Information technology (IT) infrastructure consists of the components needed to operate and manage corporate IT environments. The components that make up IT infrastructure are categorized as hardware, software, and networking. These components can be located within a cloud computing system or within an organization's own facilities. Infrastructure components can be distributed, organized, and deployed in various ways.
Hardware: Refers to the physical IT infrastructure required to deliver IT services. This category includes data centers, servers, network hubs, routers, computers (including laptops, tablets, mobile devices, and other "network endpoints").
Software: IT software and hardware work together. While hardware refers to the machines that make up the infrastructure, software applications provide the interface and instructions that allow your hardware to do what you want it to do.
Networking: Networking enables critical functions such as internet access, integrated security monitoring, configuration management, device access management, and other purposes and services by providing connections between business machines.
What is IT Infrastructure Security?
In the workplace, there is an increasing trend for employees to use personal devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops for work. This trend facilitates employees' ability to connect to the corporate network from anywhere, at any time. This inevitably increases the number of connected devices on the network. The complexity of corporate IT infrastructures, the increasing number of connected devices, and the ease of access to data raise concerns about data security. IT infrastructure security is a broad term used to describe the collective actions, tools, and methods employed to protect IT technology assets that support business processes. IT infrastructure security can be improved by establishing protective solutions to prevent unauthorized access, theft, deletion, and data alteration. The technology infrastructure can be threatened in many ways:
- Attackers can exploit vulnerabilities in public services such as email, websites, remote access, etc.
- Attackers can gain internal access through inadequate Wifi security or by obtaining sensitive data from employees.
- Authorized users can unintentionally or intentionally harm the infrastructure.
- Ransomware and malware can exploit security weaknesses.
- Lack of backup or inadequate backup.
- Service interruptions due to outdated technology.
How is the security of infrastructure software ensured?
Creating a good security strategy for IT infrastructure requires ongoing progress and effort. There are many types of IT infrastructure security that include both physical and virtual protection modes.
Antivirus: The need to combat malware threats has led to the emergence of an entire antivirus industry. Antivirus systems are designed to monitor, identify, and remove malware. More advanced antivirus solutions can protect against various other threats such as network spyware, URL threats, spam, phishing.
Firewalls: A firewall can serve many functions in a corporate network. It acts as the first line of defense against unauthorized online access. It monitors the network and controls data traffic within the network. It can also be used on a router to provide secure remote access or data transfers.
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs): VPNs are a way to protect corporate data and manage user access to this data. A VPN is used to secure the connection and data transfer between network endpoints through encryption. It takes readable data and transforms it to appear random to attackers or anyone intercepting it. In this way, encryption acts like a "secret code."
Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS): An Intrusion Detection System (IDS) is a device or software that monitors a network for online threats or policy violations. Activities and breaches are typically centrally stored by security and incident management software. A subset of IDS known as Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) can automatically initiate actions after detecting intrusions.
IT infrastructure security is crucial for protecting companies against online threats. Successful attacks on a company's IT infrastructure can devastate the business's reputation and jeopardize its operations. Infrastructure security tools and methods help businesses reduce the risk of their IT infrastructure being victimized by data theft and sabotage.
