Boost Network Security With These Must-Have Software Solutions
Introduction
Boosting cybersecurity in the Philippines is gradually gaining traction as more organizations recognize the negative impact of online threats. That said, building cyber resilience is a gradual process that requires offices to devise workarounds to address security gaps during the upgrade and transition. As an initial solution to ensure that digital assets remain safe from malware, breaches, and other malicious attempts, you should educate department members about cyber threats and how users can contribute to best practices in cybersecurity.
After educating your staff, the next best option is to utilize network security software solutions. This workaround is especially helpful when you can’t find qualified cybersecurity talent immediately. In the absence of an internal cybersecurity expert, a tech provider with in-depth knowledge and expertise in using a particular security software can equally protect your organization from cyberattacks.
Of course, you need to learn first about network security software to determine which options best suit your needs. Read this article by InfoBahn Communications, Inc. to learn more about this tech solution, its types, and how our experts can help you.
What Are Network Security Software Solutions?
Network security software solutions protect your IT infrastructure from unauthorized access, theft, misuse, and leakage. These applications work together to defend all the interconnected components in your network, from the edge to the endpoints. The right cybersecurity software will secure your systems from disruptive attempts and prevent your proprietary information from falling into the wrong hands.
In a government office, securing a network with reliable software solutions enables staff members to use technology and access information more safely. It also assures the public that their data is safe with the department. These benefits ultimately culminate in increased productivity, smoother operations, and a more positive reputation.
Must-Have Network Security Software To Boost Your Organization’s Cybersecurity
Network security software solutions come in several types, each addressing particular areas of protection, from monitoring to containing cybersecurity threats. Learning each type is essential for setting up an efficient security system. In addition, working with a third-party IT vendor will help make these solutions more effective.
IT service providers, like InfoBahn, offer a range of software solutions to boost an organization’s network security. Here are some of the most commonly used applications:
Antivirus Software
Antivirus and antimalware software solutions scan, detect, and remove viruses and malware before they infect an IT infrastructure. Organizations need these applications to prevent operational disruptions. If left unresolved, cyber threats tend to impair computer networks and endpoints, making them unusable to staff. Furthermore, it may disrupt regular transactions and processes involving the public, ruining your department’s reputation.
Recent versions of viruses and malware can penetrate systems quietly and lie dormant for a time to avoid detection. As such, solution providers use advanced protection technologies to more reliably prevent, detect, and respond to these threats.
Firewall Software
A firewall is a crucial line of defense among network security software applications. This solution specifically gatekeeps incoming traffic, ensuring that no unauthorized entity passes through your digital defenses. Similarly, the software monitors outgoing traffic to ensure that no sensitive information exits the network without your knowledge and permission.
The best firewall protection includes a mix of software, hardware, software-as-a-service (SaaS), and cloud solutions. Your service provider should know how to configure pre-set rules for these components to automatically permit or block network packets from entering and exiting your system.
Identity and Access Management Solutions
Identity and access management (IAM) solutions control which users are allowed access to your network based on their identity and level of authority. The solution works in two ways. Identity management ensures secure log-ins, where only users with official credentials are allowed into the network. Meanwhile, access management tracks users and their activities in the network.
These solutions are also related to access control, which administers how permission is granted to different users. For instance, many government offices apply a mandatory access control (MAC) model, in which a central authority issues a clearance before users can enter the network.
Security Information and Event Management Solutions
In addition to defending your network from threats, an essential part of mitigating risks is using security information and event management (SIEM) solutions. These applications empower organizations by efficiently collecting, aggregating, and analyzing data from security events, presenting findings in a single platform for a comprehensive view of your cybersecurity status.
It’s crucial to examine patterns in your organization’s security events as doing so allows you to effectively address common problems and better prepare for possible risks. Such solutions also enable you to quickly acquire incident reports that you may need to comply with security standards and regulations.
Application Security
It’s a given that organizations use multiple applications to perform their daily tasks, operations, and processes. There’s software for communication, another for collaboration, and yet another for managing records. As more of these applications are added to your system, the risk of them being compromised by threat actors is higher.
As such, you must deploy software solutions to protect your applications from cyberattacks. One example of an application that can defend the software you use to run your department is a multi-factor authentication solution, where individuals are required to prove their identity and authority several times before they acquire access rights.
Web Security Solutions
Web security solutions protect users from threats from harmful websites and monitor web-based traffic. These solutions include URL filtering, antimalware and antivirus software, encrypted traffic inspection, and other measures that can filter inbound and outbound online access.
These applications often work with a secure web gateway (SWG), which essentially protects your organization from online attacks and controls which websites are accessible to your staff. In addition to these technologies, web security involves educating users on how to safely use websites and web applications. Some examples of human-reliant measures include avoiding clicking links from unknown sources and not visiting and interacting with suspicious websites.
Conclusion
Due to the growing threat landscape in the Philippines, the government has been pushing for cyber resilience among organizations, starting with its departments. This move is crucial to safeguarding state-owned data, protecting private citizens’ information, and retaining public trust.
However, some government offices may lack internal cybersecurity experts. To address this issue, departments can employ network security software solutions and let an external IT security team handle them. The right vendor offers a range of applications to shield government networks, from antivirus applications to firewalls to web security solutions. Together, these technologies can better protect your office from cyberattacks, promoting productivity, data protection, and public trust.
To better understand these software solutions, our IT experts from InfoBahn are willing to help. We offer a full range of services and solutions to ensure your network is safe from cyber threats. Contact us now to discuss your needs!