A well-established network security system or NSS plays a vital role in ensuring a safe and robust network that can identify, prevent and protect itself against a malicious attack, both on the intranet and the Internet. A network is an interconnected system and therein lies in its strength and its vulnerability.
A networked group of computers can be easily commandeered by an unauthorized user and exposed to different types of attacks that could range from the mild and manageable to the severe and destructive.
There are many ways to protect a network as a means of prevention and intervention. However, not every one of these methods may be useful for a particular group or team. Some organizations may require a less stringent approach based on the type of information they manage while others may need stricter protocols in order to secure highly sensitive data.
The key is for a company to decide what types of risks can be considered acceptable and which ones should be treated with zero tolerance.
Networked systems have to deal with two types of attacks: the passive and active types. A passive attack can result to a confidentiality and anonymity breaches and network traceback. An active attack can affect the availability of the network (such as in a denial of service attack) and threaten integrity through modification and fabrication of data.
Without sufficient security measures in place, networks can also easily fall prey to malicious breaches posed by malware, such as Trojans and worms, which can cause irreparable and even costly damages to the system.
These scenarios present potentially problematic and damaging consequences, particularly for individuals, businesses, organizations and companies that deal with personal and financial records and those that rely on anonymity of users and account holders.
Taking charge
To keep a network secure and safe to use, there are many steps that administrators can use. These include:
- Imposing restricted access. By controlling who can enter and use a computer in the system, it will be easier for the administrator to identify authorized and unauthorized users.
- Monitoring of set security metrics. This allows the administrator to determine the presence of a potential attack based on deviations from normal figures.
- Cryptography. This is the most commonly used tool to secure information with the use of mathematical disguises that 'mask' or hide data. Cryptography utilizes encryption and decryption processes to send and receive cipher or encrypted messages.
Network monitoring
Network monitoring is a vital component of a good network security system. It is set up to prevent problems and issues such as overloaded connections and crashed servers. Monitoring involves establishing a standard set of metrics on which every activity will be measured.
Any discrepancies on these metrics will be reported by the system to the administrator who can then determine the level of threat and implement the appropriate response.
There is no doubt that an organization that offers a more effective system to secure their network will benefit from establishing specific controls.
Furthermore, they can also leverage enhanced productivity, legislative compliance and efficient use of resources as a means to promote themselves as reliable and trustworthy business partners to clients, customers and suppliers.
Paul De Vizard is a freelance writer who enjoys writing about all things technical. This includes Network Monitoring Tools that provide Application Performance Monitoring for large corporations.
