Question

Question 5

In one of the buildings that your company has installed a network, some of the devices have stopped working completely. The devices do not even turn on. Your manager has requested that you investigate the possible causes of the damaged devices. Advise on what can be installed so that other devices can be protected. Explain two ways to achieve this.

Answer 1

1. Use a firewall.

Windows and macOS have built-in firewalls – software designed to create a barrier between your information and the outside world. Firewalls prevent unauthorized access to your business network and alert you to any intrusion attempts.

Make sure the firewall is enabled before you go online. You can also purchase a hardware firewall from companies such as Cisco, Sophos or Fortinet, depending on your broadband router, which also has a built-in firewall that protects your network. If you have a larger business, you can purchase an additional business networking firewall.

2. Secure your network.

Routers don't usually come with the highest security settings enabled. When setting up your network, log in to the router, and set a password using a secure, encrypted setup. This prevents intruders from infiltrating your network and messing with your settings

3. Back up your computer.

If your business is not already backing up your hard drive, you should begin doing so immediately. Backing up your information is critical in case hackers do succeed in getting through and trashing your system.

Always be sure you can rebuild as quickly as possible after suffering any data breach or loss. Backup utilities built into macOS (Time Machine) and Windows (File History) are good places to start. An external backup hard drive can also provide enough space for these utilities to operate properly.