What
is network security? How does it protect you? How does network security
work? What are the business benefits of network security?
You
may think you know the answers to basic questions like, What is network
security? Still, it's a good idea to ask them of your trusted IT
partner. Why? Because small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) often
lack the IT resources of large companies. That means your network security may not be sufficient to protect your business from today's sophisticated Internet threats.
What Is Network Security?
In
answering the question What is network security?, your IT partner
should explain that network security refers to any activities designed
to protect your network. Specifically, these activities protect the
usability, reliability, integrity, and safety of your network and data.
Effective network security targets a variety of threats and stops them
from entering or spreading on your network.
What Is Network Security and How Does It Protect You?
After asking What is network security?, you should ask, What are the threats to my network?
Many network security threats today are spread over the Internet. The most common include:
- Viruses, worms, and Trojan horses
- Spyware and adware
- Zero-day attacks, also called zero-hour attacks
- Hacker attacks
- Denial of service attacks
- Data interception and theft
- Identity theft
How Does Network Security Work?
To
understand What is network security?, it helps to understand that no
single solution protects you from a variety of threats. You need
multiple layers of security. If one fails, others still stand.
Network
security is accomplished through hardware and software. The software
must be constantly updated and managed to protect you from emerging
threats.
A
network security system usually consists of many components. Ideally,
all components work together, which minimizes maintenance and improves
security.
Network security components often include:
- Anti-virus and anti-spyware
- Firewall, to block unauthorized access to your network
- Intrusion prevention systems (IPS), to identify fast-spreading threats, such as zero-day or zero-hour attacks
- Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), to provide secure remote access
What are the Business Benefits of Network Security?
With
network security in place, your company will experience many business
benefits. Your company is protected against business disruption, which
helps keep employees productive. Network security helps your company
meet mandatory regulatory compliance. Because network security helps
protect your customers' data, it reduces the risk of legal action from
data theft.
Ultimately, network security helps protect a business's reputation, which is one of its most important assets.
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