A Solid Network Security Plan Can Save You From Unwanted Downtime

For modern businesses, there is perhaps no issue more crippling to productivity and business operations than a network security issue. When network systems are down, important business activities grind to halt, creating a variety of issues from customer service complaints to lost earnings.

The best way for businesses to help prevent these events from happening is to design and implement a solid network security plan. By creating a plan that enforces best practices, monitors the network, and provides solutions for network issues, businesses set themselves up for success.

The following are key elements of a good quality security plan.

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Identifying Your Security Threats

Before your business can begin defending against cyber security threats, you must not only understand the basics of network security threats but also understand your business’s specific vulnerabilities. A reputable network security provider can do a network risk assessment that will identify threats that are unique to your business, evaluate your network’s weaknesses, and create a plan for how to strengthen network security and defend against threats. It’s always best to have a third-party do this assessment, as in-house IT staff can be biased toward their own network security methods.

Make Network Security a Priority in Business Culture

As businesses become more reliant on technology and network tools to run successfully, network issues become a greater hindrance to overall productivity, ultimately affecting everyone from entry level employees to CEOs. As network security affects everyone in the company, it should also be a priority for everyone. By instituting policies and training programs that enforce a culture that prioritizes network security best practices, businesses can help mitigate irresponsible mistakes that can put networks at risk.

Examples of good network security practices that can be implemented as part of business culture include:

Requiring the use strong passwords that use varying characters, both uppercase and lowercase, and are difficult to guess
Requiring employees to change passwords regularly
Training employees on best practices while online, such as not clicking on strange links from unknown sources
Tracking employee logins to business systems
Requiring employees to regularly update their workstations and software when prompted

Regulatory Compliance

Every industry has their own regulatory standards regarding network security. For financial businesses, there are regulations in place to ensure the protection of client and staff financial and personal information. For medical businesses, HIPAA regulations protect patient’s medical records and personal information. With more businesses utilizing online tools to conduct day-to-day businesses, industries of all types are creating regulations which businesses must adhere to. Know your industry’s regulations and implement a networking security plan accordingly.

Multi-Layer Network Security

Simple antivirus is not enough to defend against modern network security threats. To provide a comprehensive solution, businesses must implement a network security plan that has multiple layers of protection. This means that in addition to having network monitoring, antivirus software, and the like, businesses must consider all potential points of entry and prioritize protecting them. This includes email, workstations, and all network connected devices, including tablets, phones, and security cameras. Dual authentication, which requires users to verify their identity with multiple devices, can assist in providing another layer of protection.

24/7 Monitoring & Response

Business networks are too valuable to only be protected during business hours. A truly effective network security solution should monitor and protect the network 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. In addition, there should be an outlined process for network support and repair that is available all year round. Hackers and cyber criminals don’t take days off, which means your network security plan shouldn’t either.

Automated Backups

In the event of a cyber security breach, businesses need to know that their data is protected and can be restored quickly. This can only be achieved with regular backups. Whether through an on-staff IT team or via a third-party managed services provider, business owners must ensure that there is an automatic backup plan in place which regularly backs up data and securely stores it so it can be restored at any time.

Characteristics Of A Good Network Security Plan