The realm of IT security is one that never gets easier because of the fact that technology and the methods of its usage are constantly changing. As mentioned by many intellectuals time and again, technology is merely a tool, and how it affects us is based on how it is used, much like a hammer that can be used to build can also be used as a weapon to inflict harm upon others. The struggle between white hat hackers and black hat hackers is one that is no less than an arms race, where the side that is able to create the newest exploit or protective measure wins.
There’s a very big chance that unless you’re a popular personality, black hat hackers aren’t going to take an interest in attempting to hack your confidential materials. On the other hand, businesses, regardless of size, are more likely to be targeted than individuals. This is why if you’re planning on starting a business, you need to be able to protect your trade secrets from any attempt to steal your data or to sabotage your business.
It’s for this very reason that no business should ever go without at least a basic form of enterprise security measures in place to defend against an ever-developing assortment of cyberthreats. So, with this in mind, what are the core security measures that you need to have in order to protect your business?
Firewalls
Firewalls are your most basic form of defense against malware, unauthorized logins, and a whole range of other threats. Firewalls are used by administrators to block suspicious traffic based on origin IP or through range. The most modern iterations are even able to perform deep packet inspection as well as intrusion detection and intrusion prevention.
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Anti-malware Software
Anti-malware software should not be mistaken for antivirus software. While they share the same purpose, their properties vary in such that antivirus software is specialized to defend against computer viruses, while anti-malware software is used to protect a system against spyware, adware, and ransomware. Anti-malware software has become so effective at keeping threats at bay that companies even favor these over specialized antivirus software.
Network Access Control
Network access control software allows businesses to control access to their networks by ensuring that the device that is attempting to connect has the necessary security patches needed to allow the device to connect to the network. This is especially important with the inevitable popularity of the Internet of Things, wherein more and more devices will be able to interact with networks.
Data Loss Protection
Data loss protection software prevent the outward transmission of sensitive data. This is important for online businesses where payment details and other customer credentials are transmitted on the site. Credentials such as credit card details and Social Security numbers are especially vulnerable and it is important to protect these at all costs.
Identity And Access Management
This helps businesses control who is given access to resources depending on their level of access and their role in the company. Because more and more companies are opting to migrate to the cloud, identity is slowly becoming the primary determining factor that determines whether access is granted or not to a user. This is especially important because when your cloud storage is compromised, you risk losing everything that is stored there.
Log Management
It’s important to keep a record of the status of your network, but doing so means that you’re going to have to deal with a ton of record data that’s only going to get bigger throughout business operations. The prime importance of keeping a log is so you are not only able to diagnose where exactly things went wrong, but also so that you’re able to detect even the slightest anomaly in your system, which could be indicative of a hacking attempt or if there’s something amiss.
Endpoint Detection And Response
This system is able to detect how users and the endpoint system interact, and it compares their behavior and activity with that of known threats. The primary benefit of having an EDAR system is that it allows the system to detect threats long before they are even able to execute their function. The tool can even be further enhanced when it is paired with artificial intelligence.
As you may already know, there are plenty more security measures that you might want to have for your business. However, these are the basics that every business security system needs to have. Security needs vary between businesses and it’s up to you to determine what other security measures you’re going to need.