Security

Basics of Network Security

Nitya Parasuramuni
Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Sometimes in the lifecycle of a project it is necessary to migrate a system to a new language, infrastructure, or platform. This blog covers best practices and some helpful tips to undertake the migration of an application or feature.

A representation of network security

In 2020, over 1,100 data breaches were reported in the country, affecting nearly 300 million individuals that year (Identity Theft Resource Center). This is especially concerning for private businesses as over half of these attacks affect them. With alarming statistics like this on the rise and the expansion of network infrastructure features, it is essential that enterprises continue to invest into better network security features. Designing and maintaining the network infrastructure of an organization is a vital part of security and is needed now more than ever before.

What is included in a typical network? Basic network infrastructure consists of routers, switches, servers, workstations, firewalls, hubs, operating systems, and more. All these components create an inter-connected communications channel for information to be sent across software applications and physical resources. Enterprises use a Local Area Network (LAN) to limit their network to only privileged users.

What are aspects of a secure network? There are multiple ways to safeguard the information and private communications within the network. Using Firewalls can help with filtering out and monitoring only approved incoming and outgoing communications. A recommended method is having two firewalls, separated by the DMZ. The DMZ stands for De-Militarized Zone, which is used in Cybersecurity as an extra layer of security between the public and private networks. It allows an organization to access untrusted networks while its LAN stays secure. Usually, external facing resources such as the web and email servers are located in this zone. A VPN is crucial as it hides the location of the user and ensures that only privileged users have access to the network.

Why is this important? Networks allow for communication across IT infrastructure and protecting such communications should be prioritized. We live in a world that is continuing to become more digital, meaning businesses are at a higher risk of actors exploiting potential vulnerabilities online. Taking proper network security protocols prevent interrupted business, data loss, fines and legal ramifications, and overall loss of business. In the long run, securing networks would save money and time for repairs as well as improves network operations and minimizes the risk of major data breaches (Consolidated Technologies, Inc).

Sources:

https://consoltech.com/blog/why-network-security-is-more-important-than-ever/

https://www.ibm.com/topics/infrastructure

https://www.fortinet.com/resources/cyberglossary/what-is-dmz

Nitya Parasuramuni
Wednesday, January 26, 2022
Share this story
Follow on Face Book IconFollow on Twitter IconFollow on Linked In Icon
BLOG

Related Stories from our blog

Security

Developer Endpoint Governance

Jason R. Weiss
Friday, August 4, 2023
Security

Extracting SBOM Value with Component Analysis

Jason R. Weiss
Tuesday, June 27, 2023
Security

Exploring the Plurality of SBOM

Jason R. Weiss
Thursday, June 15, 2023
View More