What is a Network Security Assessment? Your Complete Guide

Eighty-three percent of small and medium-sized businesses aren’t prepared for a cyber attack.

But what if there was a way to find and address potential vulnerabilities before they become costly data breaches?

That’s where a network security assessment comes into play.

As a business owner or IT professional, understanding network security assessments is vital. Not implementing them can lead to devastating financial consequences.

This article will explain the importance of network security assessments. We’ll also provide actionable steps to protect your business from cyber threats.

What Is a Network Security Assessment?

A network security or cybersecurity assessment is a step-by-step check to find weaknesses and deal with threats. It differs from other IT assessments because it specifically looks at security issues.

There are two types of network security assessments: vulnerability assessments and penetration tests.

Vulnerability Assessments

Vulnerability assessments are fundamental security audits conducted for your organization. This type of network security assessment examines your network internally, externally, and socially. The assessment generates a report outlining network weaknesses within each category.

A vulnerability assessment also recommends necessary changes to reduce network vulnerabilities. They offer valuable insights into your company’s network structure. This is an excellent starting point for your team to concentrate their defense efforts.

Penetration Tests

Penetration tests are a similar type of network audit. However, they delve deeper into internal, external, and social testing.

When penetration tests discover vulnerabilities, they are often shared with other team members. This neutralizes or minimizes the exposure as a whole. Sending payloads through a network reveals weak spots and identifies the vulnerability’s location.

If a real-world payload attacked, a hacker could control some of your network and expose critical information. Conducting penetration tests helps prevent attacks like these. It’s vital to report penetration testing results regularly. Reporting daily ensures that you maintain robust security.

Why Businesses Need Network Security Assessments

In our digital world, a lot of important data and private information is stored online. This makes organizations, big and small, open to risks every day.

A minor weakness in your many-layered security plan can make you vulnerable to harmful attacks. Basic security measures like anti-virus programs, encryption, and firewalls provide some protection. But it’s not enough. To handle risks effectively, you need to spot and study them to defend against potential threats.

A detailed security evaluation is vital for lasting safety and lowering risks for your business.

Network security assessments can help you figure out questions like:

• Which systems are most vulnerable to breaches?
• What are the typical entry points for security breaches?
• What would be the consequences of a cyber attack on a specific asset?
• What sensitive data, personal info, or health information could be revealed if there’s a data breach or leak?
• How can we take action to prevent and mitigate such attacks?

An assessment can reduce losses while reinforcing security measures to prevent future attacks. This helps ensure that your organization remains secure and out of the headlines for the wrong reasons.

How to Conduct a Network Security Assessment

So now you know that taking control of your network security is crucial, but where do you start? Here’s a step-by-step guide to conducting a network security assessment:

1. Identify the Scope of the Assessment

A risk assessment begins by determining what is included in the evaluation. It could be the whole organization, but that’s often too big a task.

Instead, it’s more likely to focus on a business unit, location, or a specific part of the business, like payment processing or a web application. It’s essential to have the complete support of everyone involved in the assessment area.

Their input is vital for recognizing essential assets and processes and spotting risks. It also helps in evaluating effects and determining acceptable risk levels.

A managed IT service provider proficient with risk assessments might be needed to help with this process.

2. Gather Information About the Network and Assets

It’s important to know what to protect, so your next step is to find and list all the physical and digital assets involved in the risk assessment.

When figuring out assets, you must identify more than the most important ones for your organization. Also, identify assets that attackers could want to control. This may include an Active Directory server or image storage and communication systems.

Making a network architecture diagram from the asset list is a great way to see how assets and processes are connected and communicate. Pay attention to the ways in and out of the network, which will help make finding threats simpler.

3. Identify Vulnerabilities and Potential Threats

Threats are the strategies, techniques, and methods people use to harm an organization’s assets. Use a threat library like the MITRE ATT&CK Knowledge Base to determine possible threats to each asset.

Security vendor reports and advisories from government agencies like the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency can also provide news on new threats in specific industries, areas, or technologies.

4. Develop a Remediation Plan

After identifying vulnerabilities, prioritize them and create a plan to address each. Assign responsibility for each task to ensure your team is accountable for improving network security.

It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the tools and techniques used in network security assessments. You’ll also want to become familiar with relevant security regulations. This will help you develop a remediation plan.

Risk levels should ideally be used to prioritize fixing activities. It might seem obvious, but many organizations look at the whole list for quick wins, even if they’re low-risk. Instead, use your time and resources wisely.

Start your risk treatment planning with critical and high-risk items in your cyber risk assessment. These are the issues your organization should worry about. Gather the proper management and staff to review the findings and discuss risk treatment options.

The typical risk treatment options include:

1. Avoid the risk by stopping related activities
2. Reduce the risk by adding security controls
3. Transfer the risk to someone else, like through insurance
4. Accept the risk

Critical and high-risk factors shouldn’t usually be accepted, and it’s often hard to avoid or transfer them without major changes to your business. So, mitigation is probably the best focus for your discussion.

Benefits of Network Security Assessments

Frequent network security assessments can enhance your security and lower risks. This helps you stay competitive in the digital world. Let’s look at some of the benefits of network security assessments.

Improved Network Security

A strong network makes it difficult for cybercriminals to exploit weaknesses. This prevents them from gaining unauthorized access. By identifying and addressing vulnerabilities, you can strengthen your networks.

Reduced Risk of Cyber Attacks and Increased Awareness of Security Threats

Frequent network security assessments help businesses dodge potential threats. This lowers the chances of successful cyber attacks and reduces possible damages.

Carrying out network security assessments teaches your team about potential threats. You’ll also learn about the newest security risks and trends. With this knowledge, you can make intelligent choices about security strategy. This helps protect your business effectively.

Improved Compliance With Security Regulations and Standards

Many industries have unique security compliance requirements like HIPAA, PCI DSS, and GDPR. Regular network security assessments help you meet these requirements.

By doing so, you can avoid penalties for not complying. This keeps your business on track with industry standards.

Enhanced Reputation and Customer Trust

Now more than ever, online customer experience quality is crucial. Customers desire a seamless digital experience. They want fast authentication, login, and improved mobile and web interactions.

By providing an excellent user experience, you gain customer trust. This is vital for your business’s success. Strong security measures are essential to achieve this.

Customers also want transparency about how their data is used and with whom it’s shared. Data breaches and cyberattacks can severely harm your business’s reputation.

Cost Savings and Better Resource Allocation

Finding and fixing weaknesses before they’re attacked helps you avoid money loss from cyber threats. This includes costs like fines, legal fees, and revenue loss.

Network security assessments can reveal areas lacking vital resources. These areas may be employee training or new security technologies. By identifying these areas, you can invest wisely. This helps ensure your security budget is used effectively. In turn, your business stays better protected.

Protect Your Business from Cyber Threats

Network security assessments are vital in safeguarding your digital assets. They help you maintain a competitive edge. Frequent vulnerability assessments can improve your network security. This reduces the chances of cyber attacks.

For a thorough and valuable network security evaluation, get help from a professional service provider. Our experts can assist you in finding and fixing potential weaknesses. This strengthens your organization’s defenses against cyber threats. Ultimately, it contributes to your overall success.

Request a quote today to get started.

i.e.Smart Systems is a Houston, TX based technology integration partner that specializes in design and installation of audio/visual technology and structured cabling. For more than three decades, our team of in-house experts has partnered with business owners, architectural firms, general contractors, construction managers, real estate developers, and designers in the Houston market, to deliver reliable, scalable solutions that align with their unique goals.