Updating your business’s security architecture can feel like a monumental undertaking. There’s just so much that you need to do.
But, unfortunately, this task often becomes necessary the longer you avoid it. Older systems are okay, but they require revamps to ensure that they continue to meet business requirements.
So, what should you be doing to update your business’s security architecture?
Develop Your Incident Response Plan
A good place to start is developing your incident response plan. These are handy when things go wrong and you want to correct them quickly.
Incidents can occur all the time in businesses, especially relating to your network, but dealing with them is tricky if you don’t have systems in place. Simply writing down what you’ll do during an incident can be a great way around this.
Regularly Patch Your Systems
At the same time, you also want to be regularly patching your systems. Providing patches ensures that you continue to apply security updates generated by your vendors.
These patches are critical if you regularly expose your systems to the outside world. Getting them right and implementing them in a timely manner enables you to monitor and respond to threats.
Leverage Employee Training
You also want to ensure your employees are properly trained in modern security challenges and know how to respond to them when they occur (which they almost certainly will).
Most employee training involves dealing with phishing and being suspicious of random emails from unknown senders. These will often seem convincing, but staff should know that they should never follow these links and always seek verification before handing over any sensitive information.
Use Modernization Practices
Another approach is to use AS400 Modernization. The idea here is to update the underlying systems that provide business frameworks for apps and platforms, allowing them to work more efficiently and protect against attacks. Older legacy options can be okay, but most businesses benefit more from the new options, partly for their superior security, but also just because of their ease of use.
Break Your Network Into Sections
You could also do what many firms are doing nowadays and break your network into segments. The idea here is to make it more challenging for hackers to access the whole thing. Even if they get into one part, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they can get access to every file or piece of data. This segmentation means that they have to spend more time phishing, and that their activities have a lower return on investment.
Deploy Endpoint Protection
Deploying endpoint protection is another option. Many firms use so-called “EDR” solutions that monitor threats in real-time and then respond to them appropriately.
Endpoint protection is a great way to nip hazards in the bud before they explode.
Use Data Encryption
Finally, it’s worth using encryption standards for “data at rest” and “data in transit.” These prevent hackers from intercepting them and using them for their personal ends. Usually, most data will be encrypted, but it is always worth checking the standards you have in place.
