Keeping Your Network Secure on International Talk Like a Pirate Day

Whether you’re planning to celebrate International Talk Like a Pirate Day today or not, you’re likely to curse like a sailor when you find pirates have been creeping around your network. For hackers, the big fun may be just proving they can get onto your “secure” network. Or, the pirates can be the malicious kind, looking to steal or corrupt your data. Either way, your network isn’t secure. Arrrgh! All the rum on the high seas won’t help you now. Old Captain Morgan may help you feel better, but he won’t make your network any more secure.

But a good security strategy using the right tools can make your network as safe as it needs to be. Strategies include developing a set of rules for security that include not only rules that network users follow – like password requirements and access limits, but rules that define what your system needs to look for that isn’t secure. These rules could define IP addresses not to accept data from or notify you of unrecognized data types on your network. Rules-based network security covers all your bases, because it is very flexible and can be designed to meet your specific company needs. And you probably want your network security strategy to play well with multiple vendors, provide object and rule analysis, and be easy to use and interpret.

The Geek's Guide to Network Security would be a great place to start your research and find out more about security options. For rules-based security, you might also want to take a look at the SolarWinds FireWall Security Manager. This easy-to-use tool includes security auditing, multi-vendor management, and firewall change reporting – as well as modeling that shows how rules changes can affect your network.  So get to work, secure that network, and keep those pirates at bay!