Imagine this scenario: You’re sipping your morning coffee, ready to tackle the day’s tasks, when an urgent email hits your inbox. It’s a notification about a vulnerability discovered in your company’s software. Suddenly, your to-do list isn’t your main worry. Instead, you’re grappling with questions about your network’s security, your customers’ sensitive data, and your company’s reputation.
Maintaining secure computer and network systems is something all businesses need to take immediate action towards, if they haven’t already. Cyber threats evolve daily, and every company—large or small—must actively work to protect what matters most.
This guide explores best practices for computer and network security to help ensure your business stays ahead of cyber criminals. Let’s break it down into actionable steps and expert advice.
Why Computer and Network Security Should Be Your Top Priority
Your business relies heavily on interconnected networks for operations, data storage, and communication. While this connectivity boosts efficiency, it also creates vulnerabilities. A single breach can lead to stolen customer data, disrupted operations, and even legal consequences for failing compliance audits.
While the average costs of a data breach for small businesses vary, you can imagine how damaging something like this would be:
Your work email password is the same password you’ve used for years and was leaked earlier in a widespread breach. A hacker buys your email password on the dark web. You don’t have multi-factor authentication on, so they access your email, change your password, and demand a $250,000 ransom to restore it to you.
You can refuse the ransom, which means the hacker might send a phishing attack to all of your customers using your email account and steal their personal information. You could end up facing an expensive class-action lawsuit for failing to protect customer data.
You could pay the ransom, costing you $250,000 and the business you would have completed during the time it took you to negotiate and pay.
This nightmare scenario highlights just how critical network security is for businesses. It’s not just about protecting your own data, but also the data of your customers and partners.
Best Practices for Computer and Network Security
The good news? You don’t have to tackle this challenge alone. By implementing a few best practices, you can protect your company and reduce your risk exposure.
1. Regularly Update Software and Systems
Consider your software like locks on your office doors. If those locks are old or broken, anyone can walk in. The same applies to your systems—outdated software can have unpatched vulnerabilities that cyber criminals exploit.
Pro Tip: Enable automatic updates where possible to ensure your systems and applications are always protected. You can avoid a massive breach simply by updating your servers before hackers exploit a vulnerability.
2. Train Employees on Security Best Practices
Your network is only as secure as the people using it. Employee mistakes—like clicking on phishing emails or using weak passwords—are among the most common entry points for hackers. By providing ongoing security training, you can drastically reduce these risks.
Example: A retail company gives monthly training to staff to identify fraudulent emails. This simple initiative prevents what could be a costly ransomware attack.
Implement secure password protocols, and educate your team on recognizing suspicious emails and links. Small steps like these can yield significant results.
3. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Imagine needing both a key and a code to access a secure door. MFA adds this extra layer of security to your network. Even if a password is compromised, MFA ensures hackers can’t gain immediate access.
Success Story: The USDA’s 130,000 employees saw a decrease in cyber breach attempts after implementing MFA.
4. Limit Access on a Need-to-Know Basis
The more people who have access to sensitive data, the greater the risk of a breach. Apply role-based access controls (RBAC) to restrict data access based on job roles. This ensures employees only have access to the information they need to perform their roles.
Recommendation: Regularly review access logs and adjust permissions as team roles evolve.
5. Use a Trusted Firewall and Antivirus Solution
A firewall acts as your network’s first line of defense, monitoring incoming and outgoing data traffic. Combine this with robust antivirus software to detect and remove malicious programs like spyware, ransomware, and adware before they cause damage.
Featured Tool: Services like managed endpoint security come equipped with firewalls, antivirus capabilities, and threat detection powered by Managed Threat Response (MTR).
6. Conduct Regular Security Audits
You can’t fix a security gap if you don’t know it exists. Periodic audits by IT professionals can identify vulnerabilities in your system and provide actionable solutions.
During audits, IT experts are able to analyze and evaluate your systems thoroughly to ensure there aren’t any issues that go unnoticed. Promptly addressing issues as they arrive can save your company from potential exploitation.
Ensure Peace of Mind: Schedule monthly checks to proactively address weaknesses before they become problems.
Enhance Your Security With IT Professionals
While implementing best practices is crucial, sometimes, you need more expertise. IT service providers like Galaxy IT specialize in advanced tools and strategies to protect businesses from emerging threats.
Our managed endpoint security services ensure:
- Proactive Monitoring: Identifying suspicious activity before it becomes a serious threat.
- Vulnerability Management: Fixing gaps in systems and preventing malware and ransomware attacks.
- Comprehensive Solutions: Using advanced tools like Endpoint Protection Suites, Intrusion Prevention Systems, and Data Leakage Protection.
Having a team of experts on your side means you’re not just reacting to threats but actively preventing them.
Protecting Your Business Means Protecting Its Reputation
A security strategy isn’t just about avoiding fines or lawsuits—it’s about building trust. Your customers trust you with their data. Your employees trust you to provide a secure environment. By taking proactive measures to safeguard your network, you’re strengthening both operations and relationships.
With a partner with Galaxy IT, protecting your business doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Schedule an assessment to find out how secure your network is and where you have room for improvement.
