When we surf the net, when using any device or system, we can be victims of many types of attacks. Many threats that in one way or another can compromise us. This affects not only the performance of those computers, but also our own security and privacy. We can have problems such as loss of data, theft of passwords, software capable of interfering with the applications we use … All this means that we must take precautions. We are going to talk about what active threat monitoring is and why it is important to keep it in mind.
What is active threat monitoring
Both home users and businesses and organizations must take good care of their systems and devices . There are many types of attacks that could breach our security. It is not enough to have an antivirus and hope that it can block all attacks on its own.
Therefore, it is necessary to have active threat monitoring. This basically consists of carrying out constant tests to verify that everything works correctly, that there are no security breaches, threats in the system, dangerous programs installed …
We can say that it is a proactive protection . We must constantly observe if the equipment is working properly, analyze for threats, see if there are any updates or we are using any outdated program that may be the gateway for hackers.
Active threat monitoring goes beyond just having a security program. Here comes into play the fact of periodically checking that the measures are being complied with, that the passwords are secure and there has been no leakage, that we do not have software that could be malicious, etc.
In short, active threat monitoring is a very important factor that we must take into account. This is something that we must apply regardless of whether we are home users or a large company. It is essential to detect threats as early as possible.
Why Active Threat Monitoring Is Important
We have explained what active threat monitoring consists of. Now we are going to talk about why it is important to take it into account and that it is part of our protection. Some interesting factors that can be decisive to avoid problems.
More sophisticated attacks
One of the main reasons is that the attacks are becoming more sophisticated . It is true that we have many defensive tools to protect ourselves, but also hackers constantly update their attacks.
In this way, they manage to attack vulnerabilities that may exist in certain applications, create more sophisticated malware capable of evading antivirus, etc. Hence, active threat monitoring is essential and that we must keep in mind at all times.
Hackers don’t stop
Another issue to keep in mind is that hackers are constantly trying to infect victims’ computers. They are constantly looking for new techniques, new methods to try to break a network or access a system.
This forces us to be on permanent alert. We must always check that everything is correct, correct any failure that exists, analyze that all programs work as they should, configure operating system security parameters …
There are many security vulnerabilities
A clear problem that there is today when using all kinds of devices is that many security vulnerabilities arise. We have seen it with NAS servers, IP cameras, printers … All these flaws are used by hackers to carry out their attacks.
Therefore, another reason why active threat monitoring is very important is to know how to correct vulnerabilities that may exist. We must always install the patches and updates that are available. It is something that we must apply no matter what type of operating system or device we are using.
Increase in malware spreading across the network
It should also be mentioned that there has been a very significant increase in malware spreading through the network. This means that many computers can be indirectly affected.
Let’s take as an example that there is an infected computer connected to a network. This malware is designed to track printers that may be connected on the same network. Thus, through another device it can infect third-party systems.
Installed programs can change hands
We have many programs installed on our computers. Many varieties of software that help us in our day to day. For example, we can mention office automation applications, browsers, programming … Now, sometimes they can change hands, especially we talk about extensions.
We can install a plug-in in the browser and give it certain permissions so that you can access certain information. That extension could radically change and have a very different use. This means that we must have an active monitoring and not have any type of problem of this type.
More and more devices are connected
It is a reality that we have more and more devices connected to the network . We especially talk about what is known as the Internet of Things. They are all those computers that we have connected to the network in our home. For example we can name televisions, smart bulbs, video players …
By having more computers connected, there is a greater field of attack for hackers. This means that we must have a greater security presence. There it comes in handy to carry out frequent analyzes, monitor the network and know that everything is working properly. One more way to reduce problems.
It should be mentioned that the number of computers connected to wireless networks has especially increased. It is precisely where there may be more security dangers. Wi-Fi networks are not always secure and this makes it essential to keep our systems in good condition and not leave any open loophole that can be exploited by hackers.
Ultimately, these are some of the main reasons why active threat monitoring is important. Maintaining security is essential so that everything works well, so as not to have problems when using computers, mobile devices and any type of system that could be the object of an attack.
