In a world where everything is connected via the internet, protection of information has never been more important. The internet has made it possible to share information easily no matter the location, but it also has created a new kind of threat – cybercrimes. Hackers and other forms of cybercriminals are constantly finding new ways to steal sensitive information and identity.

For any business that is plugged into the online world, it is imperative to have a strong network security. There are several types of security breaches that pose a threat to any business – phishing, denial of service (DOS) attack, hijacking, malware, brute force attacks, to mention a few.

Here are three (3) reasons why having a strong network firewall security is worth investing in:

Security

The most obvious reason is protection against outside threats and those from within. Networks, by default, are generally not well protected, which makes them easy targets for hackers. Some hackers are teenagers simply looking to have fun online. They poke around networks looking for weak spots to breach. Once in, some simply look around your files (whether confidential or not) and then leave without doing any harm. However, the more notorious criminals steal sensitive information, which they either sell on the black market or hold ransom against your business.

In 2018, the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated that the UK suffered about 4.5 million individual cyber-attacks within one year alone. These attacks are targeted at both personal individual devices and business networks. Any business looking to stay ahead of such attacks needs to take network security seriously and invest in them to maintain protection.

Sometimes, attacks come from within. Disgruntled employees, for example, pose a threat to any business. Same with employees who are careless with their online activities. Hackers are constantly looking for weak spots in a network to breach, and these unsuspecting employees give them just the break they need.

Saves Time and Money

Loss of data sometimes costs companies millions of pounds and hundreds of hours in downtime. In some cases, it has brought about bankruptcy. Being proactive and preventing any kind of attack is much better than being reactive. A dedicated in-house network security team should always be looking for new ways to increase and maintain protection. In cases where the business is unable to have an in-house team, having bespoke security like the Memset Firewall will go a long way to protecting your server and sensitive data. Hiring external consultants after an attack is almost always as expensive as the attack itself.

Security Compliance

The UK government, like most governments around the world, have a minimum cyber-security standard requirement. Staying in compliance with the government ensures a business does not suffer any consequences that would result in being out of business or spending money in fines, which could result in bad publicity.

There are many reasons why a business needs to maintain strong network security at all times that are not limited to those mentioned above. It is far better to invest heavily in the protection early on when everything is smooth than to be complacent because there are no attacks for the time being. A strong firewall acts like insurance, and having insurance gives you peace of mind to focus on other aspects of your business knowing that you are protected.