The local area network (LAN) in the workstation or office is the focus of office network security. The safety and security of this network are critical. You don’t want a hostile actor knocking down your network or breaking into your proprietary software, regardless of how big your firm is or if you’re a startup.
Unauthorized users can’t connect to your small company network and potentially view your files, and/or spy on Internet traffic to capture or hijack your online accounts. These suggestions might assist you in securing your small office network.
Tips for securing your workplace network in a small business:
It is critical to safeguard your workplace network since you must safeguard both your personal information and customer information.
Begin by inquiring whether there are any servers on the network. How many workstations are there in the office? How many computers or mobile phones are linked to the network? Are IoT devices required? What kind of data are these IoT gadgets sending out?
Taking this inventory will provide you with a decent notion of the complexity of your workplace network. The security of your network is dependent on protecting or uninstalling all of these devices.
Employ WPA2 Encryption:
By default, wireless routers and access points are not protected. Anyone may simply join to your Wi-Fi network if you do not enable encryption. To avoid this, use the Personal (Pre-shared Key or PSK) mode of WPA or WPA2 security–preferably WPA2 because it is more secure.
This is the easiest way; you establish an encryption password in the wireless router and/or access points and input the same password when connecting to Wi-Fi on computers or devices. Use a strong encryption password with up to 63 characters in upper and lower case, with special characters.
Internal network planning:
Implement Disaster Recovery and Backup Procedures: Any company’s core business data is its lifeblood. Implementing a multi-level backup method, including image, file and folder, and offshore backups, is a straightforward approach to safeguard vital data. Backup and disaster recovery (BDR) appliances go this a step further by assisting you in expediting server recovery in the event of a failure. Testing your backups on a regular basis is an essential part of any backup plan.
Create a guest network:
You want this for those who come to your workplace but aren’t employees. Most current routers provide the ability to enable a guest network. Most current routers provide the ability to enable a guest network. if you are concerned about your internet browsing security you can check out best VPN router for small business. This guide will include routers which are stuffed with built in VPN technology, which may safeguard you when you are surfing on the internet with your PC. This is a simple approach to improve network security.
802.1X Authentication:
If you need a very secure network, you should consider employing 802.1X authentication on both your wired and wireless networks. As stated in the first suggestion, most organizations should use the Enterprise mode of Wi-Fi security with 802.1X authentication, which necessitates the use of a RADIUS server.
You should use 802.1X authentication on your wired network if your network switches support it. This prevents unauthorized individuals from readily connecting to your network using an Ethernet wall connection. They won’t be able to connect to the network unless they input a legitimate login and password that you’ve set up.
MAC address filtering:
MAC address filtering is a security mechanism that enables only devices known to the organization to join to the network. Filtering may be accomplished by collecting the MAC address of each device and then uploading those credentials into a router database. It may appear to be an additional precaution, but it only assures that if a hacker obtains the network password, they will be unable to get access unless they have one of the recognized MAC addresses.
Isolated wireless:
This manner, you may conceal your wireless network, making it more private. Once you’ve determined your SSID, you may modify your router settings to isolate and make your wireless network “invisible.”
Final Thoughts:
When you manage your IT internally, you must ensure that you are appropriately secured from hackers and malware. Even with all of these safeguards in place and personnel adhering to best practices, keeping up with the latest cyber dangers is challenging. It just takes one person to forget to alter the default settings or to click on what seems to be a harmless link from someone they thought they knew.
