What is Network Security: An introduction to Network Security

We live in a knowledge age. Businesses are more technologically advanced than ever before, and as technology progresses, so must organizations’ security postures. Network protection is becoming increasingly relevant as more devices connect over wired, wireless, or cellular networks. We’ll look at what network security is and what its main features are in this tutorial.

What is Network Security?

The process of taking precautions to protect the underlying networking infrastructure from unauthorized access, misuse, failure, alteration, destruction, or inappropriate disclosure is known as network security. To secure their networks from possible security threats, network administrators must take preventative steps. Registered users have access to networks, while malicious actors are prevented from executing threats and exploits.

Digitization is currently changing our world, resulting in improvements to virtually all of our everyday activities. If companies want to provide the services that their staff and customers expect, they must secure their networks. It finally safeguards the company’s credibility. With the number of hackers growing and getting smarter daily, the need for network security tools is becoming increasingly important.

Network security is a technique that ensures the security of an organization’s assets, including all network traffic. It covers both software and hardware components. Efficient network protection monitors network access by detecting and preventing a wide variety of threats from spreading or accessing the network.

The internet has unquestionably become an important part of our everyday lives. Security is required for computer networks used in daily transactions and communication within the government, individuals, and businesses. But are you certain that your network is safe?

Many people try to damage our Internet-connected devices, infringe on our privacy, and make Internet services unusable. Network security has become a key concern in cybersecurity due to the frequency and variety of current attacks and the possibility of new and potentially disruptive attacks in the future. Computers, users, and programs may execute their authorized critical functions safely by implementing network security measures.

How can we ensure network security?

When it comes to network security in an enterprise, there are several levels to remember. Attacks can occur at any layer of the network security layers model, so your network security hardware, software, and policies must be configured to cover all of them.

Physical, technical, and administrative controls are the most common forms of network security controls. The various types of network security and how each control works are described briefly below.

Physical Network Security

Physical security is essential for safeguarding confidential data and information. New network security risks have arisen as a result of the ever-changing work environment and employee activity. Physical safety can appear to be a no-brainer. New types of attacks, unauthorized access, and computer hardware theft, on the other hand, are all too common. As a result of this threat, devices have become more compact and easier to steal.

Although most cybersecurity solutions focus on anti-malware software, firewall settings, and other data protection measures, the physical security of IT resources is equally essential. The majority of these devices undoubtedly contain valuable organizational data that a disgruntled employee may hack. Furthermore, most users are reckless with security, posing a greater threat to network security.

Staying proactive in risk management, computer, and network protection, and keeping your employees safe through security awareness training, especially on layered security, is the best approach.

Technical Network Security

The confidentiality of data on the network, whether inbound or outbound, is protected by technical network security. It is essential to protect data and systems from unauthorized access as well as malicious activities by employees.

Administrative Network Security

Administrative network security controls are organizational-level security policies that govern user actions, such as how users are authenticated, their level of access, and how IT staff members execute infrastructure changes.

What are the different types of Network Security?

Access Control

Network access control is a method of improving a private organizational network’s security by limiting network resources to endpoint devices that meet its security policy. Two main components make up a standard network access control scheme:

Restricted Access and Network Boundary Security

Restricted access: User authentication and authorization control, responsible for defining and authenticating various users to the network system, are used to access network devices. The process of granting or refusing special access permissions to a protected resource is known as authorization.

Network Boundary Protection regulates logical communication into and out of networks. Multiple firewalls, for example, may be used to avoid unauthorized access to network infrastructure. Besides, intrusion detection and prevention tools can be used to protect against Internet-based attacks.

Application Security

Application security is the method of identifying, restoring, and improving the security of software. Most of this occurs during the development process, but it also involves tools and approaches for protecting applications after they have been deployed. As hackers increasingly target applications with their attacks, it’s becoming more relevant.

The protection of applications is attracting a lot of publicity. There are hundreds of resources available to protect different aspects of your application’s portfolio, ranging from locking down coding changes to assessing inadvertent coding risks, evaluating encryption options, and auditing permissions and access rights. There are advanced resources for web applications, smartphone apps, network-based apps, and firewalls.

Firewalls Security

A firewall is a network security system that monitors incoming and outgoing network traffic, allowing or disallowing data packets based on security rules. It aims to create a firewall between your internal network and incoming traffic from external sources (such as the internet) to prevent malicious traffic such as viruses and hackers from entering. The primary goal of a firewall is to allow non-threatening traffic while keeping dangerous traffic out.

Virtual Private Networks(VPN)

A virtual private network (VPN) is an encrypted connection between a computer and a network over the internet. The encrypted link helps in the secure transmission of sensitive data. It defends against unwanted eavesdropping on the traffic and allows the user to operate remotely. The encryption is carried out in real-time. In corporate settings, VPN technology, is commonly used.

Behavioral Analytics

UEBA, or user and entity behavior analytics, is a cybersecurity mechanism that tracks users’ normal behavior. As a result, any odd behavior or instances of deviations from these “natural” trends are detected. For instance, if a user regularly downloads 100 MB of files per day but then unexpectedly downloads gigabytes of files, the system will be able to detect this anomaly and warn them immediately.

UEBA uses machine learning, algorithms, and statistical analytics to determine when there is a deviation from existing trends, indicating which anomalies can pose a real threat. UEBA may also compile and analyze the data in your reports and logs, including file, flow, and packet information.

You don’t log security incidents or control devices in UEBA; instead, you track all of your system’s users and entities. As a result, UEBA focuses on insider risks, such as rogue workers, compromised employees, and individuals that already have access to your system and then carry out targeted attacks and fraud attempts, as well as servers, software, and computers that are operating inside your system.

Wireless Security

Wireless network protection is mainly concerned with preventing unauthorized and malicious access to a wireless network. Wireless network protection is typically provided by wireless devices (typically a wireless router/switch) that encrypt and protect all wireless communication by default. Even if the security of the wireless network is broken, the hacker would be unable to see the quality of the traffic/packets in transit. Furthermore, wireless intrusion detection and prevention systems secure a wireless network by alerting the network administrator in the event of a security breach.

Wired Equivalent Policy (WEP) and Wireless Protected Access (WPA) are two common algorithms and standards for ensuring wireless network security (WPA).

Intrusion Prevention System

An intrusion prevention system (IPS) is a form of network security that detects and prevents threats that have been detected. Intrusion detection systems keep an eye on the network at all times, searching for potential malicious events and recording data about them. The IPS notifies system administrators about these incidents and takes preventative steps, including closing access points and configuring firewalls to prevent potential attacks.

IPS solutions may also be used to define corporate security practices, discouraging staff and network visitors from breaching the law. With so many access points on a standard business network, you’ll need a way to keep an eye out for signs of possible breaches, injuries, or attacks. Network attacks are becoming more complex, and even the most robust security strategies are being penetrated.