As we explained previously, cybersecurity is the defence of computers and devices from damage or theft of sensitive information concerning your business and your customers.
Cybersecurity is a challenge all over the modern world. With 312 million people accessing the internet across the United States in 2019, this statistically makes the United States one of the largest online markets worldwide ranking only behind China and India in terms of online audience size.¹ The rate of growth in technology has made our personal information more accessible to potentially threatening people than ever before. This should make cybersecurity as important as any other part of your daily life and business.
Keeping your customer information safe and secure at all times should not only be important on a moral level but also has business benefits too. Using a good quality cybersecurity programme will not only protect you from cyberattack but will also make you appear more credible on a business level by providing confidence to your customers.
Firewalls in more detail.
Firewalls
Firewall a definition: Protect (a network or system) from unauthorized access with a firewall, ‘a firewalled network’.
Firewalls can be split into two different types depending on where they sit in a network:
Personal Firewalls
Personal firewalls are installed by the individual for the protection of their devices.
Boundary Firewalls
Boundary firewalls function at a network’s most outer points, meaning all the devices within the network are protected.
How firewalls function
Firewalls operate to set rules they must follow whilst police the traffic passing across a network. The firewall administrator manages these set ‘rules, making the firewall block actions that are considered to be of high-risk whilst allowing the use of ‘safe’ services online needed by users. Firewalls ‘filter’ data through a variety of methods. For example:
Firewall installation
Deciding on the best way to install firewall protection will depend on the size of your network. If it’s a very small network then using a software firewall on each device should offer adequate protection, provided it’s maintained correctly.
Safeguard administrative accounts – Using strong passwords and authentification protocols
Strong passwords!
Many of us have the bad habit of using a short repetitive password or a sequence of letters/numbers. This is unacceptable for good cyber safety. Long passwords with a series of numbers, special characters and letters in upper and lower case will give your password the best chance of standing up to potential scrutiny.
Restricting access to as few devices as possible
Make access limited to a select few IP addresses that you trust.
Record and manage Firewall rules
There should be someone in charge of the rules surrounding the firewall. They should also oversee the running of the firewall.
Use two-factor authentification
The more access criteria the better. Verifying your identity at available intervals ensures safety when accessing administrative accounts.
We’re Elixis Technology
In the ever-changing, technology-centric world we live in, it’s vital to have an I.T. solution source you can count on. At Elixis Technology, it is our mission to help businesses — big and small — produce the results their customers demand, with technology that actually works.
For more information, feel free to send us a message.
https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/²
