Your cybersecurity architecture needs to have these 6 critical components

With cybercriminals employing a wide array of methods to steal your business’s confidential information nowadays, your IT team should always be fully alert to any cyberattack that may occur. But they can’t do it alone. People, tools, and processes must work in sync in safeguarding your organization’s IT infrastructure. In this article, we’ll discuss the vital elements of any cybersecurity infrastructure so you can maintain a strong cybersecurity posture.

Cybersecurity architecture and its essential components

Cybersecurity architecture is a framework of policies and processes for securing an organization’s IT infrastructure. This combines all the technologies, tools, and security measures that work together to protect computers, networks, and data from internal and external attacks. If done correctly, your security architecture can help ensure that any sensitive information stored in your organization’s in-house databases or cloud-based systems remains safe.

Make sure you incorporate the following critical components into your cybersecurity architecture to boost your IT systems, anticipate potential cyberthreats, and block them before they do any damage.

1. Firewall

Firewalls allow you to control the type of traffic that can access your network and block anything that does not meet your established policies. They also let you segment access to all areas of your network and restrict access to certain users.

Furthermore, firewalls help protect against malware, ransomware, and other malicious attacks by inspecting incoming and outgoing data packets. They may use port and protocol filtering to monitor inbound and outbound traffic on ports commonly used by cybercriminals, thus preventing malicious traffic from getting through your network’s defenses. Additionally, firewalls can be configured to detect suspicious activity such as large file transfers that could indicate an ongoing attack or one that’s about to take place.

2. Intrusion prevention systems (IPS)

Intrusion prevention systems work hand in hand with firewalls by monitoring all data packets entering or leaving the network for signs of malicious activity. If it detects any suspicious behavior, the IPS will alert the system administrator to take the appropriate action, such as blocking or quarantining a connection before it does serious damage.

3. Endpoint protection

The primary goal of endpoint protection is to detect and prevent malicious activity from occurring in your network, which can be done by monitoring endpoints like computers, mobile gadgets, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices for signs of suspicious behavior. Endpoint protection solutions can be hardware, software, or a combination of the two and are designed to detect advanced threats such as zero-day attacks and malware that can bypass traditional security measures.

4. Web filtering

Web filtering helps protect against malicious threats that can come from accessing malicious websites. A web filter analyzes and categorizes web traffic to identify potentially malicious sites, and then blocks access to those sites.

In addition to providing protection from malicious content, web filtering can also be used to enforce acceptable use policies within an organization, such as prohibiting access to certain types of content like pornography or gambling sites.

5. Access control systems

Access control systems allow organizations to protect sensitive information by restricting who has access to the system and what they can do within it. They do this by monitoring user activity, determining which users have access to which network resources, and providing authentication so that only authorized users are allowed in.

Access control systems usually include user authentication, role-based access control (RBAC), and multifactor authentication protocols.

User authentication requires users to provide a username and password before they can access the network.
Role-based access control is a mechanism that grants privileges and restricts access based on the user’s specific role in the organization.
Multifactor authentication protocols require users to enter multiple pieces of information (e.g., a password and biometric data) before they can gain access.

6. Cyber resiliency assessment

Cyber resiliency assessment provides a comprehensive overview of the organization’s current cybersecurity posture. It evaluates the effectiveness of existing measures, identifies any potential gaps, and helps to develop an actionable plan for improvement.

A cyber resiliency assessment should include an in-depth review of the organization’s security policies, procedures, and tools used to protect against cyberattacks. This includes identifying any potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited (such as weak authentication or inadequate encryption) and determining the risk associated with each threat. The assessment should also consider internal factors such as employee training and awareness programs, patch management policies, and the organization’s response plan in the event of a breach.

NetWize’s IT experts help businesses in Salt Lake City and across Utah stay on top of their cybersecurity infrastructure and make sure it is up to date with the latest security measures and protocols. Call us today at 801-747-3200 or leave us a message to get started.

New year, new IT resolutions: What your business should do to improve its technology

The new year is here, and with it comes the chance for a fresh start. For businesses, it’s the perfect moment to reflect on the past year and set resolutions to help them improve in the coming one. This includes making resolutions for their IT department. Technology evolves rapidly, and it’s vital to keep up so your business can run as efficiently as possible.

As we move into 2023, there are some critical IT resolutions your business should make to ensure a successful year.

Avoid a disastrous 2023 — have a backup and disaster recovery plan

If a natural disaster strikes, you don’t want your business to be without a plan. This is why in 2023, your business should put in place a backup and disaster recovery (BDR) plan, if it doesn’t already have one. This means having a backup of all your data, as well as a plan for how you will recover if your system goes down.

It can be daunting to develop a BDR plan, but there are numerous resources that can help you get started. And with managed backup solutions widely available to businesses of all sizes, there’s no reason not to implement a backup solution that can help your business survive natural or human-made disasters in the coming year.

Understand where your business tech is headed by creating an IT roadmap

A technology roadmap is a plan that outlines your enterprise’s IT goals, such as improving workflows and collaboration and strategies for achieving them. Having a roadmap will help you stay on track and keep your IT investments aligned with your business objectives.

