Note: Today is week 3 of a 9-week blog series in which we are peeling back the 7 Layers of Data Security. By taking this journey, you are making long strides toward building a culture of security that will endure for years, weather future challenges, and meet every compliance and regulatory requirement you face. Catch up on the series here.
#### Layer 1: Perimeter Security
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With the rise of mobile phones, tablets and smart devices, the perimeters of most networks have become dangerously fuzzy. Each device represents a path inside your company's most sacred areas. As you can imagine, perimeter security in the mobile era is difficult to maintain.
Difficult, but not impossible.
#### How to Protect your Perimeter
There are multiple ways to clarify and secure your network perimeter. But since every network is different, the exact strategies for protecting it is beyond the scope of this article. However, at the risk of oversimplifying, the process and tools outlined below will give you an understanding of what safeguarding your network edge will look like.
The Four-Step Process for Protecting Your Perimeter
- Identify the perimeter — document all devices that have access to your network
- Learn what data flows through the perimeter
- Secure the devices that form the perimeter
- Guard the data that flows through the perimeter
There are many technologies available to you to help secure your network perimeter:
- Firewalls
- Anti-virus / Anti-malware on those firewalls
- Intrusion Detection software
- Intrusion Prevention Software
- Data Loss Prevention: Ensuring certain data doesn't leave your network
- Secure De-Militarized Zone (DMZ) - A more secure network configuration
#### Layer 2: Network Security
After securing the edge of your network, we must understand how to protect the network itself. Next week, we'll look at the second layer, the concept of Network Security. Catch up on the rest of the series here.
#### Security Assessment
Now is the time to consider the next step toward building a culture of security within your organization. Request a Security Assessment from TekLinks' team of experts.
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