Data is the foundation of every modern business. Even in a relatively simple and small business, information is crucial to smooth business operations. The cloud, reverse and forward proxy solutions, encryption and dozens of other elements are vital for protecting business data. And, as the volume of data related to business operations increases, so does the need to protect it. Sadly, the risks are growing too.
We are facing an increasing number of cyberattacks. Every business – and individual – is a target. You cannot ignore the risk by simply saying that your business is too small for attackers to target. Data risk management and better information security are elements that can protect the wellbeing of your business.
Network solutions are some of the most important measures a business must use to protect its servers. As, once the servers are protected from external internet users, bad actors have a very limited area of attack.
Encryption and Protection Measures
The first thing to do when mitigating the risk of a cyberattack is understanding the kind of data that needs to be protected. Business-related files, information stored in the cloud, and solutions used to maintain smooth operations are all digital assets worth protecting. The more assets you have in your business process, the bigger the risk.
The basic protection measure that needs to be implemented across the entire business operation is encryption. File encryption isn’t is a simple process that prevents sensitive business information from being accessed or used maliciously. Encryption is also a must-have because of how comprehensive it is as a data protection method.
Encrypted files cannot be accessed without the correct encryption key. Once files are encrypted, the majority of information security risks are already mitigated. At the very least, information that falls into the wrong hand cannot be accessed or exploited further.
The second protection measure is a good backup routine. Your business relies on information to operate, which means a catastrophic failure to systems designed to store your data can turn into a serious problem for the business in seconds. A good backup routine eliminates that risk.
It is recommended to have multiple backups of mission-critical files. When a catastrophic failure occurs, recovering from it becomes a straightforward process. After all, you have up-to-date backup images to turn to.
Using A Reverse Proxy to Protect Data from External Attacks
The next two risks to address are data privacy and protection against external attacks. Hardware, software, and network vulnerabilities are issues that need to be taken seriously. The recent ransomware attacks were great examples of how a breach can debilitate businesses of different sizes. Protection against external attacks and information theft also protects the business from the malicious access of sensitive information and unauthorized data transfers.
Once again, there are multiple security measures to put in place to mitigate these risks, the most basic one being protecting the servers used to store crucial information. A reverse proxy placed between your business servers and their users is a solution that works really well in different situations.
A reverse proxy basically protects the real servers of your business by managing requests and handling traffic routes. People who access your sites are able to connect only to the reverse proxy server and cannot discover your primary servers. Instead of allowing users to access the primary servers directly, reverse proxies act as middleware within the network. The IP addresses of your servers are never exposed, and an extra security layer protects them further.
In the event of an external DDoS attack, the reverse proxy server handles the brunt of the force, and even if it crashes, your real back-end network remains unpenetrated. The configuration of your reverse proxy server can also stop attackers from pushing through the security layers and accessing your primary servers. What’s interesting about reverse proxies is how easy it is to implement them, even in the most complex situation.
In most cases, these reverse proxy network solutions are now being offered as services. There is no need to manually configure an extra server. There is also no need to manage it manually, eliminating most of the administrative tasks such as updating the security measures, configuring the firewalls, and making sure that the reserve proxy works optimally every time.
The lack of entry barrier to using a network solution to protect business data makes this method of protecting your business servers a must-use. There are some added bonuses to enjoy from the implementation, including better traffic management and load balancing with certain reverse proxies. The security measure is even affordable enough for home businesses.
Protecting Your Business and Its Future
Investing in good data security measures is a must. More importantly, the investment is a good one to make. It is a way to protect the wellbeing of your business by protecting the critical data you use in your day-to-day operation.The return on investment of information security far outweighs the low cost of implementing the right security measures to protect sensitive business information. In a market that faces increasing cyberattacks, making this investment is a no-brainer; there is no better time to start protecting business information than today.
