Network Security

What is network security? How does it protect you? How does network security work?
What are the business benefits of network security?

You may think you know the answers to basic questions like, what is network security.
Still, it's a good idea to ask them of your trusted IT partner. Why?

Because small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) often lack the IT resources of large
companies. That means your network security may not be sufficient to protect your
business from today's sophisticated Internet threats.

What Is Network Security?

In answering the question what is network security? Your IT partner should explain that
network security refers to any activities designed to protect your network. Specifically,
these activities protect the usability, reliability, integrity, and safety of your network and
data. Effective network security targets a variety of threats and stops them from entering
or spreading on your network.

What Is Network Security and How Does It Protect You?

After asking what is network security? You should ask, what are the threats to my
network?

Many network security threats today are spread over the Internet. The most common
include:

* Viruses, worms, and Trojan horses

* Spyware and adware
* Zero-day attacks, also called zero-hour attacks
* Hacker attacks
* Denial of service attacks
* Data interception and theft
* Identity theft

How Does Network Security Work?

To understand what is network security? It helps to understand that no single solution

protects you from a variety of threats. You need multiple layers of security. If one fails,
others still stand.

Network security is accomplished through hardware and software. The software must be
constantly updated and managed to protect you from emerging threats.
A network security system usually consists of many components. Ideally, all components
work together, which minimizes maintenance and improves security.

Network security components often include:

* Anti-virus and anti-spyware

* Firewall, to block unauthorized access to your network
* Intrusion prevention systems (IPS), to identify fast-spreading threats, such as zero-
day or zero-hour attacks
* Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), to provide secure remote access

What are the Business Benefits of Network Security?

With network security in place, your company will experience many business benefits.
Your company is protected against business disruption, which helps keep employees
productive. Network security helps your company meet mandatory regulatory
compliance. Because network security helps protect your customers' data, it reduces the
risk of legal action from data theft.

Ultimately, network security helps protect a business's reputation, which is one of its
most important assets.

How Security Pays Off

Network security has become a requirement for businesses, especially those that rely on
the Internet. Your customers, vendors and business partners probably expect you to
protect any information they share with you.

While network security has almost become a prerequisite to running a business, it also
pays off in multiple ways. Here are some of the benefits businesses gains from a secured
network:

Customer trust

* Privacy is assured
* Collaboration is encouraged

A strong security stance assures customers that sensitive information, such as credit card
numbers or confidential business details, will not be accessed and exploited. Your
business partners will feel more confident sharing data such as sales forecasts or pre-
release product plans. In addition, the same technologies that keep intruders out can give
your partners secure access to information on your network, helping you collaborate and
work together more effectively.
Mobility

* Secure access on the road

* Promotes productivity while out of the office

Strong network security lets your employees safely access your network from the road or
from home without introducing viruses or other threats. Secure, convenient network
access means that employees can use critical information when they need it, making them
more productive when they’re away from their desks.

Improved productivity

* Less time wasted on spam

* Better employee morale and collaboration

An effective network security program can boost productivity across your organization.
Employees spend less time on non-productive tasks such as sifting through spam or
dealing with viruses. Your network and your Internet connection remain safe, ensuring
you and your employees have regular access to the Internet and e-mail.

Reduced costs

* Service disruption is avoided

* Advanced services safely evolve

Network downtime is costly to all types of businesses. By ensuring your network and
your Internet connection are safely up and running, you can be sure that customers can
reach you when they need you. Effective security allows your business to add new
services and applications without disrupting the performance of your network. Taking a
proactive approach to safeguarding your data ensures your business remains up and
running when it needs to be.

As your company grows, its networking needs will change. Establishing a strong, secure
network today will allow your company to add advanced features such as secured
wireless networking or a small office phone system.

Align the Business with the Right Security Technology

Matching the needs of your business with the right security technologies is the first step
to launching a network security project.

Use the following list of considerations to get you started:

Your current security level

Take an inventory of the security features your network already has. This list will help
identify gaps in your current protection methods.

* Does it offer firewalls, a virtual private network, intrusion prevention, virus

protection, a secured wireless network, anomaly detection, and identity management and
compliance validation?
* Do these features communicate with one another?

Your assets

Make a "laundry list" of your assets to determine how many levels, or layers, of
protection your system needs.

* Within your particular business, what assets are the most critical to your success?
* Is protecting your internal information most important; your customers' information;
or both?
* How much are these assets worth?
* Where do these assets reside within you system?

Information transfer

Assess how information is shared inside and outside of your company.

* Do your employees need quick access to internal information in order to do their

jobs?
* Do you share data outside the four walls of your business?
* How do you control who has access to this information?
* Do you provide varying levels of access to different network users?

Plans for growth

Is your company planning on adding advanced features to your system? How adaptable
and flexible will your system need to be? Your security solution should be able to
accommodate increased network traffic or advanced applications without disrupting
service.

Risk assessment

Determine if the consequences of a security breach extend beyond lost productivity or an

interruption in service.

* How regulated is your business environment?

* What are the risks of non-compliance?
 * How much downtime can your business tolerate before financial or reputation losses
accrue?

Ease of use

The best security technology will do you no good if it can't easily be installed or used.
Make sure you have the resources to manage the system you install.