How to avoid common network management security problems?

How to avoid common network management security problems?

In an era of increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks, once a corporate network is compromised, it could be game over.

However, many businesses forget the basics when it comes to managing their networks, failing to follow basic security steps as they strive to protect themselves from today’s sophisticated cyber threats.

While technology is key to ensuring cybersecurity, it is also integral for businesses to have the right network management policies and procedures in place to avoid falling victim to cyberattacks.

In an era of increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks, once a corporate network is compromised, it could be game over.

Human error can be fatal, leading to misconfigurations and other errors that allow bad actors to gain access to corporate networks.

Technologies such as firewalls and security monitoring are key to securing the network, but businesses must have the right policies and procedures in place to avoid potentially damaging cyber attacks.

Misconfiguration and poor patch management are common network management security mistakes that can be the weak link in breaching defenses, even in the most complex security architectures.

One of the biggest problems in network management is the lack of segmentation. When plugged into a corporate network as an unauthorized user, it is often easy to access most services and systems and traverse the network.

Another problem is that when managing networks, businesses tend to focus on maintaining service access and uptime rather than mitigating risk. This can lead to dangerous misconfigurations that attackers can exploit through brute force attacks.

Meanwhile, unpatched security holes can be exploited to gain access. In many cases, critical infrastructure could be compromised and access could be exploited by ransomware attacks.

In the future, we should expect new and currently unheard of threats involving emerging technologies such as 5G and artificial intelligence.

Alleviate the problem

It’s easy to get bogged down, but a few small steps can help alleviate common network management security problems. Security issues caused by misconfigurations depend largely on the people using the technology, not the tools themselves.

Automation can help correct any issues or mistakes through remediation, reducing human involvement and thus reducing the chances of errors.

Human users will have policies and procedures to follow, but they also have a mind of their own. Machines, which cannot think for themselves or transcend established rules, do not pose the same threat.

A more holistic approach to improving cyber resilience and skills is recommended to ensure businesses do not make common cybersecurity mistakes.

A more holistic approach requires bringing together technology, people, process and enterprise parameters, and their interactions within the digital ecosystem.

New digital transformation projects or upgrades to existing ecosystems must be approached from all angles to ensure change is airtight.

Not only must this be done from a change management perspective, but it must also use a cybersecurity approach that includes IT audits and considers risk management, linking technology to business.

Zero trust

The most advanced form of network segmentation encourages each asset to be in its own segment, an approach known as “zero trust.”

However, if this is not done, zero trust can impact functionality because legitimate users and applications cannot communicate when needed.

With this in mind, I recommend separating users into different groups, such as IT, HR, and sales, and applying access controls and policies.

This will limit what an attacker can access if the network or machine is compromised and help prevent the spread of malware.

Network management

Overall, technology combined with a strong strategy can help reduce risk. Solutions like two-factor authentication are key to cybersecurity.

At a minimum, businesses should separate administrator accounts from their day-to-day user accounts.

Businesses can also consider limiting the amount of time administrators are allowed to access the system.

At the same time, VPNs are efficient and effective in ensuring that remote access systems can be restricted and encrypted from general Internet access. It’s a useful technology, relatively cheap and very useful.

There are also some basic steps to consider when securing your network. Businesses need to make sure they master software updates and asset management.

It is important that asset registries, configuration management databases and software on the devices that make up the network are kept fully up to date.

More broadly, businesses need to ensure they have complete visibility and monitoring capabilities, deploying tools to work across different technologies and locations. Additionally, vulnerability management is essential.

It allows IT teams to identify vulnerable devices on the network so they can patch, quarantine or remove them and maintain network integrity.

To ensure that the business is future-proof, it is also important to stay on top of the latest technological developments and the risks they pose.

Technologies such as robotics and augmented reality applications are changing the types of devices and assets connected to the network, making infrastructure and overall Continuous assessment and optimization of the security posture becomes indispensable.

After all, threats are becoming more sophisticated and attackers are constantly looking for the easiest and quickest path to success, and in the future we should expect new and currently unheard of threats involving emerging technologies such as 5G and artificial intelligence.

With this in mind, businesses should also pay extra attention to their entire online supply chain.

As the cyber threat landscape evolves, a simple and standardized network makes it easier to manage cyber security threats and issues.