How Do I Secure My Company’s Computer Network To Prevent Outside Hackers?

Cybersecurity is a big priority for a lot of companies, considering that most businesses have an increasing amount of digital assets they need to keep safe. According to Verizon, around 45% of all data breaches occur because of hackers, specifically.

So how can you protect your assets from individuals trying to break into your system? Here are 4 tips that can help:

1. Set up Hardware Firewalls

   Hardware firewalls are physical devices that filter the traffic going to a computer to identify specific threats. The device sits between the external network and the server, acting as an antivirus and a barrier against hacking.

   Businesses can set up hardware firewalls with specific rules for all traffic, which is useful to completely eliminate some of the risks you know your business is vulnerable to.

2. Password Protecting Your Equipment

   It should already be standard to implement password protection for all devices in your network, to ensure only authorized personnel has access to what’s inside.

   But apart from setting up passwords, you should also make sure the passwords are calibrated to industry standards. Some of the requirements include:

• Length
• Mixing different types of characters (lowercase, uppercase, letters, numbers, special characters)
• Avoiding real words
• Avoiding personal information (such as a birth month, business name, etc.)

3. Make Sure Wireless Networks Are Secure

   Encryption is the most effective way to ensure those on the outside don’t gain access to your wireless networks. Hackers can use the wi-fi network as sort of a backdoor to your network, and if they get in through it they can easily access sensitive information.

   You can use Wi-Fi Protected Access or Wired Equivalent Privacy.

4. Add Antiviruses and Software Firewalls

   Lastly, you can add special software that keeps viruses, malware, and other threats at bay, to increase security. If something may get past your other precautions, the software can be a good safety net.

Over to You

If you want to know more about how to secure your company’s computer network, get in touch with West County Computers online, or call our office at 707-360-8652 for a free consultation.

Be sure to also get your free IT risk assessment from West County Computers as well to get a better view of how protected (or not) your network currently is, and what are the areas you need to start working on right now.

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