Tips for Identifying Risks and Vulnerabilities in a Network

Vulnerabilities are weak spots in a network that may be exploited by a security threat. A risk is the possible impacts and consequences of any vulnerabilities that go on unaddressed. The good news is, there are several things modern business owners can do to help ensure their network is protected and that all vulnerabilities are found and addressed.

One way to limit vulnerabilities is by investing in a quarterly pci test. While this is effective for finding existing vulnerabilities, there are also some tips that can help prevent these problems.

Understand the Most Common Attacks

Attacks within or on a network can come in several varieties. Sometimes, the attackers don’t even know exactly who they are attacking. However, there are situations where organizations or networks are targeted specifically. Learning the methods used to compromise networks and computers will give business owners the needed perspective to move forward.

Inventory Network Vulnerabilities

It’s smart to create an entire list of possible vulnerabilities. Make sure to take care to find anything that’s unknown about the network. For example, a library that is new to network security may believe they have an established “firewall,” but they may just have a router that is provided by their ISP.

Use Tools to Scan for Vulnerabilities 

There are many tools available to check the current state of network security. These tools can be used to check for things like open ports, unpatched software, and an array of other weaknesses. Some of the programs will focus on specific machines, while there are others that can scan a business’s entire network.

There are some tools that are available for use at no cost, while others come with a fee. It’s a good idea to make sure the right ones are found to achieve the best results.

Assess the Risks

The vulnerabilities of a network represent the possible costs – assets, money, and time – to a library. These costs, along with the possibility that someone may exploit the vulnerabilities present can help to determine the amount of risk that is involved. Risk assessment is a combination of qualifying and quantifying the possibility of an attack and the threat of an attack. Every library is going to have to determine what its custom tolerance for risk is, depending on the situation.

An example of this is patron information. If patron data is compromised, it’s something that is unacceptable for any library. It is necessary to design a network and to implement security to help reduce this risk. While it is impossible to eliminate the risk altogether, it is possible to reduce these risks to acceptable levels.

Finding the Needed Solutions 

When it comes to finding solutions to reduce network issues, there are several options to consider. The information here will help any business owner find solutions that meet their needs and that reveal system issues and vulnerabilities. If needed, bring in a third-party to help ensure that the desired results are achieved and that any issues are found and fixed in a timely manner.