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Account Manager
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Cisco® ASA 5510 Security Plus Security Appliance
Protect more of your enterprise with this advanced security and networking device, featuring Web-based management through the Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager
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Trend Micro InterScan™ Gateway Security Appliance
Stop spyware downloads, detect spyware activity on clients and block access to worms, viruses and phishing at the Internet gateway
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Symantec AntiVirus™ Corporate Edition 10.2
Keep your network up, running and out of mind with back-end response mechanisms for fast, reliable, hands-free virus detection, analysis and repair
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Keeping your servers safe from attack
Secure servers are central to a company's operations — and to its profits. Consider that in 2006, the leading causes of financial loss for companies included, among other computer-related crimes, virus attacks, theft of proprietary information and system penetration, according to a 2006 survey by the Computer Security Institute and the Computer Intrusion Squad of the FBI's San Francisco office.
Web and e-mail servers are especially vulnerable to exploitation. For one thing, proper server function requires a certain amount of traffic to be granted network entry. Server code complexity elevates risks of corruption and bugs. Improperly configured operating systems, firewalls and application servers also present hackers and undesirable users opportunities for misuse.
With so much of their enterprise data at risk from server vulnerabilities, IT administrators do well to secure their servers at all costs. But which area of vulnerability warrants the most attention? Fortunately, many safeguards are now available that, collectively, address every aspect of security — at the gateway, network and user levels.
Content filtering for gateway security
Multilayered security begins at the gateway, protecting your enterprise from IT's oldest adversaries: viruses. To prevent viruses, organizations can implement content filtering by using antivirus software to detect and prevent threats from entering a company's network through e-mail, instant messaging or downloaded utilities.
Furthermore, a sound antivirus solution will fend off bugs and worms inadvertently brought in via spam, junk mail and employees' inappropriate content downloads. The latest antivirus solutions now include a centralized management component; IT administrators can use this to proactively secure unprotected nodes before an event can occur, further ensuring system uptime and user productivity.
Keep the network aware of who's using it
A "wide-angle" security strategy should also include the constant monitoring of system users. Identity management, for example, helps to control risks resulting from password proliferation and abuse. Rather than users using unique passwords for every application, identity systems can be used to authenticate a single logon ID and password for multiple applications.
Access management systems can support authentication by controlling which resources are accessible to a user based on his or her identity. The benefit to these types of systems is that they all require an initial authentication and also streamline access to many network resources.
Encryption protects sensitive information
Equally valuable to system security is encryption, which recodes communications to ensure information confidentiality. Many security defenses, such as digital signatures, are heavily dependent on encryption methods, which include:
- Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS): a secure communication channel protocol developed by Netscape
- IP security (IPsec): a framework for establishing encrypted communication between two devices
- Virtual private networks (VPNs): used to ensure secure communications over a nonsecure network, particularly the Internet or a wireless network
Give good traffic the right-of-way
For many companies, firewalls are already part of the security grid, controlling the flow of traffic into and out of security domains. At the same time, an intrusion prevention system (IPS) works to protect enterprise servers by inspecting traffic and blocking offending parties from entering.
Firewalls work in conjunction with IPS and intrusion detection systems (IDS). They can be software or a combination of hardware and software. Recent advances in security appliances, for example, have enabled IPS, VPN and firewall capabilities to be incorporated into a single security module, greatly simplifying security processes.
A secure organization will build its security on multiple tools — antivirus software, firewalls, IDS/IPS and patch management systems. Your company can mount a very effective, multi-pronged defense using a combination of security policy, Web and network security appliances, and robust antivirus software.
Working together with your dedicated CDW account manager, our vendor certified security and VSL specialists can help you select and deploy the security solution that's just right for your company.
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Compare your policies to this list.
Acceptable usage: how to use systems, applications, the Internet and e-mail
Antivirus: required software, frequency of full-system scans, updates and infection-response protocol
Continuity: priorities and processes for recovering operations after a shutdown or disruption
Encryption: types of encryption required
Firewalls and DMZs: types of traffic allowed into DMZ and secure domain of network
Mobile devices: acceptable and unacceptable uses, security software installed, frequency of virus scans, rules for interfacing other systems
Passwords: rules for password composition, frequency of password change and reuse
Physical security: how equipment is protected from theft, vandalism and natural disasters
Remote access: acceptable rules for remotely connecting to internal networks and remote connections
System configuration: minimal secure configurations for installing a system and guidelines for maintaining and documenting changes
VPNs: who is allowed access; type of authentication used; rules for sessions
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Learn More
Discover how CDW can help your company improve server security here.
CDW Leasing
CDW offers four different leasing terms with three end-of-lease options. CDW leasing specialists are available to assist with quotes, account information or any questions that you have. To learn more, contact your CDW account manager today.
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