Network Vulnerabilities for Small Business

Most of the known network attacks are internally either deliberate or unintentional by the culprit. Most of the holes used by an attacker are security flaws we take for granted either as an end user or as an Administrator of a network. Large organisations prefer to outsource their network management or use other forms of network security like Novell, Solarwind or Active Directory. So what about small businesses who must think about cost before the implementation of a network security update or hiring an expert to manage their network. Here few security tips you can implement on your network on your network and at the user end.

1. Printer : if you are using a network printer , change the default IP and admin password of the printer after setup. If you are not using a network printer, probably a shared printer across the network, ensure that anyone that comes into your network cannot easily access your shared printer or folder. This can be done by assigning a network password before access to a shared network.

2.Shared Document: Access to the shared document must be through a network password as i said earlier, but you can also add the right to only view not edit to guest or other users except admin users.

3. Network Devices: This can be your Routers, Switches or Repeaters. Physical access to this devices must denied to anyone, except the administrator .All default password to this devices must be changed and remote access for configuration should be disabled. Ensure you use WPA2 as your wireless security because of its 128bits encryption. and if possible its adviced you make use of static IP address over DHCP .

4. Laptop or Desktop: Most Operating System from Windows Vista upward has applications that has the ability to encrpt your Hard Disk i.e Bitlocker, Truecrypt. Ensure your browser is set not to store passwords and Block reported malicious website. The boot option should be set only to Hard Drive while all other boot options should be disabled and after this a bios password should be set.

5. USB Ports: This can help prevent users or outsiders from maliciously stealing data or to simply prevent users from using external storage due to the data theft issue. For instance to block new USB storage devices from installing, deny access of these two files to the desired users or groups by modifying their file permissions through groupedit, from the BIOS or using 3rd Party Softwares ie DeviceLock , USB PortLock

6. Softwares : A very good anti-virus should be used most especially an internet security ant-virus. Always allow Install Microsoft Updates to fix holes through its patches. There is one other thing if using a genuine Microsoft Operating System, install Microsoft Security Essentials