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Saturday, December 10, 2016

How To Safeguard Company Data Against Unauthorized Network Surveillance

By Frank Evans


In the modern world, the security of personal and company data is of the essence. There are hackers constantly prowling the cyber world with malicious intent. Of late, numerous reports have abounded of state sponsored hacking against many American institutions. When corporate data is stolen, a lot of damage can be done by those holding the data. It is therefore important to have the right security policy against network surveillance.

The first point of defense that a system can have against unwanted entry is a password. However, many users do not appreciate the importance of setting strong passwords. When users configure their passwords weakly, hackers can crack them in no time, provided they have the right processing power.

For this reason, it is important to ensure all passwords in your organization are a combination of lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers and symbols. Alternatively, you may use a passphrase. This will make it harder even for the most determined hacker to bypass.

All networks have entry points, commonly referred to as default gateways. This is nothing more than a simple demarcation point for traffic coming into and out of your network. If configured incorrectly, it may be ridiculously easy for hackers to get in and start monitoring your systems. To counter this, ensure your IT personnel are competent enough.

When it comes to information technology, skill is the single most important asset one can have. A skilled technician will undoubtedly find it easier to deploy the right protocols when configuring routers as compared to an academic. One good way of ensuring complete security is through the use of a DMZ, the cyber equivalent of a demilitarized zone. This will go a long way in ensuring your data is only accessed by authorized people even when filtering exterior connections.

It is also important to invest in new equipment. It is common knowledge that technology changes with time. Over the years, hackers study systems and uncover vulnerabilities that are virtually unknown to manufacturers. For your own safety, it is prudent to purchase new equipment regularly. This also goes for software. Some companies release patches on a monthly basis to stay ahead of tech savvy hackers. If the people on your IT team are serious, they should get into the habit of downloading patches regularly.

Virus scanning ought to be done regularly too. There are viruses that mask their presence by attaching themselves to normal programs. With a reliable enterprise antivirus program, viruses should be detected at the entry point. Nowadays, most companies do preventative maintenance regularly. This involves the removal of junk files from machines after scanning them.

Also try to invest in camera covers. In case your network gets compromised, hackers can monitor your actions through your webcam. As an extra precaution, you should always make sure all webcams are covered when not in use. Safeguarding your data is not that difficult. All it takes are a few changes to the way you do things.




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