Each year, there are millions of instances of malware attacks happening globally which cause harm to businesses through viruses, worms, keyloggers and ransomware. Malware poses a serious danger and prompts companies to seek out cybersecurity measures.
top of that, they need to continually monitor and manage all aspects of their network security. Simply relying on anti-malware products will not suffice. A comprehensive security strategy is necessary for protecting against cyber threats. Moreover, they implement measures and protocols to minimize the potential harm inflicted by malware on a user's device.
This method will not just prevent and reduce the harm caused by malicious software but also provide protection against various other dangers like stealing of credentials due to phishing, insider threats, and supply-chain attacks.
Element 1 pertains to safeguarding against malicious software and restricting access to certain websites through web filtering.
starting point, and the best way to start is with anti-malware solutions that are capable of protecting against the most critical threats of today, including malware variants that can change their forms, ransomware, exploits that are yet unknown (zero-day), and advanced persistent threats (APTs). This is a significant point to consider in order to ensure optimal security. The toolkit includes databases of virus signatures, virtual code execution capabilities, as well as heuristics and other techniques based on machine learning.
It is preferable to have malware protection for both the network and the endpoint. This necessitates using two distinctive solutions, but adopting multiple layers of defense diminishes the risk of any potential threats penetrating through the system.
Web Filtering, apart from providing protection against malware, prevents your staff from accessing risky websites which are either identified as infected or inappropriate for usage on their devices.
Element 2: Zero Trust Network Access#
In a contemporary network setting, it is crucial to incorporate Zero Trust principles into any security plan. One of the most feasible ways to do so is by utilizing Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA).
The concept of Zero Trust is centered around the principle of verifying rather than blindly trusting. This means that no user should have unrestricted access to the network without proper authentication. By following this approach, one can ensure that the identity of a user logging in is verified and unauthorized access is prevented. In case there is a malicious party who has gained access to a genuine user's login details.
information about financial transactions. It's important to restrict access to only those resources that are necessary for each individual user to perform their specific job duties. Giving unlimited access to every resource in the company's cloud or on-premises servers is not a good security practice. For instance, an HR staff member wouldn't have any legitimate reason to get into a Git server or an SQL database that contains highly confidential data about financial transactions. Therefore, it is imperative to limit user access to rightful resources based on their job functions and not allow unrestricted access across the entire network of servers. The network should automatically create a group for HR staff and prevent them from accessing customer information.
This method applies to each unit. Merely the necessary tools for their assigned duties should be accessible, while entry to all other items is prohibited.
Simply limiting access at the application level does not meet the criteria for Zero Trust. Even though this method, referred to as micro-segmentation, restricts access, it is only a component of the overall Zero Trust strategy.
When implementing ZTNA fully, context checks must also be included to ensure the security status of a controlled device, access rules based on time, and location-based requirements are all taken into consideration.
A possible paraphrased version could be: If you are managing devices, you may have certain conditions to ensure their compliance. For instance, you can stipulate that devices must operate on a particular Windows or macOS version at least, or that they should have a specific antivirus software or security certificate installed on them.
A comprehensive Zero Trust strategy is achieved through micro-segmentation, which enables authorized individuals to utilize certain applications based on context-based authentication guidelines.
control user access through multi-factor authentication and other policies, ensuring that only authorized individuals can access sensitive data and applications, regardless of the device they are using. It is important to have access control measures in place for both managed and unmanaged devices, and Agentless ZTNA solutions provide a secure way for users to access applications through a non-public web portal. With these solutions, organizations can maintain strict security protocols for all devices used to access sensitive information. To regulate access, it's possible to implement regulations that restrict entry during particular hours or prohibit it based on site.
damages without proper access. By implementing a Zero Trust Network Access approach, it will become challenging for cybercriminals to move through the network of a company to locate confidential information. Additionally, ransomware attacks would face more difficulty in encrypting all files of the business, while dissatisfied staff would not possess unauthorized data access or carry out other types of harm. There is chaos and disorder inside the company.
Protect your network from malware by utilizing cloud-based technology.
network security solution like Perimeter 81 is the ideal platform to utilize ZTNA, Malware Protection, and Web Filtering technologies. By being hosted in the cloud, this solution eliminates the need for hardware maintenance and upgrades and makes scaling much more straightforward. Moreover, it brings together several different security tools into a unified system. The idea of a solution is to enable you to control everything using a single dashboard thus providing complete visibility.
You can give your business strong protection from the outset by using a combined security solution that handles both network management and network security.