The new year is an opportune time to create an IT roadmap because it gives you a chance to reflect on the direction you took in the past year and think about where you want your business to go in the future. It’s also a time when budgets are fresh and it makes sense to start new initiatives.

Prioritize having strong passwords

Creating strong passwords is one of the best ways to defend your online accounts in 2023 and beyond. This is why effective password management should be included in your IT resolutions, and it should cover best practices like using strong passwords, changing them regularly, and using different passwords for different accounts. Password management can be tricky, but there are many password managers available that can ease the process.

Keep your devices up to date

This means keeping all the software and hardware of your devices up to date to help protect them from vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit. It also helps ensure that your devices are running at optimum performance. Depending on the type of device, there are a few different ways you can go about updating it. For step-by-step instructions on how to update your device, visit the manufacturer’s website.

Rethink your business phones

Businesses should seriously consider switching to a Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, phone system in 2023 because old systems like landlines have become less reliable and are not as feature-rich. Unlike traditional landlines, for example, VoIP systems can be set up to work with your computer, allowing you to make and receive calls from your desktop or laptop. They can also be set up to work with your cell phone and other mobile gadgets, thereby letting you make and receive calls regardless of your location.

Consider work-life balance or work-life integration

When employees are burned out, they are less productive and more likely to commit errors. This can also be costly for businesses — exhausted employees cost US businesses billions of dollars in health-related lost productivity. On the other hand, work-life balance or work-life integration can lead to happier and more satisfied employees. When employees are happy, they are more engaged and productive, and businesses see better results.

There are many ways for businesses to promote work-life balance or integration. Some companies allow employees to work from home occasionally, while others have flexible hours or policies that allow employees to take time off for personal reasons. Whatever your strategy may be to achieve work-life balance, the key is to provide the resources your employees need to function well, whether they’re working in the office, at home, or doing hybrid work. There are applications, programs, and devices that employees can use that are instrumental to promoting work-life balance or integration.

Having a dependable IT team that can handle all your technical issues can also do wonders for productivity. NetWize offers best-in-class technology solutions to businesses in Salt Lake City and across Utah. Partner with us to see your business soar in 2023. Request a free consultation from us today.

Should your business invest in a password manager?

If your company is like most companies today, you probably have a lot of passwords — and it has probably gotten to the point where you can’t keep track of them all. This can be troublesome and it’s why a password manager is vital for businesses like yours.

What is a password manager?

A password manager is a program that stores and generates passwords for all of your accounts. It functions like a digital wallet in that it keeps your passwords in a secure place and allows you to access them with a single master password. A good password manager will also include other features, such as password breach notifications, password resets, password syncing across devices, and more.

Why do I need a password manager?

If you have passwords for emails, online bank accounts, project management applications, etc., it can be difficult to keep track of them all, especially if you have unique passwords for dozens of accounts. Using a password manager removes the risk of you forgetting or leaking your passwords.

Also, a password manager can help you generate strong, unique passcodes for each of your accounts. This will make it nearly impossible for hackers to gain unauthorized access to your accounts and confidential data.

Is a password manager safe?

Yes, a password manager is safe, and it’s a lot safer to use one than to try to remember all of your passwords, list them on a spreadsheet, or note them down on paper. When you use a password manager, your passwords are encrypted and stored in a secure location that only you can access.

Additionally, most password managers like Keeper, Dashlane, 1Password, and a few others include two-factor authentication and encryption. Most password managers use AES encryption, which is the industry standard. AES 256, in particular, is the strongest level of encryption that is indecipherable to third parties.

Why should you invest in a quality password manager?

Here are several reasons your business should ditch password spreadsheets and start using a password manager:

It is simple to use and can be accessed from any internet-connected device.
It is infinitely more secure than your “Passwords” Excel file, which is easily hackable and not as handy as a password manager.
It can save you a lot of time because instead of having to remember or look up multiple passcodes or passphrases, you can simply use a single master password to log in to an account or app. Additionally, a password manager can autofill online forms, so you don’t have to enter usernames and passwords every time you log in.
It’s affordable. There are free and paid password managers, and for the security they give you, investing in one will eventually save you money in the long run.
Some password managers enable you to share passwords with coworkers, which makes it easier to keep your team’s or organization’s information safe.

Some caveats

A password manager can offer you a lot of advantages, but you should also keep in mind certain things when using one.

Make sure you never forget your master password! If you do forget your master password, you won’t be able to access your passwords. You could get into a lot of trouble if you do, and your password manager cannot help you if you forget the master password. It’s still necessary to choose a difficult-to-guess password, but it should be one that you will remember.
A hacked password manager could be catastrophic. If for any reason, hackers get their hands on your master password, they’ll have access to your other accounts as well. But as long as you choose a strong, unique master password and enable two-factor authentication, you can rest assured that your passwords are safe.

If you’re looking for an affordable way to improve your business’s security, a password manager is a great option. And if you’re interested in other cybersecurity solutions to boost the security of your company’s data, talk to our IT professionals today.