Network Security Threats & Network Security Attacks

What are Network Security Attacks

Network Security Attacks are unauthorized actions taken against digital assets within a network.

How to Prevent Network Security Attacks

Given the ever-changing landscape of Information Technology, it’s important to ensure that all aspects of a computer network are secure. To do this, you must first identify threats to network security and know exactly what network security threats are. To do this, it is best to ask some important questions about a given environment.

“What network security attacks are available to malicious actors?”

To answer this question, it’s important to understand that almost all modern computing devices are now network devices in one way or another. From smartwatches to wi-fi enabled IoT endpoints, most devices are reachable over a network. This can be a physical network or a form of wireless. The most important thing though, is that hackers do not always need physical access to devices in order to attack them.

“What means do they have to get into a specific network?”

Unfortunately, network attacks can be conducted from a wide variety of locations. Websites and wireless networks, longtime attack vectors, are not the only means. With many services such as cloud email and online storage gaining mainstream acceptance, comes the reality that many network attacks can take place over the internet since cloud connections are exposed 24/7/365. From eavesdropping on an unencrypted connection to rerouting users to malicious websites via DNS poisoning, there are many vectors for hackers to exploit and gain access to a trusted network.

Have all attack surfaces been considered?

Only once this question is answered can network security threats be considered fully addressed. This requires a thorough review of ALL devices, applications, and accounts that have access to a corporate network. It is meticulous work and requires an in-depth understanding of network security threats and attack methods.

These questions are a great starting point, and questions that should always be asked when assessing network security threats for any organization. Once they have been answered, security teams and network administrators can start the process of hardening and defending against network security threats, no matter their origin.