Top Ten Ways to Ensure the Security of Your Network

ByDaniel Gottilla

Top Ten Ways to Ensure the Security of Your Network

Ensuring the security of your business network should be a priority for any company. Because so much work is done on your computer, storing files with important customer information and company secrets, it is crucial that a business protect that information as well as it can. Here are ten easy-to-implement tips for protecting the security of your network:

• Do not let unknown users use your computer network. All users should be authenticated with a login and password assigned by a domain administrator who has verified the identity of the user.

• Educate users on safe password creation and handling. Because some users find passwords easy to forget, some may try to use easy to remember dictionary words or even their own names. Some users may even write down their passwords in an easy to find place. This creates an opportunity for someone to steal a password and compromises the security of your network.

• Require users to change their passwords at least every 90 days. The more a password changes, the less likely it is to be useful if stolen.

• Limit the number of failed logins that can be tried before the system locks the user out. Password crackers often try different passwords at high speed. By limiting the number of failed logins, you can lock a potential intruder out.

• Never set up an unsecured wireless network at your company. If your business has a need for a wireless network, make sure that the wireless network is secured and that unauthorized users are not able to access it.

• Educate users on opening e-mail attachments. If a user receives an attachment from an unknown source or from a strange email, they should delete it. It could be a malware program that can create back doors to your network and breach your network security.

• Use antivirus programs and be sure to keep them up to date. Antivirus programs can detect and eradicate various malware threats.

• Restrict the websites to trusted sites only for your users to browse. Malware is often downloaded unknowingly from untrustworthy websites, especially illegal download or adult websites.

• Restrict the types of programs that can be downloaded onto your user’s computer. Users may download malware in the form of a trojan or a worm without realizing it.

• Consider restricting administrator access on your desktop computers. Most users and applications do not need administrator access on their computers and can work just fine with regular user access.

Although having an IT consultant can help you to limit damage if your network security is breached, this is one case in which prevention really is worth an ounce of cure. By creating a secure network ahead of time and working with your employees to implement safe practices, you can avoid damage or lost productivity before it occurs.