Optimally secure your infrastructure. Where do you start?
A hot topic for most IT Managers: security. Every day there are reports in the news about organizations that have been victims of cybercrime. Optimally secure your infrastructure: everyone knows how important it is. Yet companies are still insufficiently protected against attacks from both inside and outside. Securing a complex corporate network is a chore, because it is constantly put to the test. So it's an important topic. But how do you make it concrete and find out what you need to invest in to further expand your security? The steps below will take you a long way.
1. Segment your network
Take control of the traffic between your network groups. Your network consists of virtual network zones, called VLANs. By implementing a separate policy per VLAN, you apply segments that each have their own virtual firewall. This allows you to tailor the security of your infrastructure, because you can segment how you want: based on user, device or target group. This way you create optimal security in the core of your network. But why is network segmentation really so important?
Without network segmentation, all devices present within your company can communicate with each other. This means that viruses can easily spread from one device to another. With the help of network segmentation you ensure that a possible infection is limited and you block all traffic between your network groups using various virtual firewalls.
2. Use an Endpoint Protection Platform
Unsecured laptops, fixed workstations or servers: this is where things often go wrong. Malware enters your company or important data is stolen. How can you best prevent this now? An Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) is the answer.
You probably have a good firewall and antivirus software by now. Top! But that does not protect you against a so-called 'zero day attack'. This is a cyber attack that takes place on the day a software vulnerability is discovered. This is usually before the software developer makes a solution available. You are therefore not fully protected during this period. This is where EPP adds value.
This allows you to analyze the behavior of your endpoints using smart algorithms. The behavior of all applications is constantly studied and assessed for suspicious activity. This not only detects known malware, but also unknown threats are immediately blocked and quarantined. Are you not using EPP yet? A shame, because that can cost you an unnecessary amount of time and money.
3. Use your employees as a line of defense
You can still take so many measures within your organization, it can still go wrong due to human error. Viruses or other external threats often inadvertently enter through employees. With security awareness you make your employees aware of their digital behavior and you test their skills.
But how does that work? Using various simulations, it is possible to assess the sensitivity of users to, for example, phishing attacks. This way you know who needs help, when and in what way to avoid external danger. Arming your employees against cyber-attacks with personalized training can save your organization a huge amount of money. This limits damage within your organization.
Get off to a flying start with these 3 steps. But do you really want to make your network environment 99.9% waterproof? Then read all 12 steps of our Security Wheel in our e-book.
