Network vulnerabilities can cause cyberattacks if they are not remediated and can cost your organization hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair your network.
If you are not sure what causes network vulnerabilities you may not know when your network is vulnerable to malicious actors.
The average cost of a cyberattack in 2022 was over $3 million making it extremely expensive when your network is successfully attacked by malicious actors.
Coeo knows how important network security is and has provided network security solutions to thousands of customers to fix their network vulnerabilities.
We want you to know what causes network vulnerabilities and how to avoid them so you can avoid unintentionally opening your network to malicious actors.
By the end of this article, you will know what causes network vulnerabilities and the ways to avoid network vulnerabilities.
What causes network vulnerabilities?
Network vulnerabilities are caused by a variety of issues that expose security weaknesses in your software. Some of the causes of network vulnerabilities include:
Outdated technology
One of the main causes of network vulnerabilities is outdated technology. Outdated technology may not be as sophisticated as newer updated technology which can leave your network vulnerable.
Outdated security software may be penetrated by sophisticated software used by malicious actors to enter your network.
These vulnerabilities can lead to cyberattacks that cost your organization hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair your network.
Poorly configured devices
When your organization installs new hardware, it is important to ensure they are set up properly from the day they are installed.
If you install new hardware devices into your network such as routers, switches, and firewalls, and they are not properly configured when they are installed, they may create vulnerabilities within your network.
For example, if default passwords are not changed during or after installation, ports are left open, or unnecessary services are enabled that are not used, it will be easier for attackers to compromise your network.
Lack of network security updates
If your network security is not regularly updated, there may be holes in your security resulting in network vulnerabilities.
Outdated security may result in security holes that can be penetrated by malicious actors if not patched.
Network updates will patch the holes in the network security so it is important to regularly update these to avoid vulnerabilities. Neglecting security updates can result in cyberattacks.
User error
One of the most common causes of network vulnerability is human error via phishing emails or malicious links.
Every day an estimated 3.4 billion phishing emails are sent making it easy for employees to open your network to vulnerabilities simply by clicking a link on one of these emails.
It is important that your organization trains employees to understand how to avoid phishing emails and malicious links so your network is not penetrated by malicious actors.
Ways to avoid network vulnerabilities
Now you know what causes network vulnerabilities. However, it is equally important that you know how to avoid these network vulnerabilities. The ways you can avoid network vulnerabilities include:
Integrate reliable security solutions
One of the most effective ways to avoid network vulnerabilities is to integrate security solutions into your network. These solutions can include firewalls, ZTNA, or a SASE solution.
Implementing and updating security solutions will help patch any network security holes making your network less vulnerable to malicious actors.
Regularly update software
Another way to avoid network vulnerabilities is to regularly update all software. These updates include all software and apps that your organization uses daily.
Though specific updates to your network security software solutions are important, it is equally important to ensure that all software is up to date to avoid any network vulnerabilities that can result in cyberattacks.
Regularly monitor and configure all devices
To avoid poor configuration issues, you must regularly monitor your devices. It is important that the team managing your network tests the devices after they are installed and configured into your network.
If you do not test the devices after installation there may be issues that make your network vulnerable to malicious actors and cause you to become the victim of a cyberattack.
Another way to configure your devices to avoid network vulnerabilities is to change default passwords.
When devices are initially installed, a default password will be used so you can configure your device to your network.
After the devices are installed, it is important to change those passwords because they are easy for malicious actors to steal.
Additionally, the default passwords were created by someone outside of your network so that person can access your network if the passwords have not yet been changed.
It is important to change your passwords and make them strong passwords that contain both numbers and characters. They should also be original passwords that are not used for other systems.
Educate employees
Educating and training employees to identify phishing emails and malicious links is important to avoid network vulnerabilities.
If employees are not trained on this subject, they might open your network to malicious actors if a link in a phishing email is clicked.
Regularly reminding employees of the importance of network security and not opening links from phishing emails is also important to avoid network vulnerabilities.
Next steps to avoiding network vulnerabilities
Now you know the causes of network vulnerabilities and the ways to avoid them. This will help you understand the importance of network security and ensure your network is safe from malicious actors.
No one wants to be a victim of a cyberattack and pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair their network.
In addition, cyberattacks can damage the reputation of organizations and even cause legal consequences.
Coeo knows how important network security is to an organization and has delivered thousands of security solutions to improve customers' network vulnerabilities.
We want you to know what causes network vulnerabilities and how to avoid them so you don’t have to deal with the consequences of a cyberattack.
If you would like to speak with our team to learn more about network security or ask any questions you may have you can schedule an appointment.
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