What are the best ways to prevent LAN-WAN security breaches as a Network Engineer?

1 Use strong encryption and authentication

One of the most basic and effective ways to prevent LAN-WAN security breaches is to use strong encryption and authentication protocols. Encryption scrambles your data so that only authorized parties can read it, while authentication verifies the identity and credentials of the users and devices that access your network. You should use the latest standards and algorithms for encryption and authentication, such as WPA3 for wireless networks, AES for data encryption, and Kerberos for network authentication.

3 Update and patch your systems and software

A third way to prevent LAN-WAN security breaches is to update and patch your systems and software regularly. Updates and patches are fixes or improvements that address security vulnerabilities, bugs, or performance issues in your network devices, operating systems, applications, or firmware. Updating and patching your systems and software can help you avoid exploits, malware infections, or compatibility problems that can compromise your network security.

4 Monitor and audit your network activity

A fourth way to prevent LAN-WAN security breaches is to monitor and audit your network activity. Monitoring and auditing are processes that collect and analyze data about your network performance, traffic, events, or anomalies. Monitoring and auditing can help you detect and respond to security incidents, identify and resolve network issues, optimize your network efficiency, and comply with security policies and regulations.

5 Educate and train your network users

A fifth way to prevent LAN-WAN security breaches is to educate and train your network users. Network users are the people who use your network services, such as employees, customers, or partners. Educating and training your network users can help you raise their awareness and understanding of network security risks, best practices, and responsibilities. Educating and training your network users can also help you prevent human errors, negligence, or insider threats that can cause or facilitate network security breaches.

6 Use network security tools and services

A sixth way to prevent LAN-WAN security breaches is to use network security tools and services. Network security tools and services are software or hardware solutions that provide specific functions or features to enhance your network security. For example, you can use antivirus software to scan and remove malware from your network devices, intrusion detection systems to alert you of suspicious network activity, or backup services to restore your data in case of a disaster. Network security tools and services can help you automate, supplement, or streamline your network security tasks and processes.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?