Network Security

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Network Security

Virtual Private Networks: Boosted The Business Security To The Next Level

In this technologically advanced world where everything is online, safety and security are things that can’t be overlooked.Be it using the latest technologies, tools, accessories, digital platforms, or social media, dealing with any online business, using networks, or taking internet connections, safety has become essential in every segment.And this is where many of you have come across VPNs, Virtual Private Networks.Virtual Private Network is the opportunity to establish a protected network connection while using public networks. It is a kind of barrier or a protection shield that disguises the online identity making it difficult for third parties to track your activities and opt for data breaching. It has been reported that the VPN industry is expected to reach $31.1 billion this year, increasing its popularity to its peak.VPN tends to avoid cyber threats, and data breaches have been avoided at a more significant level which is why more than 31% of all internet users rely on VPN services.VPN is directly correlated to the internet. As we know, it is hard to imagine a world without the internet. Everything around us needs internet connectivity to run. Therefore to make internet usage more secure and safe, VPN comes into play. And the primary use of VPN is by businesses who want to stay ahead of the competition and don’t let them know their loopholes.Businesses across the globe make sure to keep their customer, work, and data stacked and private, protecting them from predators. VPN, in that case, helps them to secure their systems.Let’s dig more to know more about how VPN is boosting businesses to the next level.How Does a VPN Work?When it comes to working with a VPN, then a “Virtual Private Network” is a kind of network that hides the IP address by allowing the network redirection through a specially configured remote server run by a VPN host.When you surf anything online using a VPN, the server becomes the source of the data which means the data is going through the server. And, with this, third parties or other internet service providers cannot see the data being analyzed, surfed, or stored. The VPN becomes the source and protects your information or activity from breaching by another party who try to hack you.And the popularity of VPNs can be visualized by a report that states some 54% of all desktop VPN users and 57% of mobile VPN users use the service to protect their devices on public Wi-Fi, making them the best among all.Benefits of Having a VPN NetworkAccording to a report given by Data Prot, 26% of internet users have used a VPN at least once, making it a desirable trend for the upcoming future. Now, after you are well aware of the VPN network and know they will help protect your business on another level.It would help if you planned to adopt it for your businesses to stay compatible in the modern world. But still, if you are pondering over the thought of VPN, here are some advantages to the lookout.Secure EncryptionWhatever the data comes in to read it, you need encryption. Without encryption, it is impossible to read the data, and it will take millions of years for a system to decipher code in the event of a brute-force attack. But when you install the VPN network, you can hide your online activities done on a public network.Nullify Your WhereaboutsVPN comes into play when they act as proxies on the internet. Yes, because the demographic locations that need to be analyzed by third parties can be avoided. As with VPN servers on your side, your location can be disguised easily as the servers do not store logs.And as it is not storing the logs, it will not record the behavior of the user and prevent its passage to other parties who are trying to find your location while using the internet.Access to Regional ContentThere is some content or information that is not easily accessed from everywhere. Thereby, in that case, VPN servers come into play. Such servers help in location spoofing, where you can change your location. Regional web content is not always accessible from everywhere.It is reported that VPN provides access to around 23 percent of restricted sites.Some services and websites contain content that can only be accessed from limited parts of the world. And with a VPN, you can increase the regional area to check the content and access it from anywhere at any time.VPN and its Banning ScenarioVPN has come out to be a progressive option for the business industry in boosting their security. The businesses that were not considering the security within their systems have reconsidered it after the VPN launch. But if we talk about the current scenario, then a country like India is looking to ban VPNs.Yes, In August, a parliamentary committee in the country was held giving the suggestion that all the home ministries should ban the usage of recommended virtual private networks (VPN). With the banning idea, a lot of challenges and problems are on the way for businesses, and people are not able to digest them.As the business industry is likely to face challenges in the coming future as they are being benefitted the most through this technology amid the pandemic. Therefore, the business does not want a banned scenario at all.However, there is a reason why parliament is stating VPN banning as they find it less secure to transfer data through a VPN. According to them, the VPN server would likely give opportunities to criminals to remain anonymous online, helping them to gain important information which they will use for illegal purposes.CK the content and access it from anywhere at any time.

