The list of “to do’s” for cybersecurity can get pretty long and overwhelming. So, in honor of National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we’re giving you a short list of what NOT to do instead. Here are four of our favorite ways to weaken your security and make it easy for hackers to take advantage of your business.
Don’t worry about unauthorized logons
While most attempts to log on to your network are provably valid actions by verified users, there is a good chance that at least some are hackers attempting to penetrate your security. Each attempt can tell them something about your network, increasing their chances of success. Monitoring your perimeter security for suspicious activity can help IT personnel take action before your company is compromised.
Use random configurations
It only takes one device with an incorrect configuration to weaken your entire perimeter security system. One firewall misconfiguration can give hackers access to your entire network, and you won’t like what they do once they’re in. A system to ensure proper configuration upon installation plus regular auditing can help avoid this.
Ignore scanning attempts
Network scanning is used by hackers to find weak points in your network. If you don’t bother to monitor your network for scanning threats, you might miss out on malicious attempts until your data has been compromised.
Make your VPN easily accessible
Virtual private networks (VPNs) are a popular way to improve the security of remote connections for many businesses, but there are risks to using any method. Giving VPN access to employees who don’t need it or allowing employees to access it through public WiFi can both cause problems. The more people with access, the more difficult it is to ensure that it’s only being used by the right people. Accessing a VPN through public WiFi can give hackers a chance to steal your employee’s credentials. Restricting users, providing usage guidelines, and monitoring usage can help avoid these issues and protect your network.
If this still sounds overwhelming and you’d like some help ensuring the security of your network, your data, and your business, we’d be happy to help. Contact us today to speak with a Think network engineer.
