Use filtering and access control solutions

The filtering and access control solutions are a cornerstone of your computer security. These systems can be used to preserve customer data, but also to protect your employees against phishing attacks. How do they work, what are the advantages and disadvantages, but also how do you deploy such security solutions? We answer these questions in this dedicated article.

How filtering and access control solutions work

In the first place, it is It is necessary to distinguish between filtering and access control technologies. Each meets a specific need and requires a different implementation.

Filtering technologies

To increase the security level of the company, we recommend using filtering tools. They protect your IS from external threats as well as internal threats. In addition, they also help maintain productivity. Did you know, for example, that each hour of daily non-professional browsing costs a company with 100 employees nearly €400,000 each year... It is therefore more than necessary to effectively filter access to the Internet.

Filtering solutions include:

• Web filtering: Allows you to block access to malicious sites and inappropriate content;
• Firewall: Control the entrances and exits of traffic;
• Antivirus: Block external threats such as computer viruses;
• VPN (Virtual Private Network): Encrypts data and ensures confidentiality;
• Intrusion detection system (IDS): Monitors the network for malware and suspicious activities;
• Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): Automatically blocks attacks detected in advance by the IDS system.

Then you have access control systems. The latter are unavoidable. They allow Define which user can access data or computing resources and under what conditions. Managing access is an obligation if you want to secure your user data and company secrets.

This access control is based on three aspects:

• Individual authentication: This first of the access control devices will verify the identity of the requester;
• Access authorization: This step will consist in defining for each user what type of data they have access to;
• System Audit: There is a need to continue to monitor access to corporate data and resources on an ongoing basis to prevent malicious intrusions.

The pros and cons of such solutions

While a good computer security system generally has everything to gain from integrating access management and filtering tools, there are disadvantages. To help you well identify the strengths and limitations of these solutions, we invite you to discover their advantages and disadvantages below.

First of all, the advantages are very numerous. Working on the security of your business can help you limit the presence of malware Et reduce the rate of intrusions. In addition, by securing and controlling access to sensitive data, you comply with regulations related to personal data and greatly reduce the risk of data leaks.

However, deploying such solutions can require significant financial and human resources. Especially since once installed, these solutions require parameterization and must be managed for the long term to ensure optimal functioning.

We can therefore conclude that it is always good to use solutions for filtering and securing access. However, you must Make sure you have the resources you need and opt for solutions adapted to your needs.

How to choose appropriate access security?

So the first thing we have to do isidentify the risks you face, the security systems to be deployed and the resources at your disposal. It is also essential to list the resources that should benefit from rights management and their type. This can be customer data, financial data, databases, etc.

You will then have to select the relevant IT solutions. To do so, you will need to take into account four main factors: functionalities, the performance, the costs And the ease of use.

Don't forget tointegrate numerous related issues into your project such as the cost of licenses And of the maintenance, the tool training as well as the professionals needed to install, configure, manage, and maintain your filtering and access control solution.

The 5 steps to deploy such a solution

Once you have clearly defined your needs and opted for a filtering solution and access software, you can move on to deployment. Generally, a strategy of deploying a secure solution consists of 5 steps.

Defining the security strategy

If you've looked at the next steps, you're familiar with this first step. It should allow you toidentify your goals by analyzing risks that you may face. By considering these threats and the available resources that you have audited, it is possible to Define the solution to be used and implement cybersecurity policies correspondents.

Solution installation and configuration

We are getting to the actual deployment stage. You have your filtering and access control solution. All you have to do is install and configure it. Of course, it is necessary to call on internal experts or seek the help of external consultants.

Training for users and administrators

Les trainings are essential. They concern both the administrators who will have to manage the platform and the users. The latter must understand the usefulness of the solution and how it works.

Solution maintenance

The maintenance part is essential to the protection of your system, because once your solution is deployed, you must constantly maintain it. This includes the log monitoring, the software update, but also by the conducting intrusion tests. All of these actions are fundamental to fully exploit the potential of your threading and access control solution.

Regular update and follow-up

Over the months, the managers of the platform have the mission of Update it to maintain its performance. It is also strongly recommended to Define viruses and to ensure a Constant cyber watch, as this will allow your business to best protect itself from new threats.

We saw in this article that filtering and access control solutions are an important part of your organization's IT security. To successfully increase your level of safety, it is however important to act methodically by identifying your needs rigorously, selecting the right solution and ensuring optimal maintenance.

Megabyte, Limit and control Internet access in business, page consulted in March 2024