What is network security? We have heard the term network security countless times. However, on some occasions we do not know its true meaning and above all its importance for companies.
Basically, network security is a general term that is used to refer to the protection of all computing resources. Said protection is aimed at data, devices, applications and all systems that are connected to the network.
Differences between network security and cybersecurity.
The term network security is commonly confused with cybersecurity. Although both have many points in common, when talking about network security we are referring to a part of cybersecurity. Simply put, network security is just a subset of cybersecurity.
To illustrate, imagine a castle surrounded by a moat, which was a perimeter-based defense strategy widely used in ancient times.
Your company or business would be the castle and the data it houses inside are like those jewels in the crown. In this scenario, network security would be the walls inside.
This means that in this example of the perimeter, all that area that remains within the walls of the Castle would represent the IT structure of your company. That would include all network components, operating systems, hardware, software, data storage, etc.
So what network security does is protect that IT structure from malware, ransomware, network intrusions, distributed denial of service attacks and much more.
Network security is like that wall in the example that creates a secure platform for all users, programs and computers to seamlessly perform their functions within the company’s IT structure.
On the other hand, cybersecurity is a more general term that refers to all cyber security systems, and not just network security.
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How does network security work?
Knowing how internet protection works is important, as it is a good way to understand its importance. What network security does is create and combine layers of defense. What is sought is that each layer implements a series of policies and controls.
In this way, only authorized users will have access to network resources. But at the same time, malicious users will be blocked, preventing them from attacking vulnerabilities that threaten security. But what are the types of network security?
Types of network security.
Before we talk about the types of protection, the first thing is to understand some crucial aspects of security. What we mean is to know a little more about the possible threats and vulnerabilities.
For example, if you, being a good person, do not know what the vulnerabilities or possible threats are, you will never know exactly what security controls you should use. If you don’t know the threats, much less can you protect yourself from them.
So before learning about the types of network security, it is important to understand what kind of threats systems are vulnerable to. If, for example, we understand that it is important that the user’s identity must be verified before accessing the system, we can implement the correct solution for it.
In other articles we will delve deeper into the most common threats. In the meantime, we will show you which types of network security are most widely implemented in companies today…
– Network access control.
Access control is one of the most widely used types of security. In fact, we are very familiar with this type of access control. Today, the vast majority have used a username and password to log into a device, website, or syste.
The goal is to ensure that potential attackers cannot infiltrate your network. For this, it is necessary to implement global access control policies for devices and for users.
Basically, access control is divided into four parts: identification, authentication, authorization, and accountability. Regardless of the type of access control, this process will seek to confirm the identity of the user through a unique identifier. The system will authenticate that identity by verifying the user’s credentials.
– Protection through firewalls.
Firewalls are widely used in companies. It is a software program and even a hardware device as well, which prevents unauthorized users from accessing the network. What it does is stop suspicious traffic and, of course, allow legitimate traffic.
Like other types of network security, the firewall also has several levels. There are very simple firewalls, to more advanced ones with proxy servers or others that use AI and machine learning..
– Intrusion detection and protection systems.
The famous intrusion detection and prevention systems are a second layer of defense. These systems are deployed behind a firewall, and are an additional layer of defense against dangerous agents. This defense system is placed between the source and destination addresses, generating an additional traffic control barrier before it can access the network.
– Cloud security.
Cloud security is a type of protection widely implemented in companies. This system seeks to protect online resources. Those online resources can be the applications, sensitive data, viewed IP and much more. The protection is aimed at preventing leaks, losses or theft of information.
As you can see, protection is essential for businesses today. With each passing day it is more necessary to have a system that can protect your company’s data, access and information against possible threats, information leaks and theft.
You may also be interested in:
Data Protection for Businesses: Why is it so important?
Cybersecurity: What is it and what is it for?