As part of our six-part blog series on network security, here is the next challenge: IT Budgets.

Budgeting for cybersecurity expenses is a concern as organizations and officials push to expand these budgets as well as capabilities of existing security teams. When it comes to cybersecurity spending, there is no “magic number.” It’s best to first consider the following:

  • Updating Legacy Systems. Many business systems remain woefully outdated. Because modernization projects are a huge undertaking cost- and time commitment, IT teams should find ways to provide additional security for the legacy systems, such as through intrusion detection systems (IDS) or security information and event management (SIEM). IT management should decide whether a partial or full upgrade to the systems are needed, weighing risks.
  • Network Security Appliances. Assess the different security appliances available, factoring in capital costs, employee skill and time needed to research solutions and install them.
  • Lower Cost Solutions. Active Directory® password requirements, differentiating reused passwords and service accounts, segmenting internal networks, reviewing group memberships, and restricting share permissions can all have a positive impact on security, but what must be considered is that these lower cost options can take long hours to complete.

Read the full list and more about the challenges and opportunities surrounding keeping networks as secure as possible and thwarting cyberattacks — download the full eBook here.

We will continue our mini blog series on network security – challenges and opportunities, so please stay tuned for more.

Thanks for reading!