Network Security

What is Network Monitoring?

What is Network Monitoring?Network monitoring tracks the health of a network across its hardware and software layers. Engineers use network monitoring to prevent and troubleshoot network outages and failures. In this article, we’ll describe how network monitoring works, its primary use cases, the typical challenges related to effective network monitoring, and the main features to look for in a network monitoring tool.How Does Network Monitoring Work?Networks enable the transfer of information between two systems, including between two computers or applications. The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Model breaks down several functions that computer systems rely on to send and receive data. In order for data to be sent across a network, it will pass through each component of the OSI, utilizing different protocols, beginning at the physical layer and ending at the application layer. Network monitoring provides visibility into the various components that make up a network, ensuring that engineers can troubleshoot network issues at any layer in which they occur.Most network devices come equipped with support for the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) standard. Via SNMP, you can monitor inbound and outbound network traffic and other important network telemetry critical for ensuring the health and performance of on-premise equipment.The Internet Protocol (IP) is a standard used on almost all networks to provide an address and routing system for devices. This protocol allows information to be routed to the correct destination over large networks, including the public internet.Network engineers and administrators typically use network monitoring tools to collect the following types of metrics from network devices:UptimeThe amount of time that a network device successfully sends and receives data.CPU utilizationThe extent to which a network device has used its computational capacity to process input, store data, and create output.Bandwidth usageThe amount of data, in bytes, that is currently being sent or received by a specific network interface. Engineers track both the volume of traffic being sent and the percentage of total bandwidth that is being utilized.ThroughputThe rate of traffic, in bytes per second, passing through an interface on a device during a specific time period. Engineers typically track the throughput of a single interface, and the sum of the throughput of all interfaces on a single device.Interface errors/discardsThese are errors on the receiving device that cause a network interface to drop a data packet. Interface errors and discards can stem from configuration errors, bandwidth issues, or other reasons.IP metricsIP metrics, such as time delay and hop count, can measure the speed and efficiency of connections between devices.Note that in cloud environments, companies purchase compute and network resources from cloud vendors who maintain the physical infrastructure that will run their services or applications. Cloud hosting, therefore, shifts the responsibility of managing the physical hardware onto the cloud vendor.Monitoring Live Network TrafficAbove the hardware layers of the network, software layers of the network stack are also involved whenever data is sent over a network. This mainly involves the transport and application layers of the OSI model (layer 4 and layer 7). Monitoring these layers helps teams track the health of services, applications, and underlying network dependencies as they communicate over a network. The following network protocols are especially important to monitor because they are the foundation for most network communication:Benefits of Network MonitoringNetwork failures can cause major business disruptions, and in complex, distributed networks, it’s critical to have complete visibility in order to understand and resolve issues. For instance, a connectivity issue in just one region or availability zone can have a far-reaching impact across an entire service if cross-regional queries are dropped.One common benefit of monitoring network devices is that it helps prevent or minimize business-impacting outages. Network monitoring tools can periodically gather information from devices to ensure that they are available and performing as expected, and can alert you if they are not. If an issue does arise on a device, such as high saturation on a specific interface, network engineers can act quickly to prevent an outage or any user-facing impact. For example, teams can implement load balancing to distribute traffic across multiple servers if monitoring reveals that one host is not enough to serve the volume of requests.Another benefit of network monitoring is that it can help companies improve application performance. For example, network packet loss can manifest as user-facing application latency. With network monitoring, engineers can identify exactly where packet loss is occurring and remedy the problem. Monitoring network data also helps companies reduce network-related traffic costs by surfacing inefficient cross-regional traffic patterns. Finally, engineers can also use network monitoring to check if their applications can reach DNS servers, without which websites won’t load correctly for users.Modern monitoring tools can unify network data with infrastructure metrics, application metrics, and other metrics, giving all engineers in an organization access to the same information when diagnosing and troubleshooting issues. This ability to consolidate monitoring data lets teams easily determine whether latency or errors stem from the network, code, a host-level issue, or another source.

Network Security

What Is Endpoint Security?

