The increased mobile working with the pandemic also poses major problems for network security. It has created new risks and exacerbated existing ones. With five basic principles, IT administrators can increase cyber security at this level.
Several factors are currently endangering network security
- Rushed home office: According to Bitdefender, every second company had no plans to switch to home office overnight in spring 2020. This was and is all the more critical as it increased the attack surface of the company's IT.
- Network protocols under attack: According to Bitdefender's Business Threat Landscape Report 2020, many attacks target services that are particularly important for mobile protocols: 48 percent on Server Message Block (SMB) for file, print and other server services, 42 percent on the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) and the file Transfer Protocol (FTP).
- Broader Internet of Things: According to the same report, 20 percent of CIOS and CISOs assume that users install IoT hardware faster than IT can protect it.
- Weak point employees in the home office: Three in ten CIOs and CISOs fear that employees at home are causing data disclosure.
- Search for suitable personnel: According to their own statements, 43 percent of those responsible suffer from the global shortage of cyber security experts.
The following recommendations help to increase the network security of companies and to make it secure.
Inventory networks and their components
Before every security strategy, there is a complete inventory of all devices and network components as well as a floor plan of the network infrastructure. Understanding the topology, architecture and geographical distribution of the components helps to develop an effective strategy that is tailored to each network.
The Internet of Things must also be taken into account: If these devices do not support the installation of security clients, protecting them is a task of network security. This applies in the home office, but also especially in industry, medical technology and other sectors.
Segment and segregate networks
Liviu Arsene, Global Cybersecurity Researcher at Bitdefender (Photo: Bitdefender).
Unsegmented networks may impair data traffic and, on the other hand, offer successful attackers a high degree of freedom of movement. A subdivided network creates more security. Thanks to access control for the individual areas, IT security teams can make unauthorized access to critical areas impossible from the outset. You set security guidelines depending on how critical an area is.
With such network security, attackers can no longer move laterally so easily to access important data. Strict control and visibility in the network also help to identify suspicious or atypical data traffic.
Know how - train employees
Many employees work more carefree at home and do not think about the applicable rules for cyber security. A major danger is the re-selection of previously used passwords that may have been compromised by previous attacks. Companies must therefore train their employees in this above all else. Access data should be unique, complex and at the same time easy to remember. Under no circumstances should users reuse them. Other important topics are the detection of spear phishing and the correct reporting of a suspicious, but often increasingly difficult to unmask e-mail.
Regular and binding company-wide training courses bring employees up to date with the latest technology and the applicable safety policy. This is an important basis: because humans are usually the weakest link in the chain. A company is only as resistant to attacks as the least trained employee.
Be prepared for an emergency
A predefined emergency plan for an emergency can decisively improve the availability of applications and business processes in an emergency. IT and cyber security teams know what to do to identify attacks, contain them and reduce damage. Just as important is the assessment of the damage and the escalation to the responsible teams or decision-makers. After the work, the maneuver criticism follows. The IT managers plan new measures or improve already defined processes.
Take experts on board
Choosing the right security tools is not always easy. Finding the right people for the IT teams is even harder. Cyber security experts are in demand. Even if a company is in the fortunate position of adding staff to its cyber security team with a corresponding budget, it takes time to find the right team members. Many companies are still looking for them.
The faster way to more network security is therefore often outside help. Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service providers have highly specialized threat hunting teams. Their analysts know from experience how cyber criminals operate and which tools they use to attack a company network. They either support the company's own Security Operations Center (SOC) or fully set up cyber defense. This expertise can then be called up at a reasonable price. An external MDR team reacts immediately to attacks according to a preventively established plan. The individual defensive measures are agreed in advance by the customer and the service provider. This not only increases the ability to react: Companies can proactively set up their defenses and avoid greater damage.
So security at the network level plays a crucial role in which many factors come into play. In addition to technology, the human factor will remain decisive in the long term.
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About Bitdefender Bitdefender is a leading global provider of cybersecurity solutions and antivirus software, protecting over 500 million systems in more than 150 countries. Since it was founded in 2001, the company's innovations have consistently ensured excellent security products and intelligent protection for devices, networks and cloud services for private customers and companies. As the supplier of choice, Bitdefender technology is found in 38 percent of security solutions deployed around the world and is trusted and recognized by industry experts, manufacturers and customers alike. www.bitdefender.de