Corporate Network Security – What You Need to Know

Corporate network security is much like indoor plumbing; you don’t really think about it until it stops working. While a leaky faucet or a stopped drain may be annoying, failures in corporate network security are much more threatening. A single breach can leave a company wide open to identity theft, intellectual property theft and even total loss of network operations. The news reports every day intrusions proving to be detrimental to even the largest organizations in the world. At this very moment hackers are invading computer systems with profound effects on corporations, individuals and the world as a whole.

Although the media paints a dark, gloomy outlook on network security, there are many things managers and small business owners can do to prevent themselves from becoming a “digital statistic.” These five suggestions provide a good starting point for developing an enterprise-wide strategy for protecting one’s corporate network:

1. Corporate network security is a serious matter.

Although some people choose to remain in denial about many of the difficult challenges life throws at them, corporate network security should not be one of these. Unlike a personal pet peeve or bad habit, corporate network security is a serious matter that should not be taken lightly. The sooner one realizes this the better, as corporate network security transcends the borders of one’s own office. Theft of physical office supplies is one thing, but intellectual property theft is a completely different matter. While insurance can replace office desks and file cabinets, how does one get back trade secrets copied off of a “secure” network server? How does one recover tax returns, personnel records and sensitive customer data? The answer is simple: you don’t.

2. Just one time is enough.

All it takes is one time for a hacker to penetrate a company’s network, violate its privacy and, perhaps even worst, ruin its reputation. Just ask Google, Sony or Citibank to confirm this. A company who takes network security seriously and approaches it with the right attitude is in a much better position from the start than one that doesn’t.

3. Corporate network security is an on-going process.

Corporate network security is not a “fire and forget” sort of procedure. It is an on-going process that requires attention on a daily basis. In the old days, people wholeheartedly welcomed air conditioners, automobiles and computers as novelty items. Less attention and care was given to them as they became more routine. This is normal, as people come to depend on things that “just work” without requiring constant attention. While it is typically a good thing that one’s network discretely operates in the background, its lack of a spotlight should not make it any less important than routine service for any other component vital a company’s operation.

4. Learn to grow properly.

When it comes to securing one’s corporate network, the key is to learn to grow properly. The needs of a small company differ drastically from those of a large company. Apply the tools and techniques needed for your level of sophistication and step up gradually as needed. Obtain network consulting from a network security specialist who is ready to deliver expert guidance to you.

5. Assume they know more than you.

Network security isn’t your primary business, but hacking is certainly the primary line of work for “the bad guys” out to steal your data. The best you can do is to be aware of general threats and delegate the responsibility to the guys on the front, namely your IT personnel.

Perhaps you either lack an IT department or just don’t enough staff on hand to handle everything. Don’t worry; you don’t have to go it alone. Leave it to IT Direct to help keep your network secure. IT Direct is the leading authority in Connecticut for designing and securing corporate networks. Contact us today to see what we can do to keep your data in and the hackers out.