CYBER SECURITY | 7.5 MIN READ
Running a business pulls your mind in a million different directions. When worrying about the usual business-critical tasks, taking time to focus on managing the security of your network can become a hassle. However, is your business ready for the cyber threats that come with the ushering in of a new decade? Read more to find out which network security tools we recommend that businesses implement in 2020.
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Remote Monitoring and Management
IT Documentation and Password Protection
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Network Detective is an industry-leading network scanning tool that goes beyond network visualization to provide actionable insights in your network assessments.
The tool compares multiple data points to uncover even the tiniest of issues, as well as measure the strength of network risks, provide recommendations for risk remediation, and even track your progress on fixing network issues.
Unlike other IT assessment products, Network Detective doesn't require you to install software, agents, or probes. It is non-intrusive to your network, using files on a thumb drive that you plug into your computer.
The file collects network data and then saves it in an encrypted file on the thumb drive, leaving behind no traces of your activity or software you need to uninstall.
Network Detective’s Risk Scoring algorithm uncovers network threats and assigns them a Risk Score based on how badly the threat would impact your network. The Risk Score allows you to prioritize which issues to fix.
Their unlimited-use licenses lets you use any of their modules for a full year and run an unlimited number of scans and produce an unlimited number of reports. However, keep in mind that a separate subscription is required for each physical office address.
Datto RMM is a remote monitoring and management tool that lets you remotely monitor and manage your network without the need to be on site. With Datto RMM, you have complete visibility of every device in your network, which lets you identify problem spots with ease.
There is an advanced alert system that can trigger auto-responses and auto-resolutions to certain issues. It shows you what security patches are available within your network, and can automate the installation of these updates.
Datto RMM lets you remote into computers on your network to manage and remediate issues. From a network management standpoint, Datto RMM's creators built functionality and simplicity into the platform, making the user experience quite enjoyable.
Mimecast is an email and web-filtering service with multiple additional features that allow you to cast a wide web of protection over your network.
It has a feature that protects your network from phishing/impersonation emails. This feature helps combat the network risk that your employees, who can fall prey to phishing emails, pose.
If you want to further educate your employees on how to avoid cyber threats like phishing attacks, Mimecast has cyber security awareness training programs that convert analytics from the classes into insights on how to manage risk throughout the company.
Besides protecting against the security risks that employees pose, Mimecast can also protect against malware threats by blocking certain risky websites. Their Threat Remediation tool also lets you stop the spread of malware by deleting malicious files, among other actions.
Backing up your data to the cloud is extremely important in the event of a network hack or network failure. Mimecast has a feature that can backup and store email, calendar, and contact data for Office365 and Exchange in the cloud.
For businesses who need to stay compliant with regulatory laws like GDPR, Mimecast can assist you in staying in line with cyber security regulations.
RELATED: Why Your Employees Are a Major Internal Security Threat
Sophos Intercept X is an anti-ransomware protection software with multiple features that allow for ease of use.
Sophos' behavioral detection technology can detect ransomware based on how it functions and stop it in its tracks. If an attack occurs, Sophos' Root Cause Analysis feature can help you figure out how attacks originated and list steps that engineers can take to fix the problem.
Ransomware attacks can take mountains of valuable and sensitive data from you. Intercept X's Data Loss Prevention feature protects against the accidental disclosure of sensitive information by monitoring and restricting the transfer of files.
Like Mimecast, Intercept X also has a web restriction service that lets you block certain websites. This feature is useful if you also want to restrict employees from accessing inappropriate sites.
A benefit of Intercept X that some may overlook is how Intercept X is built to allow for ease of use and integration. This product integrates easily with other Sophos products, allowing for network endpoint to share information with one another to coordinate protection efforts.
Additionally, Intercept X's platform allows for minimal administrative effort by letting you manage multiple Sophos products from a cloud-based console. This product has high rankings from third-party tests from companies like NSS Labs, which is a testament to its functionality.
RELATED: Sophos vs. Symantec Endpoint [Review]
If you have an internal IT team, this tool would be an especially great asset to your organization. IT Glue is a collaborative IT documentation tool that lets you standardize documentation processes, manage passwords, track devices, and more.
IT Glue provides a documentation framework that lets you organize your network's information with ease. IT Glue notifies you of security threats like network breaches and provides instructions on how to fix network issues.
IT Glue has achieved SOC 2 compliance, which is a testament to how secure their platform is. IT Glue also has a domain/SSL tracking feature that ensures that all of your internet domain names are protected on an ongoing basis against expiration and critical DNS changes.
MyGlue is a feature associated with ITGlue. MyGlue is a password management software that lets you sync passwords from IT Glue to store and protect. It also lets you create passwords from within the platform, and gives tips on how to create an effective password.
MyGlue also offers an app to store data and Standard Operating Procedures, which can increase productivity and efficiency.
Datto Siris is a comprehensive BCDR (Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery) solution. It lets you backup data in a stacked solution that seamlessly moves data from your network through Siris to a private Datto cloud.
Datto also employs on-premise appliances to ensure that this solution works both locally and in the cloud. In the event of a network outage, Siris' Inverse Chain technology ensures that data will be recovered at higher rates than other backup recovery software on the market.
To take ensuring backup success a step further, Datto verifies that backups will load with all data intact and no ransomware present. Even when your network is running smoothly, Siris scans backups to find and delete ransomware before it cripples your network.
Additionally, backups are hosted indefinitely, which is perfect for organizations subject to regulatory requirements or those who need long-term archiving.
If you're a business who cannot afford to pause in the event of a network outage, Siris' Instant Virtualization feature automatically virtualizes protected systems so your business can continue running smoothly while your network reboots.
SophosXG is an industry-leading firewall that is highly advanced at detecting and responding to threats in your network. Its Automatic Threat Response identifies and isolates compromised systems within your network to stop threats from spreading.
Their deep learning technology helps catch previously unseen malware. A synchronized application control feature lets you prioritize apps you need in your network and block any unknown or suspicious ones.
Sophos's firewall includes IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) protection, which examines network traffic flows to detect and prevent vulnerability exploits. Their web filtering policy takes managing traffic to the next level by letting you filter which websites those on the network can access.
Their Security Heartbeat feature connects network endpoints to the firewall, which allows for an exchange of information between the two. This exchange gives a comprehensive overview of the network's security, which lets the network administrator define policies for network access with ease.
Sophos integrates all these firewall features on a single screen to make management simpler and easier.
While all of the tools listed above would be great assets to your organization's cyber security efforts, the cost of buying or licensing these tools quickly adds up.
If you want all-inclusive network protection while saving money on network tools, consider managed IT services. Managed IT services are a holistic network protection service that employs a team of IT professionals to actively monitor and protect your network.
They use a variety of the types of tools listed above to monitor your network for cyber threats and keep your network up-to-date. Since you pay to simply lease network security tools from managed IT services, you can get high-quality network security tools for your business at a cheaper rate than if you bought or licensed the products yourself.
Start a new decade off on the right foot by upgrading your cyber security efforts today.