Your network is the backbone of your IT infrastructure. It is the gateway to all of your connected devices and business resources. Anyone with access to your network practically has access to your entire IT infrastructure. Cybercriminals use a variety of attacks such as malware, hacking, Distributed Denial Of Service (DDoS), password attacks, crypto-jacking, etc. on business networks. Not only do businesses have to defend themselves against existing threats, but they also need to be prepared for new attack vectors.
In this blog post, we share network security basics that your organization can adopt to deal with common security threats that businesses face. But before we begin enumerating network defenses, let’s first quickly cover the basics…
What Is Network Security?
Network security refers to security controls designed to protect the integrity, confidentiality, and usability of your network as well as of the data transmitted among the various components of the network. Network security comprises policies, processes, and practices for monitoring the health of the network, detecting vulnerabilities, and preventing unauthorized access.
Network Security includes two basic parts- first, security of data i.e. to prevent unauthorized access and data loss, and second, device or hardware security. Effective network security, therefore, addresses hardware as well as software and external as well as internal threats.
A home network may require only basic security controls. Businesses, on the other hand, have complex network infrastructure with a variety of connected devices, systems, and applications that are susceptible to malicious attacks from external threats. Therefore, businesses require advanced software and hardware to protect their network from malicious attacks.
Understanding Your Network
Before you can design network security controls, you first need to know your network, its components, and how they interact and share data. A clear understanding of your network infrastructure not only helps you create better security controls but also prevents inefficiencies and bottlenecks arising due to ill-conceived security measures.
Network type
Networks can be classified in a number of different ways but the most common network classification is based on its physical extent such as Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area Network (WAN), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), etc. The type of your network determines the physical extent, hardware, bandwidth, performance, and maintenance requirements. All of this information is critical for choosing and implementing the right network security controls.
Network topology
Network topology refers to the structural arrangement of a network. The type of network topology impacts configuration management, monitoring, and performance as well as your ability to locate and troubleshoot errors. A good understanding of your network topology is essential for ensuring optimal network health.
Network devices
Building a computer network and making it run efficiently in a business environment requires many components such as business-grade routers, switches, firewalls, access points, etc. Your network will be accessed by desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc. In addition, your network may also have IoT devices such as smart cameras, smart lighting, smart doors, etc. Each category of device mandates specific security controls. Knowing what devices will connect to your network helps you allocate your resources to the right security controls.
Know Your Network Defenses
After you take stock of your network infrastructure, you can start thinking about network security. Here are some of the common network security measures available to you:
1. Firewall
A firewall is a network security system, either hardware or software, that monitors and controls network traffic. Firewalls control incoming and outgoing traffic and can block or allow specific traffic based on security rules defined by you. By filtering traffic, it protects your network from unauthorized external access.
2. Load balancers
Load balancers are software or hardware systems that distribute network traffic across multiple servers. Load balancing ensures that the traffic is evenly distributed and no single server bears too much traffic. This ensures server availability and responsiveness. However, that’s not all that load balancers can do. They also come with security capabilities that help in identifying, repairing, and protecting applications against security vulnerabilities.
3. Spam filters
Spam filters are software that block unwanted emails from reaching your inbox. These filters use different criteria such as sender’s email address, specific words in the subject or body, sender’s ISP, etc. to filter emails. Although email providers and internet service providers have inbuilt spam filters, it is a good practice to implement them at the server level for additional security.
While spam emails may appear as nothing more than a nuisance, they can pose serious security risks to your business. Spam emails are known to contain malicious content that can spread viruses and malware in your network. Just one click on an apparently innocuous spam email can cripple your entire operation. Therefore, businesses should take spam filtering very seriously.
4. Web filters
A web filter, sometimes known as "content control software", is software that is designed to restrict what websites your employees can visit on their computer. Web filters can work in different ways but in general, they use either an allowlist or a denylist. The deny list is a constantly updated URL database that lists websites and domains that are known to be associated with hosting malware, phishing, viruses, or other malicious activities. Some web filters can also evaluate the content of websites live and then decide to allow or block it.
5. Network access control (NAC)
Network access control is a solution designed to keep unauthorized users and devices out of private networks. NAC allows access to only those devices that are authorized and meet the security requirements, i.e. they have the latest security patches, software updates, antivirus, etc. Using NAC, you can define the security policies that devices must comply with in order to gain network access. Businesses that work with third-party vendors and contractors and give them access to their network can use network access control to ensure that the outside devices comply with their security requirements.
6. Intrusion detection system (IDS)
An intrusion detection system (IDS) is a hardware or software that monitors a network for malicious activity, known threats, or policy violations. When detected, the violations are either reported to an administrator or collected centrally. Intrusion detection systems are designed to analyze network traffic and identify traffic patterns that may indicate malicious activity. Although IDS does not stop the intrusion, it gives timely alerts so that the anomaly can be investigated and addressed.
7. Intrusion prevention system (IPS)
Intrusion Prevention Systems are similar to Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) in that they also analyze network traffic for signatures that match known cyber threats and malicious activities. But an IPS goes a step further and can prevent malicious activity. So, an IDS is a monitoring system, while an IPS is a control system. IPS functions by examining the contents of the data packets being transmitted and based on their contents, it can prevent the packets from delivery. IPS technologies can prevent cyberattacks such as brute force attacks, Denial of Service (DoS), etc.
8. Proxy servers
A proxy server is an application or device that functions as an intermediary between clients and servers or users and the internet. Instead of connecting directly to a server, the resource request first passes through a proxy server, which evaluates the request and then performs the necessary network transactions.
Since proxy servers function on behalf of the client requesting the resource or service, it can potentially mask the true origin of the request to the resource server. By acting as a gateway between the users and the server, the proxy server ensures privacy as well as adds a layer of security. Proxy servers, thus serve as a critical security layer that protects your network from cyber threats such as malware and snooping. Using it in conjunction with web and spam filters described above, you can filter network traffic according to your desired level of safety.
9. DDoS Mitigation
DDoS mitigation refers to the tools and techniques used to alleviate the impact of distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on networks connected to the Internet. DDoS mitigation tools work by first identifying network traffic patterns under normal conditions and then using this benchmark to separate normal traffic from the traffic coming from bots and hijacked web browsers. Anti-DDoS systems identify bot traffic by comparing signatures and examining attributes of the network traffic such as IP addresses, cookies, JavaScript footprints, etc.
DDoS mitigation solutions can come in the form of hardware attached to your on-premises server, cloud-based filtering applications, or a hybrid of on-premises and cloud-based solutions. By disrupting services or shutting down web traffic even briefly, DDoS attacks can cause significant damage to a business. Therefore, a DDoS mitigation solution is a must-have for businesses that offer online services and depend on high availability.
Conclusion
The network security defenses listed above offer the most efficient protection against common network security risks. By employing these defenses, you can proactively identify and remediate security risks, improve threat detection, and enhance network efficiency. Adoption of these network defense tools and techniques helps your organization meet privacy, data security, and regulatory compliance goals.
Keeping your network safe requires extensive knowledge, staying up-to-date on security trends, and following best practices. In this blog, we covered the basics of network security and in the upcoming blog, we will share network security best practices that will help you further harden your network. So if you haven’t already, sign up for our newsletter below.
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About The Author
Hari SubediMarketing Manager at Jones IT
Hari is an online marketing professional with a focus on content marketing. He writes on topics related to IT, Security, Small Business, and Mindfulness. He is also the founder and managing director of Girivar Kft., a business services company located in Budapest, Hungary.