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Authentication is the process of determining whether someone or something is, in fact, who or what it declares itself to be. Authentication technology provides access control for systems by checking to see if a user's credentials match the credentials in a database of authorized users or in a data authentication server. Users are usually identified with a user ID, and authentication is accomplished when the user provides a credential, for example a password, that matches with that user ID. Most users are most familiar with using a password, which, as a piece of information that should be known only to the user, is called a knowledge authentication factor. Other authentication factors, and how they are used for two-factor or multifactor authentication (MFA), are described below. Authentication in cybersecurity Authentication is important because it enables organizations to keep their networks secure by permitting only authenticated users (or processes) to access its protected ...

Digital transformation has increased the importance of the network, particularly the edge, where customers, employees, cloud applications and IoT devices connect to the enterprise. The legacy static and non-differentiated network edge of years past is no longer sufficient for many reasons, so as companies embark on digital-transformation plans, their networks must evolve. Networking pros should be looking at, among other things, improving security and embracing software-defined networking (SDN) that supports propagating changes quickly across the network in order to accommodate the many challenges digital transformation creates. The internet of things (IoT) has moved out of the operational-technology shadows and has become a core component of most businesses’ digital-transformation strategies. As IoT adoption increases, so will the number of connected endpoints. Almost all of these devices connect at the network edge, so problems at the edge could significantly impair IoT applic...

You can’t abolish your biggest mobile security risk, because it’s the people who use the mobile devices. Human nature can cause many problems: Too trusting People fall for flattery, people fall for requests for help, people fall for claimed social connections, people fall for all kinds of insincere requests, including phishing messages. This behavior isn’t limited to mobile devices, but the social nature of the devices combined with small screens make it harder to check out the bonafides of messages. As a result, users are more likely to respond to phishing messages and accidentally reveal account ids, passwords, and other sensitive data. Too scatterbrained Desktop PCs stay on the desk. Mobile devices travel with their owners, until they don’t: careless or rushed travelers can easily leave mobile devices behind in the cab, restaurant, or wherever they were being used. Once the mobile device is lost, all of the data stored on it is at risk. Too lazy Safe computing requires usi...

There are three major reasons for network monitoring: security threats, performance, and maintenance. The number and types of malware and network attacks continues to increase, and there’s no reason to think it will ever stop. Users expect high performance from applications and have little tolerance of network bottlenecks. Monitoring also provides status about the health of network devices, allowing preventative or just-in-time maintenance that minimizes impact. Make Monitoring Easier You can make monitoring easier and minimize the number of tools you need to use by: 1.Understanding your current network architecture. It’s impossible to monitor effectively if you don’t understand your network design. You should have inventory lists and network diagrams for both physical and virtual links. 2.Understanding your reasons for monitoring. Everything can be monitored, but everything doesn’t need to be monitored. You may want to focus on collecting data about the health and performance...

The National Cyber Security Centre has stated that cyber attacks, unfortunately, are on the rise. While this alone is an astonishing thought, to make matters worse, it is thought that approximately 31% of businesses do not have any experience in security awareness training nor have any plans to implement cybersecurity precautions. When beginning research into cybersecurity, many are surprised at the number of different types of attacks that can occur; no longer is it merely a case of a computer hack. The most common forms of cyber attacks on businesses are phishing, viruses and ransomware; however, there are tonnes of additional risks such as malware, credential reuse and denial-of-service. For more information on the types of cybersecurity attacks, take a look at Rapid7. Once you have familiarised yourself with the types of security risks your business faces, it is time to implement processes in which you aim to keep the risk of an attack at a minimum. All members of the team, no...

Network security is a broad term that covers a multitude of technologies, devices and processes. In its simplest term, it is a set of rules and configurations designed to protect the integrity, confidentiality and accessibility of computer networks and data using both software and hardware technologies. Every organization, regardless of size, industry or infrastructure, requires a degree of network security solutions in place to protect it from the ever-growing landscape of cyber threats in the wild today. Today's network architecture is complex and is faced with a threat environment that is always changing and attackers that are always trying to find and exploit vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities can exist in a broad number of areas, including devices, data, applications, users and locations. For this reason, there are many network security management tools and applications in use today that address individual threats and exploits and also regulatory non-compliance. When j...