and maintaining these network architecture diagrams has become the IT equivalent to bookkeeping – it’s a fairly simple task that few people enjoy.

To be fair, documenting one’s network is tedious. Also, today’s fast-paced digital environment requires most businesses to expand rapidly. Digital transformation – on any level – significantly increases a company’s attack vectors. According to Forbes Insights: