Is my network secure test?

Equilibrium Security are CREST accredited Penetration Testers.

Cartoon hand showing expert tools in cyber security

Is the niggling question ‘how do I know if my network is secure’ keeping you up at night?

You’re not alone. If you are concerned about network security risk, it’s time to invest in your security testing strategy.

It is important to regularly test your security measures to ensure that your network is protected from hackers. If your front door has a weak lock, criminals are more likely to target your home. Similarly, if your company’s network is untested, criminals are more likely to target it.

One of the biggest challenges for IT leaders is determining whether security solutions, policies, and configurations are effectively preventing cyber-attacks.

Ready to achieve your security goals? We’re at your service.

Whether you are a CISO, an IT Director or a business owner, Equilibrium has the expertise to help you shape and deliver your security strategy.

What is network security testing?

Before we get started, we should first explain what network security testing is and what it involves. Security testing or ‘penetration testing’ is the process of identifying and exploiting security issues across your IT network.

Cyber Security pen testers use a range of tools and manual interpretation to find security holes. They then (if pre-approved by the client) try to access your private systems. Once the weakness is highlighted during the test and report, pen testers can help you patch and remediate these holes.

When performed consistently, security testing services help you identify your biggest weaknesses and reduce overall risk. 

What are your key concerns when it comes to the security risks of your business?

According to the UK Government’s 2022 Cyber Breaches survey, the most common threat vector is phishing emails.

Other common security concerns include:

Fortunately, there are ways to find out if your network is secure. This involves a layered approach to Cyber Security which we will outline below.

Octopus providing a cyber threat

How to secure your network from hackers

Penetration Testing

It is impossible to answer ‘is my network secure’ without ethical hacking. It should be your first port of call to find out how secure your business is. Pen testing helps you understand your security posture from the standpoint of the bad guys.

It gives visibility into how ‘hackable’ you are against real world attacks and what areas need to be improved. There are many different types of pen tests including red team pen tests, external network, internal network, and web application testing. Find out more about different types of penetration testing here.

Regular updates

This may seem like an obvious one, but network security should begin with nailing the basics. Regular software updates offer plenty of benefits. These includes patching security flaws, removing bugs from your systems and giving you access to the latest features.

To create a strong plan to set out ‘how to secure my network’, your team need a mandatory software update process. This helps to reduce the risk of hackers using software flaws to find backdoors into your network.

Security controls

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a ‘silver-bullet’ security solution which will fix all your security problems.  There are several important elements to consider when it comes to securing your computer network.

These include:

  • Firewalls
  • Anti virus software
  • Backup and recovery solutions
  • Intrusion detection and prevention systems
  • Access controls
  • Data encryption
  • Virtual private network vpn
  • Wireless network security

Security Assessments

If you want to find out ‘how to secure my network from hackers’, you may want to seek advice from an expert security consultant. A qualified Cyber Security specialist can provide an in-depth review of your entire security posture. This will identify your key risks and provide a plan of attack to reduce them.

There are many types of security assessments which can be tailored to your needs and budget. These include:

  1. Gap analysis
  2. Security audit’s
  3. Policy reviews
  4. Strategic advice and consultancy.

Security assessments are a great way of achieving compliance, strengthening your security strategy and getting access to top-tier security advice.

Virtual private network

A VPN can help protect your firms online privacy. It essentially creates a protective tunnel which which encrypts your network traffic. This means that if a hacker were to intercept your traffic, they would be unable to breach/read your personal data. Although VPN’s cannot protect you from all attacks, it can help reduce the risk of:

  • DDoS attacks
  • Man in the middle attacks
  • Fake Wi-Fi hotspots

How to secure my network

Naturally, IT leaders and business owners want to know ‘is my company network secure’? Network testing plays a vital role in the ongoing security of your business.

There is not one straightforward way to answer, ‘how do I know if my network is secure’? If you’re worried about your network being hacked, ‘security testing for my company’ can help you find out what needs to be improved.

If you would like to find out more about network testing services, please head over to our CREST Penetration Testing webpage or call our team of experts on 0121 663 0055.

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