Quite a few parts go into making your business a success. Product development, customer service, marketing, and sales will all be the most notable. You could overlook a few areas, however, with your company’s computer network being one of the largest.
Not only will you need to make sure this is set up right, but you’ll need to keep it protected. Unless you’re an IT professional, you mightn’t know how to protect your business’ computer network.
Thankfully, it doesn’t need to be as difficult as you could think. Taking five specific steps can make sure your network is as protected as possible. While that takes a bit of time upfront, the extra protection is well worth it.
Why Protect Your Business’ Computer Network
Before diving into the ‘how,’ it’s worth looking at why you should protect your business’ computer network. Data protection will be the most obvious reason, with this being a legal obligation.
If your network is unprotected, you risk unauthorized third parties accessing this information, which is a breach of data privacy laws. It’s also an ethical concern, and can even extend into multiple business concerns. If your potential customers believe their information isn’t safe with you, they’re less likely to become a customer.
Beyond that are multiple other reasons to protect your business’ computer network, including:
- It Improves Performance – Protecting your business’ computer network goes beyond simply making it secure. It makes your network run better. You’ll remove redundant apps and software while making sure your network isn’t bogged down by viruses, for example. You’ll have a faster and more efficient computer network.
- Cyberattacks Are On The Rise – Cybercrimes have become increasingly more common in recent years. You could think your business mightn’t be targeted by these, but there’s always a chance they could be. By keeping your network protected, you’re much safer from ransomware and similar attacks.
- Not Doing So Costs Money – If you’re the victim of a cyberattack, it’ll end up costing you a significant amount of money to recover. That could mean spending tens of thousands of dollars to get rid of ransomware, for example. And that’s without mentioning the downtime you could see when dealing with this.
Now that you know why you should, it’s time to look at how to protect your business’ computer network. Five particular steps are vital to this process, as they’ll make sure your network is as protected as possible.
How To Protect Your Business’ Computer Network: 5 Steps To Take
1. Use A VPN
A virtual private network (VPN) encrypts information on your network while browsing the internet. They make sure your connection is as safe as possible when you’re online and transferring files.
You’ll need to choose the best VPN for your needs, based on various factors. It can be worth choosing a premium option, as these usually come with more security, as well as a host of features to use.
While that comes at a cost, the peace of mind it offers is worth it.
2. Keep Antiviruses Up To Date
Outside of a VPN, one of the first things you should install across your network is an antivirus. As the name suggests, it’s what keeps viruses from accessing your computers. It’s one of the quickest and easiest ways to keep your network protected.
You’ll need to make sure your antivirus is as high-quality as possible. Free options might be appealing because of budgetary reasons, but they’re far from enough to keep your business’ computer network secure.
These will be much more effective against potential attackers while ensuring nobody can intentionally place any malware on your network.
3. Get Professional Help
Unless you’re trained and certified IT professional, there could be a lot you don’t know about computer networks. You wouldn’t be able to protect your business’ network as much as you want because of that. It’s worth hiring a dedicated professional to manage this for you.
You could even outsource this to a third-party firm if you’re worried about costs. They’ll be much more well-versed in identifying any malicious links and viruses while protecting your network against them.
Should anything go wrong, they’ll also be better able to deal with them. It’s worth the cost of employing an IT professional.
4. Update Passwords
Guessing passwords is one of the easiest ways for hackers to get into a network. You’ll need to go out of your way to make this as difficult as possible. Providing default passwords to all users and then letting employees customize these is recommended.
When they’re doing so, make sure they follow best practices. That includes using various symbols and numbers, while also making sure the passwords – or even pass-phrases – are as difficult to guess as possible.
5. Install A Firewall
A firewall is what keeps unauthorized apps, software, and websites from accessing your computer network. You could see it as a literal wall in that regard. It does this by setting specific rules about inbound and outbound web traffic. Anything that breaches these is shut down.
By doing this, it makes sure nothing harmful can access your computer network. Firewalls are getting increasingly more sophisticated every year, and many come with some customizable features. Taking advantage of these makes sure your network is well-protected, especially when coupled with VPNs and similar features.
How To Protect Your Business’ Computer Network: Wrapping Up
Figuring out how to protect your business’ computer network might seem complicated, but it doesn’t need to be. Taking a few specific tips will make sure it’s as protected as possible. Using a VPN, getting a professional to oversee anything, and installing a high-quality firewall – as well as similar steps – all make sure that’s the case.
While that means spending a bit of time – and possibly even some money – on it upfront, the benefits of protecting your computer network are worth it. You shouldn’t have to worry about any hacks, viruses, or similar issues.
There’s no reason not to protect your network, so what’s stopping you from getting started?