Strengthen Your Cybersecurity & Reduce Your Business Cyber Risk with a Network Security Assessment

Strengthen Your Cybersecurity & Reduce Your Business Cyber Risk with a Network Security Assessment

Love ’em or hate ’em, tests are a great way to find out how prepared you are to take on a certain topic. And maybe you thought tests were a thing of the past when you started a business, but think again. Your business should be going through regular network security assessments to make sure you’re well protected from cybercrime.

A network security assessment can be a vital tool in your cybersecurity strategy. Not only does it tell you how well you’re doing when it comes to protecting your data and keeping yourself safe online, but it can also improve your cybersecurity and reduce cyber risk.

And with everything that’s been happening lately in terms of data breaches (more on that in a bit), there’s never been a better time to get a network security assessment.

What Is a Network Security Assessment?

At its core, a network security assessment is an in-depth analysis of your business’s cybersecurity. This can include everything from your hardware and software setup to the practices you have in place for protecting yourself against cyber threats.

Essentially, it gives you a comprehensive look at how well-protected your network is and where potential weak points within your infrastructure might be. Some of the key things that are usually covered in a network security assessment include:

• The status and configuration of your firewall, intrusion detection system, and other security software or hardware
• Your password policies and practices
• Whether you have all necessary updates installed on devices across your network
• How well-trained your staff is at identifying and avoiding cyber threats
• Your employee awareness training materials (if you have any)

The results of a network security assessment can then be used to create a more robust cybersecurity strategy, giving you an actionable plan for improving your safety and reducing the risk of a data breach.

Challenges Caused by Cybercrime

If you follow any sort of news, you’re probably getting tired of hearing about cybercrime and data breaches. But just like we’ll never stop reading about robberies in the mainstream news, there’s no escape from the doom and gloom of cybercrime.

The best way to protect yourself from cyber attacks is to be aware of the challenges that your business may face, and the simple fact is that we live in a world where data breaches are an everyday occurrence. The global average cost for data breaches in 2022 was $4.35 million, but what does that mean for small and medium-sized businesses?

In 2021, 42% of 1,122 companies surveyed had experienced a data breach. The cost of exposed data and downtime varies based on your company, but IBM estimates that each exposed record costs $180.

So, picture this: A hacker buys your website password for about $3 on the dark web (it’s much easier than you think it’d be). They log in and access your customer billing information, or maybe passwords and credit card numbers. Even if you’ve only had 100 customers, that’s $18,000 in just one breach.

Thankfully, most businesses have more security than just a password. However,  it’s important to remember that even the most robust cybersecurity can fall victim to a data breach. And when it comes to protecting your business, you need more than just an isolated strategy.

A network security assessment is a critical part of any small or mid-sized company’s cybersecurity plan. Not only will it give you a detailed analysis of how well you’re doing when it comes to protecting your data, but it will also help you identify potential weak points and vulnerabilities that need to be addressed.

How to Apply What You Learn From Your Assessment: Cybersecurity Best Practices

So, you’ve just had a network security assessment done on your business. Now what?

It’s important to take a look at the results of your assessment to see where your strengths are and where potential weaknesses may lie. These findings will point you toward some best practices that can help improve cybersecurity in your organization.

For example, you may find that your outdated software is a major vulnerability. In this case, the best practice would be to make sure that all of your critical business systems are using up-to-date software with the latest security patches and bug fixes.

Or you might find that your employees aren’t well educated when it comes to recognizing and avoiding cyber threats. In that case, you may want to consider implementing a formal employee awareness training program.

Overall, having a network security assessment done is an important step in ensuring the safety and security of your business data. By following best practices based on the results of your assessment, you can create a robust cybersecurity strategy that will help you mitigate the risks of a data breach and protect your bottom line.

Get an A+ With Nexus IT’s Step-by-Step Network Security Assessment

Even if you think your current cybersecurity is worthy of nothing more than a passing grade, Nexus IT is here to help you get those straight As. After completing an assessment, a managed service provider is essential to helping you implement the best practices that will improve your cybersecurity and prevent data breaches.

Our team of cybersecurity experts will work with you to audit your current security, identify potential weaknesses, and develop a security strategy for implementing the right solutions to protect your business. Schedule a free consultation with Nexus IT today, and let’s get started on your 2023 security plan.