Network Systems Security Engineer Risks

 Enterprise network engineers have a wide variety of system security risks. In the perfect world, security risks are mitigated before security breaches occur. Network design, user account management, and a well-defined process help minimize the potential for security breaches. Network engineers must be vigilant and alert to unexpected intrusions. The risks that entry level network engineer must mitigate include unauthorized network access, cyber attacks, cloud computing issues, and employee behavior that pose a security risk to the network.

Wireless Intrusion

Wireless networks are vulnerable to some possible infractions. Enterprise Wi-Fi networks should not implement WEP security because WEP encryption is not as robust as other options like WPA. Wireless networks are also at risk of man-in-the-middle or MITM attacks, where an intruder can hijack user sessions. MITM attacks are also known as frame forgery. Risk experts also recommend implementing WPA security to reduce the risk of this type of attack. Additional recommendations include configuring and updating your network's virus protection.

Dissatisfied And Poorly Trained Employees

Employees can be a risk to network security, and for disgruntled employees, the risk is exponential. An unfortunate or poorly trained employee, whether or not an individual is actively involved in a security breach by hacking a fraudulent domain or simply providing unauthorized users with login credentials on the network. Personnel can open the network to various security risks. Network design and user management policies should limit access to only the files, folders, and servers that employees need to do their jobs. Also, user accounts should ideally be disabled before or immediately after an employee leaves the company.

Cyber ​​Attack

Cyber ​​attacks are a risk to any business, large or small. Cyber ​​attacks differ from common malware infections on computers in that the company's network is specifically aimed at intrusion or elimination of denial of service. Cyber ​​attackers can use a combination of tactics to enter the network, including the use of malware, hacking, and social engineering, such as luring one of the company's employees to provide corporate information. Well-designed secure networks and trained users are the engineer's best protection against such cyber attacks.

IT Consumerization

"Consumerization of IT" refers to the practice whereby employees connect personal devices such as tablets and smartphones to the corporate network. This approach not only uses the company's resources, but also poses a significant security risk. Experts recommend that network engineers establish corporate policies regarding the use of networks for unauthorized devices and help use network monitoring tools to identify unauthorized devices connected to the network. I am.

Cloud Computing

One of the biggest challenges facing system designers and engineers is integrating cloud computing security into their existing infrastructure. Whether you're using software as a service, or "SaaS" products, or deploying commercial cloud storage at the enterprise level, more and more companies are moving in some way to cloud computing. Cloud computing poses risks to network engineers regarding security and possible data loss. IT executives and managers must take these risks into account when deciding whether cloud computing is feasible and secure for their business.