There is no doubt that your small or mid-size business relies on secure and safe networks in order to transmit sensitive data. That is the reason you need effective tools and plan to stay protected. You probably know that for IT department managers and executives across a wide range of industries, such as healthcare and manufacturing, the need to safeguard and secure enterprise networks is crucial.

Did you know that an IBM/Ponemon Institute report revealed that the international average cost of a data breach increased about 6.4% in 2018, reaching a whopping $3.86 million? This simply means that maintaining and improving network security is one of the top priorities for company stakeholders as well as IT experts tasked with keeping proprietary data and digital infrastructure secure.

Surely, the vast majority of business organizations nowadays rely on business-specific Wi-Fi networks in order to keep work flowing. This is why hackers and cybercriminals are constantly looking to take advantage of unsecured and vulnerable business networks.

The facts and figures surrounding cybersecurity incidents can be downright scary, and yet protecting your network is critical. However, it can be hard and tricky to know and understand how to secure a network. This is especially true for small- and mid-sized business organizations that do not have a full-time IT staff in order to oversee the system and network maintenance.

Fortunately, you can use these computer network security best practices and tips to secure your data and develop more impenetrable and robust protection against viruses and hackers.

Get Suitable Antivirus and Antimalware Software

Running antivirus and antimalware programs on your server is an important and security-savvy decision. Without these programs, you run the serious risk of having an infection spread quickly from your file or terminal server to your endpoints, and you don’t want that.

In some cases, installing antivirus and antimalware software on all your company devices is crucial, but it is not enough. And your business may need more security tools, such as DDoS protection or DNS filtering. A hacker or cybercriminal who attacks your network will likely be using a box of tools, and you should do that too.

You will be happy to know that by implementing rigorous and suitable defenses against both viruses and malware, you can immediately counter cybercriminals and hackers when they attempt to access your enterprise network.

Keep Software and Firmware Updated

Did you know that outdated firmware and software programs are a recipe for a security disaster? This is why you should make sure that someone on your staff is responsible and accountable for keeping up with timely firmware updates for your router. It is worth noting that 27% of reported breaches are the result of unpatched security vulnerabilities.

According to data from Tripwire, unpatched vulnerabilities are also responsible for about 35% of data breaches for all European organizations. Note that firmware updates are released when any pre-identified security vulnerabilities have been fully solved. As a result, if there is an update, you should download it.

Safeguard your Wi-Fi

You probably know that your company’s Wi-Fi network can be an entry point for cybercriminals and hackers. However, the good news is that you can take some steps to secure your Internet connection. For example, make sure that you are using a firewall and all your sensitive data, such as customer data, which passes through your network, is encrypted. You can also password-protect the router and only give access to your employees.

Educate Your Employees about Cybersecurity and Data Flow

You should know that hackers are not the only ones who may compromise your data. If they are not careful, your employees can put your company data in jeopardy. To put things in perspective, almost 41 percent of company data leaks happen due to negligent or untrained employees.

Whether somebody leaves their work computer or device on the subway or enters their information into a disreputable website, your company data is at risk. That is the reason it is essential that your employees know how your business stores as well as processes data.

It is vital that your employees learn how to identify signs of phishing scams and the steps they can take if they happen to be victims. You should also conduct frequent training sessions in order to review IT security best practices.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, the threat landscape is continuously changing and evolving and, hence, network security must be agile. After you have taken the steps above to boost security, you should contact a reliable and professional provider to double-check for any other safety concerns. If you’re searching for a reliable and affordable service that can secure your business network, contact Prescient.