SECURE YOUR COMMUNITY NETWORK WITH MERIT’S ESSENTIAL BEST PRACTICES
Malicious network database attacks at the local government and community level are becoming ever more common, potentially harming cities and towns on an unprecedented level. As an operator of a community network, you are no stranger to how important broadband and network access is to your communities and constituents. You help underserved residents and propel them through the 21st century. With Merit’s tailored community network security framework, we outline guidance for your entire community and all of its connected devices-to safely operate and thrive while being connected to a worldwide audience.
Because of their relatively smaller size, community networks typically do not have the same level of cybersecurity defenses as larger or for-profit organizations. Attackers the world over do not care that we are smaller with fewer resources. We are all potential victims in their eyes, and we have to be able to react and respond just as well as any other network operator out there. Complicating this is the view that cybersecurity can be extraordinarily complex, as attackers can potentially exploit any component under our control. This includes our desktops, servers, WAN equipment, integrations, cloud providers and our employees themselves. Properly understanding how all the components of your network interact can be daunting.
Thankfully, solutions are here and can be surprisingly simple. Merit’s free community network security framework is based on the Center for Internet Security’s “Top 20 Security Controls” and is tailored toward the elements that need to be addressed as operators of community networks. By following this framework, you can elevate your cybersecurity program to an extremely defensible position, able to resist even the most complex and involved attacks.
The organizational importance of each topic will be discussed first, including an honest look at how an attacker would take advantage of you in that particular situation. Simple solutions are provided to address each of these concerns, and where possible, low-cost or free options and processes are included to help jump-start your security initiatives.
As we move forward with keeping our networks and customers secure, one vital point to make is that together, we win. Communities are critical in sharing information, ideas, concepts and technologies so that we can act as a unified force against the wide assortment of attackers wishing to do us harm. Remain active in talking with your peers and sharing ideas so you can understand these attacks, defend against them and then vanquish them.
Through MiDeal, Merit can assist members by providing competitively bid pricing on CISO Consulting, giving Merit Members:
- A Best-Value Purchasing Process
- Reviewed and Competitively Bid Solicitations
- Significant time (and cost) savings
- A Support Channel for Michigan Businesses
- Direct Vendor Contact