Endpoint security is the practice of securing endpoints or entry points of end-user devices such as desktops, laptops, and mobile devices from being exploited by malicious actors and campaigns. Endpoint security systems protect these endpoints on a network or in the cloud from cybersecurity threats. Endpoint security has evolved from traditional antivirus software to providing comprehensive protection from sophisticated malware and evolving zero-day threats.Organizations of all sizes are at risk from nation-states, hacktivists, organized crime, and malicious and accidental insider threats. Endpoint security is often seen as cybersecurity's frontline and represents one of the first places organizations look to secure their enterprise networks.As the volume and sophistication of cybersecurity threats have steadily grown, so has the need for more advanced endpoint security solutions. Today’s endpoint protection systems are designed to quickly detect, analyze, block, and contain attacks in progress. To do this, they need to collaborate with each other and with other security technologies to give administrators visibility into advanced threats to speed detection and remediation response times.What’s considered an endpoint?outside its firewall. Examples of endpoint devices include:LaptopsTabletsmobile devicesInternet of things (IoT) devicesPoint-of-sale (POS) systemsSwitchesDigital printersOther devices that communicate with the central networkBenefits of Endpoint SecurityProtection of valuable dataProtection of company reputation by avoiding data lossReduction of downtime associated with security breachesAbility to ID and fix security gapsImproved patch managementIncreased visibility into the devices connected to the networkEndpoint security tools bring numerous benefits. Securing sensitive and/or valuable data on the endpoints being managed by an endpoint protection system lends a measure of protection for a company's reputation (not to mention the protection against associated financial loss). And, by avoiding security breaches on their devices, end users avoid associated downtime as well. Endpoint security tools also help ID and fix security vulnerabilities, including those addressed by software patches. These tools also enable IT, teams, to identify and monitor devices connected to the network. Failing to manage such devices leaves them open to attack by hackers. the central network.Why endpoint security is importantAn endpoint protection platform is a vital part of enterprise cybersecurity for several reasons. First of all, in today’s business world, data is the most valuable asset of a company —and to lose that data, or access to that data could put the entire business at risk of insolvency. Businesses have also had to contend with not only a growing number of endpoints but also a rise in the number of types of endpoints. These factors make enterprise endpoint security more difficult on their own, but they’re compounded by remote work and BYOD policies—which make perimeter security increasingly insufficient and create vulnerabilities. The threat landscape is becoming more complicated, as well: Hackers are always coming up with new ways to gain access, steal information, or manipulate employees into giving out sensitive information. Add in the opportunity, cost of reallocating resources from business goals to addressing threats, the reputational cost of a large-scale breach, and the actual financial cost of compliance violations, and it’s easy to see why endpoint protection platforms have become regarded as must-haves in terms of securing modern enterprises.

Network Security

What is Information Security?

