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Network Security Best Practices: Safeguarding Your Digital Assets

Craig Schellenberg

Jun 4 2024

3 min read

In an era where businesses rely heavily on digital communication and data exchange, network security is paramount. Whether you’re managing a small business or overseeing a large enterprise, implementing robust security measures is essential to protect your organization’s sensitive information. Let’s dive into some key network security best practices.

Access Control and Authentication

Effective access control ensures that only authorized users can access specific resources within your network. Consider the following steps:

User Authentication: Implement strong authentication methods such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) to prevent unauthorized access. MFA combines something the user knows (password) with something they have (e.g., a mobile app or hardware token).
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Assign permissions based on job roles. Not everyone needs access to everything. Limit privileges to what’s necessary for each user.

Regular Security Audits and Assessments

Vulnerability Scanning: Regularly scan your network for vulnerabilities. Use automated tools to identify weak points, outdated software, and misconfigurations.
Penetration Testing: Conduct periodic penetration tests to simulate real-world attacks. Ethical hackers attempt to exploit vulnerabilities, helping you identify and fix weaknesses.

Secure Configuration Management

Patch Management: Keep your systems up to date by applying security patches promptly. Vulnerabilities often arise from unpatched software.
Network Device Hardening: Configure routers, switches, and firewalls securely. Disable unnecessary services, change default passwords, and follow industry best practices.

Network Segmentation

Segment Your Network: Divide your network into segments (e.g., departments, guest networks, production servers). This limits lateral movement for attackers.
Micro-Segmentation: Within segments, use micro-segmentation to isolate critical assets. For example, separate your database servers from web servers.

Monitoring and Incident Response

Network Monitoring: Deploy intrusion detection systems (IDS) and security information and event management (SIEM) tools. Monitor for suspicious activity and respond promptly.
Incident Response Plan: Have a well-defined incident response plan. Know who to contact, how to isolate affected systems, and how to recover.

Encryption and Secure Protocols

Data Encryption: Encrypt sensitive data both in transit (using protocols like HTTPS, TLS) and at rest (encrypted databases, file systems).
Secure Protocols: Avoid outdated protocols (e.g., SSLv3) and use modern, secure alternatives.

User Education and Awareness

Security Training: Regularly educate employees about security risks, phishing attacks, and safe practices. Human error is a common entry point for attackers.
Social Engineering Awareness: Teach employees to recognize social engineering tactics (e.g., phishing emails, phone calls) and report suspicious activity.

Remember, network security is an ongoing process. Continuously assess and adapt your security measures to stay ahead of evolving threats. Implement these best practices and safeguard your digital assets effectively!

Need assistance implementing these network security best practices? Reach out to our team of experts at any time.

This publication contains general information only and Sikich is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or any other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should you use it as a basis for any decision, action or omission that may affect you or your business. Before making any decision, taking any action or omitting an action that may affect you or your business, you should consult a qualified professional advisor. In addition, this publication may contain certain content generated by an artificial intelligence (AI) language model. You acknowledge that Sikich shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by you or any person who relies on this publication.

About the Author

Craig Schellenberg

Craig Schellenberg is a Senior Network Consultant at Sikich that works with businesses to improve their IT. Being detail oriented assists in his ability to design and deploy new solutions as well as troubleshoot complex issues. His primary areas of focus are virtualization and storage on premise (whether through VMware vSphere or Microsoft Hyper-V), Microsoft Cloud services such as Azure and Office 365, Microsoft SQL design and administration, backup/DR/Business Continuance, and network route/switch/firewalls. Craig holds many certifications including his MCSE (Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert) in Productivity, Messaging, and Cloud Platform and Infrastructure. Craig also holds multiple certifications of his VCP (VMware Certified Professional) including version 3, 4 (Data Center Virtualization), 5 (Data Center Virtualization), 5 (Desktop), Cloud, and 6 (Data Center Virtualization).