..\ network security

Network security is a huge topic and even the term ‘Network Security’ means different things to different organisations. Every company needs to decide for itself where between the two extremes of total security and total access they need to be. You need a policy which defines what level of security you require and how that will be enforced in practice. Below we outline various threats to your security and some simple precautions you can take to minimise these. OnTrack Systems can help to ensure your network is as secure as possible.

Threats to Security
• Unauthorized Access – How easy is it for someone to get into your systems? Are they password protected? How easy is it for someone to discover a password? How often do you change your passwords?

• Normal User access and Administrator access – Do you restrict the authority of ‘normal users’? Are they only allowed to execute those commands they need to do their jobs? Do you ensure that these commands cannot do excessive damage? Only those who need system-wide authority, such as System Administrators, should have it.

• Confidentiality Breaches – How do you protect yourself from situations where certain information, that could be quite damaging, falls into the hands of a competitor?

• Data Editing – How do you prevent accidental, or deliberate, changes to the numbers in spreadsheets, or changes to account numbers for payroll payment?

• Data Destruction – How do you prevent data destruction? This could have little impact on your business or it could have an impact similar to a fire, or other disaster, which caused your computing equipment to be completely destroyed.

Precautions
• Take Regular Backups - This isn't just a good idea from a security point of view but should be closely coordinated with a disaster recovery plan.

• Don't put data where it doesn't need to be - This should go without saying but too often data that doesn't need to be easily accessible is, sometimes increasing the impact of a break-in quite significantly.

• Avoid systems with single points of failure - Any security system that can be broken by breaking through any one component isn't really very strong. In security, a degree of redundancy is a good idea.

• Stay current with relevant operating system patches – Someone in your organisation should be watching vendor security updates. Exploiting old bugs that people have not removed from their systems is still one of the most common and most effective ways of breaking into systems.

• Have someone on staff be familiar with security practices - Having at least one person who is charged with keeping abreast of security developments is a good idea.

For more information CONTACT OnTrack Systems today.