unauthorized access. Information Security is basically the practice of preventing unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, inspection, recording, or destruction of information. Information can be physical or electronic. Information can be anything like Your details or we can say your profile on social media, your data on mobile phone, your biometrics, etc. This Information Security spans so many research areas like Cryptography, Mobile Computing, Cyber Forensics, Online Social Media, etc. During First World War, Multi-tier Classification System was developed keeping in mind the sensitivity of the information. With the beginning of the Second World War formal alignment of the Classification System was done. Alan Turing was the one who successfully decrypted Enigma Machine which was used by Germans to encrypt warfare data. Information Security programs are built around 3 objectives, commonly known as CIA – Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. Information Security is not only about securing information from Confidentiality – which means information is not disclosed to unauthorized individuals, entities and processes. For example, if we say I have a password for my Gmail account but someone saw it while I was doing login into my Gmail account. In that case, my password has been compromised and Confidentiality has been breached.Integrity – means maintaining the accuracy and completeness of data. This means data cannot be edited in an unauthorized way. For example, if an employee leaves an organization then in that case data for that employee in all departments like accounts, should be updated to reflect the status to JOB LEFT so that data is complete and accurate in addition to this only authorized persons should be allowed to edit employee data.Availability – means information must be available when needed. For example, if one needs to access information on a particular employee to check whether the employee has an outstanding number of leaves, that case, requires collaboration from different organizational teams like network operations, development operations, incident response, and policy/change management. Denial of service attack is one of the factors that can hamper the availability of information.Apart from this, there is one more principle that governs information security programs. This is Non repudiation. Nonrepudiation – means one party cannot deny receiving a message or a transaction nor can the other party deny sending a message or a transaction. For example, in cryptography, it is sufficient to show that message matches the digital signature signed with the sender’s private key and that sender could have sent a message and nobody else could have altered it in transit. Data Integrity and Authenticity are prerequisites for Nonrepudiation.  Authenticity – means verifying that users are who they say they are and that each input arriving at the destination is from a trusted source. This principle if followed guarantees the valid and genuine message received from a trusted source through a valid transmission. For example, take the above example sender sends the message along with a digital signature which was generated using the hash value of the message and the private key. Now at the receiver side, this digital signature is decrypted using the public key to generate a hash value, and the message is again hashed to generate the hash value. If the 2 value matches then it is known as valid transmission with the authentic or we say genuine message received at the recipient sideAccountability – means that it should be possible to trace the actions of an entity uniquely to that entity. For example, as we discussed in the Integrity section Not every employee should be allowed to do changes to other employees' data. For this, there is a separate department in an organization that is responsible for making such changes and when they receive a request for a change then that letter must be signed by a higher authority for example Director of the college and the person that is allotted that change will be able to do change after verifying his biometrics, thus timestamp with the user(doing changes) details get recorded. Thus we can say if a change goes like this then it will be possible to trace the actions uniquely to an entity.At the core of Information Security is Information Assurance, which means the act of maintaining the CIA of information, ensuring that information is not compromised in any way when critical issues arise. These issues are not limited to natural disasters, computer/server malfunctions, etc. Thus, the field of information security has grown and evolved significantly in recent years. It offers many areas for specialization, including securing networks and allied infrastructure, securing applications and databases, security testing, information systems auditing, business continuity planning, etc.

