NAS can contain sensitive data. This makes it essential for organizations to ensure extra control and privacy.
The first step to protect NAS from malware is ensuring passwords are strong. Requiring a minimum of three unrelated words and using random punctuation symbols helps to harden your security.
Keeping NAS software, firmware, and any bundled apps up-to-date with the latest patches and bug-fix releases is also essential. Older software harbors vulnerabilities that can be exploited by ransomware.
Encryption
NAS servers provide organizations with centralized data storage in an easy-to-manage way. They provide various benefits, such as larger storage capacity and improved security features that enable users to control access to specific files. Network Attached Storage (NAS) also provides data redundancy, ensuring the same data is stored in multiple locations for accessibility from different devices. This ensures that the data can be restored quickly and accurately if one location fails. Your Network Attached Storage (NAS) contains essential data, including personal photos and videos, financial records, and other vital documents. Compromised NAS security could result in the loss of sensitive information, leading to potentially severe consequences.
The risk of a NAS device being attacked depends on how it’s managed and protected, and there are several vital steps to take to enhance its security. First, ensure that a NAS device isn’t exposed to the Internet unless necessary. If it is, keep its firmware and software up to date with all available security patches. Outdated software can harbor vulnerabilities that attackers exploit.
Passwords on NAS devices should be complex, lengthy, and unique to make brute-forcing attacks harder for attackers. It’s also a good idea to enable two-factor authentication, which requires a PIN code or verification information to log in to the device. And finally, turn off services that aren’t needed, as this can further limit a hacker’s access to the NAS. It’s also vital to test backups regularly, as they are an essential contingency for protecting a NAS from data loss.
Firewall
Network-attached storage (NAS) devices provide a convenient solution for businesses and consumers to store, manage, and access their data from a central home or business network location. Multiple users can access files over the Internet via a web browser or mobile app. NAS is less expensive than private cloud storage and provides owners with full data ownership, but it also comes with security responsibilities for those who manage it.
Firewalls are a critical part of NAS security that can prevent data breaches and other attacks. They act as digital gatekeepers and monitor incoming and outgoing data packets for suspicious behavior, block access when it’s not permitted, and enforce rules for how your NAS should operate.
The firewall can be a piece of hardware or software, and you should choose the type that’s best for your situation depending on what type of protection you need:
For example, consider a more advanced option if you use your NAS as a VPN server. You should also ensure your NAS has the latest patches and updates installed, which can help stop hackers who exploit outdated vulnerabilities. Another easy yet effective security measure is to change the default ports that your NAS uses. If attackers can’t easily access your device, they may move on to a more tempting target instead.
Disabled Services
Modern NAS devices come with a suite of tools and applications. While some are essential, others may be used as a foothold for hacking. As such, looking through the bundled software and turning off anything you aren’t using is essential. Disabling FTP, telnet, and Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) reduces your NAS’s attack surface. Furthermore, it’s worth ensuring that any bundled software is patched and updated. Outdated software will harbor vulnerabilities that become more dangerous over time.
Aside from enhancing data protection, it’s also essential to ensure that all NAS-enabled software is optimized for accessibility. This is particularly important for people with disabilities. As more and more government services go online, both abled and disabled people will interact with cyber security measures in their everyday lives. How these systems are designed and implemented has implications for accessibility and can potentially lead to social exclusion, stigmatization, and segregation.
It’s important to note that NAS security shouldn’t be done in isolation, and those responsible for enterprise-wide security should incorporate it into their ongoing actions. It will help to reduce the risk of attacks on NAS files and ensure that all facets of data protection are optimized for the needs of every user. In this way, you can minimize the potential for costly mistakes that could leave your organization exposed to severe threats.
Two-Factor Authentication
Implementing two-factor authentication (2FA) is a crucial security measure that significantly reduces the risk of cyberattacks. As the threat landscape grows more complex, reliance on passwords alone is insufficient. Hackers use a variety of tactics to crack or guess passwords, including phishing attacks and buying credentials stolen from data breaches. 2FA offers a robust countermeasure by requiring a second form of authentication to log in, even if the hackers have your username and password.
The simplest forms of 2FA require users to enter a code generated by a service provider, like an SMS message or dedicated app, in addition to their user login information. Other authentication methods include physical tokens, fingerprint scanners, and other biometrics or expired time-sensitive codes. These systems require more resources and infrastructure to implement but are far more complicated for attackers to compromise than passwords.
Increasingly, businesses are adopting 2FA as a standard practice to protect all data types and minimize the damage from a data breach. It helps satisfy regulatory requirements, such as GDPR and HIPAA, and demonstrates to customers that your company is committed to security. It can increase trust and loyalty and reduce the cost of replacing devices or dealing with a compromised account. Moreover, as workers increasingly work remotely, 2FA can help secure all access points to company systems and networks.