Network traffic analysis requires the help of a dedicated Miami cybersecurity company or an in-house security team. Your systems are attached to a network that holds crucial information on:
- Packet loss
- Network latency
- Performance issues
Our cybersecurity company in Miami can also spot anomalies in the data. If you’re not monitoring the network, it opens it up to serious risks.
Why Network Traffic Analysis is Important
Network traffic and data patterns help professionals identify patterns in a network that may be impossible to spot otherwise. For example, a network may run well 99% of the time, but you may spot a concern that causes the server to reboot or fail after a certain number of users connect.
You can also find malicious activity, such as:
- Identifying denial-of-service attempts
- Hacking attempts or checks for vulnerabilities
Of course, further network analysis can be complex and allow security experts to gain detailed insights into what’s occurring on the network at all times. We may recommend a full analysis and monitoring to:
- Spot potential ransomware activity, which is one of the biggest threats to businesses and governments in 2024. Some demands from a single attack reached $80 million in 2023.
- Database and file monitoring. Security experts can monitor who is accessing the systems and if any suspicious activity is occurring.
- User forensic reporting is possible through network traffic analysis, too. For example, if an attack occurs or an employee gains access to areas of a network that they should not access, it’s possible to monitor all of their activity through the entire network.
- Identify high bandwidth usage on the network and better pinpoint the cause of these issues.
- Monitor activity in real-time using visual dashboards that make it easier to understand the network’s health and what’s occurring at any given time.
Active and passive monitoring can be implemented to better protect a network. For example, active monitoring can analyze things, such as packet loss, by monitoring the data between two endpoints.
Passive monitoring is also a powerful tool for network security because it allows networks to maintain integrity and uptime. Through this type of monitoring, traffic is continually inspected and monitored for crucial information.
The simple network monitoring protocol is one of the main techniques used by network specialists and takes place on the application level. Monitoring using this protocol includes visual dashboards and easy-to-read interfaces that make it faster and easier to identify and prevent issues.
Router-based and hardware-based solutions also exist, such as Netflow RFC.
Networks have massive amounts of data that are being added and transferred at any given time. Alerts can help security teams prioritize anomalies, such as denial-of-service attacks and direct adequate resources to less severe issues.
Generative AI will make it even easier for hackers to exploit unprotected networks in an attempt to extort money from companies or access private data. If you’re not securing your network already, it’s worth integrating network traffic analysis into your ongoing operations.
If you’re not monitoring and analyzing network traffic using state-of-the-art technology, you run the risk of poor performance or even infiltration.