Network Security

Top Network Security Certifications and How to Choose the Right One for You

Network security is an organization’s first line of defense against hackers and other cyber threats. Thanks to projections that cybercrime is expected to inflict $6 trillion worth of damage around the world in 2021, we can see why network security has risen in prominence. However, just like there are many different forms of cyberattacks, there are a dizzying array of cybersecurity certifications to choose from.Although having so many cybersecurity choices is arguably a good thing, the sheer number and variety also pose a challenge. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the number of choices, sometimes to the point of not making a choice at all. What are the top network security certifications? Which one(s) are right for you and your organization? Are any of the top cyber security certifications universally applicable?In this article, we are going to shine the spotlight on various topics, including:What is network security?The need for network securityVarious types of network securityNetwork security jobs and salariesBest network security certificationsWhat is Network Security?Most experts define network security as the policies and practices of taking protective measures for protecting network infrastructure from trespassing, illegal access, modification, abuse, change, destruction, or the unauthorized gathering and release of data. The full process requires a combination of hardware devices, security software, and user awareness of security procedures and techniques.The latter element can range from employees getting briefed on proper security practices, to professionals who have taken network security training. Why is Network Security Needed?So many aspects of our lives have migrated to the digital world. We use the internet to conduct financial transactions, communicate with family and colleagues, make purchases, seek entertainment, and engage in research. So much of our personal information resides online, everything from birth dates, Social Security (or other identification numbers), health history, credit history, bank accounts, utility bills, and a host of other things.All that data and all those transactions are vulnerable to hackers and cybercriminals. The more of our lives we commit to the internet, the higher the risk of compromise. Moreover, the continuing importance of the Internet of Things (IoT) means even more reliance on wireless networks, which only increases the threat landscape, giving criminals more avenues and opportunities to perpetrate fraud. There is too much at stake in our personal and commercial lives to let network security slip. So, what types of network security are there?What Are the Types of Network Security?There is a whole arsenal of network security tools, methods, and practices available for cybersecurity professionals. Here’s a high-level overview:SoftwareSecurity software resources include anti-virus, anti-malware, and anti-spyware. These tools are available as suites or as subscriptions, updated continuously by the hosting vendor to keep up with the latest threats. These applications monitor your network, blocking intruders, malware, and viruses.As an aside, it’s extremely wise to opt for a security subscription as opposed to getting a suite and loading it in-house. Subscription providers/vendors are in a better position to deal with the constant changes to the cyber security landscape. There seems to be a new cyber threat or virus emerging every day, and your software won’t defend against threats it doesn’t yet know exist. That’s why it’s better to leave that heavy lifting to the subscription provider.Password ProtectionThis is such a simple measure but is extremely important. Strong passwords are an inexpensive yet effective way of keeping systems, applications, and networks safe, and you don’t have to be a seasoned cybersecurity professional to put strong passwords into practice. And when we say “strong” passwords, we don’t mean ridiculous ones like “password” or “99999”.FirewallsIf you picture your network as an exclusive nightclub, then the firewall would be the bouncer, working the door and keeping out undesirables. They filter traffic (incoming and outgoing), based on predetermined policies, preventing unauthorized users from coming in. Anyone who’s tried to work remotely but was locked out of their company’s main systems due to not having the right authorization, has experienced first-hand the effectiveness of a firewall.Email Security SoftwareEmail is a very vulnerable point in any network. Cybercriminals love to send bogus emails that look like correspondence from legitimate companies and financial institutions. But just one click of a link embedded in these fraudulent emails could be enough to compromise your system. To that end, email security software can not only filter out incoming threats, but it can also even prevent certain kinds of data from being transmitted.Segmented NetworksThis process sorts and divides traffic based on specific established criteria. Segmented networks are especially useful for limiting users to just one area, specifically the one they need to do their work while keeping these users out of the data that’s outside of their wheelhouse. Restricting users like this helps decrease the overall network’s weak spots.Which are the Best Network Security Certifications?Before you can make big bucks in the network security field, you need to learn the tools and skills. That’s where network security training comes in. Network security certification courses not only give you the essential knowledge for these positions, but they also give you that valuable certificate that shows prospective employers that you have the required qualifications.Let’s dig into some of the major network security certifications.1. CEH: Certified Ethical HackerAlso known as “white hat hackers,” these are IT security professionals whose job is to try and penetrate systems and find vulnerabilities. Businesses and organizations hire them to find weaknesses in the system and figure out how to fix them. When you consider how important cybersecurity has become, it’s unsurprising that this certification is such a sought-after commodity.2. CISSP: Certified Information Systems Security ProfessionalThis certification is for experienced security professionals who are responsible for the development and management of their organization’s security procedures, policies, and standards. It is perfect for IT security professionals who want to take their careers to the next level.3. CISM: Certified Information Security ManagerThis certification is a critical resource for IT professionals who have enterprise-level security management responsibilities. They manage, develop, and oversee security systems and develop organizational best practices.4. CCSP: Certified Cloud Security ProfessionalThis certification has become highly sought after thanks to many organizations increasingly migrating to the cloud. The course focuses on IS and IT professionals who apply best practices to cloud security architecture, design, operations, and service orchestration. If you work with cloud platforms, this is a must.5. CISA: Certified Information Systems AuditorThis certification target IS professionals who focus primarily on audit control, assurance, and security. It provides you with the skills required to govern and control enterprise IT and perform an effective security audit. 

