5 General Network Security Tips for Windows Users

In today’s highly vulnerable environment where every second a device is getting compromised it becomes more than important to ensure the security of a device, user-account, online accounts, emails, networks, and other relevant products from online threats and frauds. An active virus, illegitimate access, or an accidental share of information may trap innocent users and transfer their valuable data to hackers and identity thieves, who use it for personal benefits. As PC security is highly desirable for a single PC user, networked devices require more focus to be laid on this parameter. Millions of cyber criminals, frustrated current and former employees, and several careless trainees may intentionally or unintentionally bring down the networks and compromise organizational data.

An ideal network security plan should be framed by considering hardware, software, company policies, and procedures in mind. Deciding an accurate network security plan and offering access to limited hands is really important but quite difficult as well. A company architects these plans to defend its data and information asset against both internal and external threats to their Windows systems. But, a corrupt employee may easily compromise the valuable company data, which has already got millions of dollars invested in its security. While framing the network security plan for your company’s systems, keep downtime prevention, reduced liability, government regulation compliance, and reputation protection factors in mind.

In this article, you’ll read about the 5 general network security tips for windows users.

1. Install all important and latest patches and updates

The easiest way of gaining illegitimate access over a PC or a network is through a malicious code, which transfers the data to malware authors, whenever a PC is used. Numerous cyber criminals engage themselves in developing programs that can easily exploit the vulnerabilities in operating systems OS), web browsers, software applications, and browser plug-ins. Therefore, whenever a user accesses a particular website, uses the application, or even boot up the machine, the infection starts damaging the hardware as well as software components of the device.

It is very important to keep a check on applying the latest patches and installing newest updates on your device to protect it from such threats. Generally, Windows office computers run current versions of Adobe Acrobat and Reader, Adobe Flash, Oracle Java, Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), and Microsoft Office Suite, which are hot favorites amongst hackers. Hundreds of malicious programs are developed every week to impact the performance of these popular software and damage your device/network to an irreparable extent. It is recommended to make an inventory history of each device and ensure that they are updated regularly or you can simply turn on the ‘Automatic updates’ feature.

2. Use strong passwords

A strong password doesn’t offer any technical security to your networks, but it can certainly create a basic security layer to restrict the entry of hackers, identity thieves, and malware authors. Your password should contain at least a minimum of 8 characters, with a combination of both upper and lower case characters, a numeric character, and a special character. Many users have a habit of noting down their passwords on either Post-It notes pasted near their monitors or on a sticky note, behind their work station. It is recommended to stop such practices right away as your password can easily reveal the way to access your system, sometimes without even coming into your notice.

Additionally, you should not include your name, nickname, family members or pets while constructing your password, as these can be easily guessed by a known user. Avoid using words from the dictionary, proper nouns, or foreign words, phone numbers, home address, and social security number (SSN) to create a safe yet difficult to trace password.

3. Secure your VPN or use cloud

Data encryption and identity authentication plays a vital role in securing your network’s privacy and ensuring its access to restricted hands only. Securing a VPN makes your devices/network safe from vulnerability hackers, who can exploit the basic security protection and sneak onto your network. Nowadays, most of the plans, actions, decision, and discussions take place over the Internet therefore business professionals share a lot of data online, which becomes vulnerable to various online threats. Therefore, reviewing the documentation for the server and applying VPN software is necessary to ensure that strong encryption and authentication procedures are in use.

Users can also adopt multi-factor authentication to ensure the highest degree of protection of their data and user information. More steps your users take to prove their identity, better is the network security. You can also use a firewall to separate the VPN network from the rest of the local networks available within an organization. Using cloud-based email and file sharing, creating separate user-access policies for different level employees, and checking mobile devices for updated antivirus, and firewalls also help in maintaining security.

4. Manage and monitor user access privileges

Companies often forget to monitor user’s activities and access privileges, which may bring unforeseen threats to the network and windows computer security. Inappropriate user-access privileges are counted among dangerous security threats as a user with greater access can damage the reputation, financial position, and company’s existence to a greater extent. Managing and monitoring employee access and activity areas are really important to ensure that nothing confidential goes out of the company’s sphere.

Recently HP and the Ponemon Institute surveyed more than half of 5,500 companies to bring a clearer picture of user access privileges. In their reports, it is revealed that most of their employees have the access to sensitive and confidential data that aren’t part of their job requirements. Being an employer, the company can gain access or monitor the activities of a user to ensure the optimal safety of its network, data, and policies. It is recommended to inform the IT department to modify access privileges, whenever an employee changes a job or leaves the company.

5. Delete inactive accounts

Hackers, malware authors, and several malicious programmers use inactive accounts to trigger the infection into a company’s network and enjoy illegitimate access to a PC or network. These inactive accounts are generally assigned to contractors and former employees, who are either no more a part of the company or has been provided with a different user access. It is recommended to actively delete user accounts, once an employee quit or was laid off.

The above mentioned tips will surely help you in ensuring basic security for your company’s network that can act as a layer between your device/network and the outside world. In order to enhance network security at max, you can create a list of authorized software and prevent employees from downloading applications or programs that don’t exist on the list. You can take help of Mobile Device Management (MDM) software to remotely wipe out devices, whenever you are informed about a security breech. It is very important to segregate critical data from the rest of the data available for normal company use, hence, add multiple level encryptions and authenticate to restrict its access. Apart from this, you can also run vulnerability scanning tools once a week and conduct penetration testing to prevent threats from damaging your computer networks.

Hi! I am Brook M. Perry, a prolific blog writer and keen author of articles related to computer security and solution for issues related to computers and mobile devices. Being associated with the reputed best pc tuneup service provider Qresolve, I have resolved thousands of tech issues for our customers from worldwide. computer virus removal My areas of interest are PC security, endpoint security system, router support etc. You can follow me for my useful remote computer support articles on Ezine and other article-oriented websites.