How Do I Know if My Computer Network is Vulnerable to Malicious Attacks?

Cybercriminals are always looking for weak points in a network system to hack the security system of your business and get confidential information. Some hackers do it for the pleasure of wreaking havoc on security systems, while others do it for financial reasons; regardless of the reason, malicious attacks are an awful experience for businesses.

There are certain aspects of your network that create an accessible entry point for hackers. Here are the top four aspects that could be harming your network:

• Unsecured Wireless Access Points

If you have a wireless network and you’re not using encryption, you’re going to attract a lot of hackers. With open wireless hotspots, hackers can do anything on your network, it won’t be traced back to them; it’ll be traced back to your connection instead. To make your wireless network less appealing to hackers, enable WPA2 encryption on your wireless access point, ensuring your default SSIF (wireless network name) is changed as well. Make sure your password is strong enough to discourage hackers.

• Unpatched OS/Application Vulnerabilities

Security researchers continuously discover new vulnerabilities in operating systems and applications. When a vulnerability is found, a fix is developed and issued by the OS or application developer. If you don’t patch and install security-related patches, your network is vulnerable for malicious attacks.

• Default Passwords

Many network devices and software applications include default passwords. Many users’ forget or simply don’t bother to change these default passwords, which can be easily found on the Internet. Make sure you’re changing all default passwords, otherwise, hackers can gain access into your network.

• Misconfigured Firewalls

If your firewall isn’t configured properly, it becomes an open door for attackers. It’s extremely important to configure your firewall based on your business’s security requirements. If you’ve configured the firewall to allow all traffic, you’re able to use filters to block specific traffic. If you’ve configured the firewall to deny all traffic, filters will allow specific traffic through. Make sure you’re analyzing and monitoring traffic, in order to maintain maximum security.

Performing Attack and Penetration Tests

It’s important to perform attack and penetration tests on a regular basis, identifying vulnerable points in the network and focusing on external and internal users. After you’ve identified these points, you’re able to fix issues and avoid attacks from external sources. In order to detect all the vulnerable points in your network, perform the test from internal and external perspectives.