7 Useful Tips for Better Network Security

Securing a computer network means preventing it from all kinds of external, internal, and internet threats like viruses, Trojan horse, hackers, spyware, adware, SMTP hijacking, physical security threats and bad code.

Any attack on a computer network can result in loss of communication, information, connectivity and financial losses of a company. As more and more people are making use of the internet now-a-days, a computer network without an adequate security system can be easily attacked by viruses, hackers and malware.

Following are some of the ways with which you can secure your network from all kinds of threats and security risks:

Antivirus: Every computer that is connected to the internet can be attacked by the viruses, spyware, adware, malware and worms in less than fifteen minutes if the computer does not use an updated antivirus software. All the computers in your network should use up-to-date antivirus programs to avoid foreign attacks.

Anti Spyware Software: Spyware can be very dangerous if it attacks your computer system. It can steal your private information, slow down system performance, corrupt some Windows registry files, hijack web browsers and crash the system. To stay away from malware, set-up a good anti-spyware program in every PC within the network.

Firewall: Gateway computers or servers on typical networks are exposed to the internet directly and if you don’t protect it with the firewall (hardware or software or both), it can easily be attacked by intruders or hackers. As they gain access to the gateway computer, they can access all the other computers in the network.

Physical Security: You should make your network resources like servers, printers, scanners and other network devices are secure. Never allow any unauthorized person to enter the server room without permission. Never leave an open server unattended.

Strong Passwords: For your servers, use strong administrative passwords with a combination of alphabets, numbers and special characters. Also, make a backup administrative account with a password which is very difficult to guess.

Authentication Methods: Various authentication methods can be used in your computer to prevent it from unauthorized access. Some of the most commonly used authentication methods are biometrics, PKI, strong passwords and physical authentication.

Wireless Network Security: A wireless network is also prone to foreign attacks by electromagnetic interference. Wireless networks can be made secure in the following ways:

  • Use WEP/WPA.
  • Enable SSID.
  • Use strong passwords in your computer.
  • Enable MAC address filtering.
  • Enable firewall protection on all the computer systems.
  • Use encryption methods.
  • Disable the entire network broadcasting features.

Is your home or business network secure? Our security specialists can perform a security audit to find security issues within your network and secure it.