A Favorite Tech Topic

Tech Topic

                The topic chosen for this post is network security. Network security is an integral part of any organization's infrastructure and should be one of the first things to consider when developing any network or personal computer system. The importance of having a security plan in place allows for the prevention of lost or stolen data such as personal, financial, or business information. It also prevents a system from being compromised or infected with malware or a virus. After taking a few courses in cybersecurity, I found myself fascinated with how easy it was for potential threat agents to access systems and was intrigued by how to prevent these types of incidents. Unfortunately, my interest in this field came towards the end of my program, or I would have switched majors. However, I do plan on pursuing this more on my own once I graduate. The organization I currently work for is switching to the Azure cloud, so learning as much as possible about keeping that data secure before the implementation will give me an advantage when searching for another position within the company. At this juncture, cybersecurity is needed more than ever with the constant introduction of new technologies and the ever-increasing instances of hackers compromising systems from banks to hospitals to entire governments.    Security should be a combination of several things, having a strong security and access policy should be where the basis of network security starts. In terms of organizational security of a network, every employee from management to the end user should be aware of what they should have access to in order to do their job, but also have the knowledge of how unauthorized access to certain aspects of the network can be detrimental not only to the organization, but the clients they serve. Secondly, having some type of infiltration prevention such as a strong firewall, anti-viral software and intrusion prevention systems. Performing regular audits of network security, ensuring these prevention methods are regularly updated and maintained, and having the system regularly tested for vulnerabilities can be invaluable. Although some of these processes can only be performed by IT professionals, there are a lot of ways that as a regular user of a network can apply these practices. One of the simplest ways for anyone to do their part is to not share vital information with anyone such as log in or password credentials, making sure that they have some type of firewall or anti-viral software is in place and ensuring that network connections secure such as making sure public wi-fi or unsecure networks are not used to access the network.