Network Security

Network Security Checklist, Protect your Business

We have compiled a network security checklist for SMBs providing actions that should be taken to secure your business network against internal and external threats.A Network Security Checklist for SMBsAttacks can come from all angles and as your network grows and you add more devices, increase the number of users, and use new applications, the threat surface rapidly grows, and your network becomes more complicated to defend. The purpose of this network security checklist is to provide you with tips on the key areas of network security you should be focusing on.The best place to start is to develop a series of policies that describe the actions that are permitted and not permitted by your employees. If you do not explain how systems must be used and train users on best practices, risky behaviors are likely to continue that will undermine the hard work you put into defending your network.Develop Policies that Dictate What is and is Not AllowedYou should develop an acceptable use policy covering all systems, an internet access policy stating how the internet can be used, and the websites and content that should not be accessed. Policies are required for an email stating how email must be used and data that is not permitted to be sent via mail. You will no doubt have some workers who access your network remotely. A policy is required covering secure remote access and the use of VPNs. If you allow the use of personal devices, a BYOD policy is a must. You should clearly state the sanctions for violating policies and must ensure that policies are enforced, ideally using automated technical measures.Secure Servers and WorkstationsAll servers and workstations must be properly secured. Create a checklist for deploying new servers and workstations to ensure that each is properly secured before being used.Create a list of all servers and workstations on the network including their name, purpose, IP address, service dates and tag, location, and person responsible for each.Ensure all devices are running the latest software and are patched as soon as patches are released. Antivirus software should be used on all devices.Ensure a firewall is used to prevent unauthorized external access and make sure the default username and password are changed and a strong unique password is set. Use Deny All for internal and external access and ensure all rules added to the firewall are fully documented. Disable any permissive firewall rules. Consider also using an internal/software/application firewall for added security.Decide on a remote access solution and only use one.Purchase a UPS for your servers and ensure the agent on the UPS will safely shut down servers in the event of a power outage.Monitor server logs for unauthorized access and suspicious activityEnsure servers are routinely backed upSecure Network Equipment and DevicesYou must ensure your network is secured, along with any devices allowed to connect to the network.You should only purchase network equipment from authorized resellers and should implement physical security controls to prevent unauthorized access to network equipment.Ensure all firmware is kept up to date and firmware upgrades are only downloaded from official sources.Maintain a network hardware list detailing the device name and type, location, serial number, service tag, and party responsible for the device.For ease of management and consistency, use standard configurations for each network deviceConfigure networking equipment to use the most secure configuration possible. Ensure wireless devices are using WPA2, use SSH version 2 and disable telnet and SSH1Make sure very strong passwords are set for remote access.Disable all inactive ports to prevent external devices from accessing your internal network. Also set up a guest network to ensure visitors cannot access your internal resources.Use network segmentation to allow parts of the network to be isolated in the event of an attack and to hamper lateral movement attempts.Use a remote management solution to allow the authentication of authorized users.If you need to use SNMP, use SNMPv3. Change default community strings and set authorized management stations. If you are not using SNMP then ensure it is switched off.User Account ManagementYou should adopt the principle of least privilege and only give access rights to users that need to access resources for routine, legitimate purposes. Restrict the use of admin credentials as far as is possible. Admin accounts should only be used for admin purposes. Log out of admin accounts when administration tasks have been performed and use a different account with lower privileges for routine work.Ensure that each user has a unique account and password and make sure accounts are de-provisioned promptly when employees leave the company. Create a password policy and enforce the use of strong passwords. Consider using a password manager to help your employees remember their secure passwords.Email SecurityEmail is the most common attack vector used to gain access to business networks. Phishing is used in 90% of cyberattacks and email is a common source of malware infections. You should use an email security solution that scans inbound and outbound email to protect your network from attack and avoid reputation damage should email accounts be compromised and used to attack your business contacts.Your email security solution should provide protection against the full range of email threats, including email impersonation attacks, phishing/spear phishing, and malware and ransomware. The solution should also be configured to prevent directory harvesting attempts.Web SecurityThe internet is a common source of malware infections and phishing attacks usually have a web-based component. You should implement a web filtering solution such as a DNS filter to provide secure internet access, which should protect users on and off the network. Your filtering solution should be capable of decrypting, scanning, and re-encrypting HTTPS traffic and should scan for malware including file downloads, streaming media, and malicious scripts on web pages. Use port blocking to block unauthorized outbound traffic and attempts to bypass your internet controls.Traffic and Log MonitoringYou should be regularly reviewing access and traffic logs to identify suspicious activity that could indicate an attack in progress. Make sure logging is enabled and logs are regularly reviewed. If you only have a handful of servers you could do this manually, but ideally, you should have a security information and event management (SIEM) solution to provide real-time analysis of security alerts generated by your endpoints and network equipment.Security Awareness TrainingIf you follow this network security checklist and implement all of the above protections, your network will be well secured, but even robust network security defenses can be undone if your employees engage in risky behaviors and are not aware of security best practices. Employees should be provided with security awareness training to teach cybersecurity best practices and how to identify threats such as phishing. Security awareness training should be provided regularly, and you should keep employees up to date on the latest threats.