Why Do We Need Network Security?

The increasing reliance on technology has made data protection an important consideration for enterprises and individuals alike. An insecure connection welcomes security vulnerabilities that hackers are ready to exploit. Cyberattacks have gained exceptional momentum these days, so it is crucial to protect your system from data breaches that can put an individual and business’s integrity at stake.

Network security helps protect your data from cybercriminals by preventing unauthorized access, malfunction, and modification. Moreover, Network security infrastructure ensures secure data processing by breaking down the information into several parts, encrypting these parts with multiple layers, and transmitting through independent paths. Hence, network security is a must-have in today’s tech-savvy world. Let’s have a look at how network security differs from application security.

Network Security vs Application Security

Network security protects your network infrastructure from unauthorized access while application security is focused on protecting the applications from security vulnerabilities.If you want to learn which security option suits your business, get a deeper insight into network security vs application security.

Application security is essential as it prevents cloud assets from cybercriminals. For instance, web application firewalls(WAFs) to cordon off applications and data, app-specific portals through secure web gateway, and intrusion detection system to deal with the threat. 

Network security takes a holistic approach and protects digital assets of businesses, especially those involved in distributed network infrastructure. By using network security, all computers, programs, and users can perform their critical functions in a safe environment. So understanding the importance of network security is crucial for catering to growing security concerns.

The Importance of Network Security

Network security uses a complex combination of routers, firewalls, anti-malware devices, and many other tools to help protect your data and information. Many businesses and government agencies have incorporated a top-notch security plan through skilled security analysts and these plans are regularly monitored to assess its efficacy, including using a VPN application.

The possibilities of what a cybercriminal can do with vital corporate data are limitless. They can hack a company’s website, affect user accessibility, and even corrupt the physical equipment. Good and reliable network security can avert such vulnerabilities by offering the following benefits:

Ensures Business Stability

Imagine a company has invested millions of dollars and a couple of years on some important research data which is now in the hands of hackers! This tech-generation world is crammed with serious data theft cases. Around 2,200 cyberattacks occur on a daily basis. How many emails your organization sends or receives in a day? Email malware attacks one out of every 131 emails. 

Cybercrime is predicted to cost the companies $10.5 trillion by 2025. Network security helps organizations prevent such monetary losses. Data breaches and manipulations can lead to temporary or even permanent shutdown of businesses. Good network security deters such cases through authorization and validation, so businesses don’t have to experience data theft. Moreover, network security helps organizations take remedial actions if they ever fall a victim of cyberattacks.

Enhances Customers’ Trust

Besides financial losses, cyberattacks hinders a business’s growth by keeping its integrity at stake. Cyberattacked companies are left with reduced consumers’ interest in them due to suspicious digital experiences. For instance, an e-commerce company that handles customers’ credit card information cannot afford a single case of a cyberattack. This will disrepute the company and will take years to win the customers’ trust back.

If companies incorporate network security protocols in their infrastructure, customers will rest assured that their data is safe from cyberthreats. This, in turn, increases the level of trust between the company and the customer leading to business growth.

Avoids Identity Thefts

The unprotected sharing of your sensitive information, such as financial details, social security numbers, and private health information can dangerously impact your life. Cybercriminals can use your identity to carry out loan frauds, cyberattacks, etc. However, network security helps encrypt your information and avoid your data from getting into the wrong hands.

Facilitates Legal Compliance

Depending on your business type, you are liable to comply with the security standards set by governments across the world. For instance, private equity firms and financial professionals must comply with FINRA and SEC regulations. Similarly, companies working with the US government must have compliance with CMMC while others seek NIST or SOC2 compliance.

In case of non-compliance, the company will be subjected to hefty fines and penalties. Businesses cannot afford such financial and reputational losses. Fortunately, network security helps businesses stay up to date with the latest regulations. This way, you will never have to face incurring legal penalties and your data will be kept safe.

How Network Security Protects Your System

As there are multiple ways a network can be vulnerable, network security brings along a wide range of practices to deter the cyber-attacks:

Deploying active and passive devices:

Network security deployes active and passive devices to perform following functions;

• Blocking malicious programs from entering or running in your system
• Blocking suspicious emails from accessing your system
• Allowing only authorized users to access your network
• Protecting users from accessing potentially dangerous websites
• Reporting unauthorized users seeking access to your network
• Reporting suspicious activities by authorized users

Using anticipatory tools

Network security offers devices and tools that help identify security vulnerabilities in your system. From the firewall to VPN, network security acts as a digital barrier between networks and uses advanced SASE security and proxy servers to filter incoming traffic.

Encouraging users to follow safe practices

Even if your network is completely secure, users’ activities can create some loopholes. 95% of data breaches happen due to human error. Therefore, network security staff assists users in protecting their network from potential threats.

Bottom Line

Technological advancement has led to increased traffic and complexity which in turn creates security vulnerabilities. A wide range of sensitive data consistently moves across infrastructure and networks, but unauthorized access can create a major room for threat actors. Cyberattacks are gaining an alarming pace with the help of artificial intelligence and machine learning, so the concept of data protection has become a need of the hour.

Luckily, network security is here to the rescue. It prevents unauthorized access to your network, ensures safe data storage, and a secure data transit via multi-layer encryption. Network security helps businesses maintain their stability; attain customer trust and stay up-to-date with the changing security trends.