Threat monitoring refers to the process of continuously watching networks or endpoints for signs of potential security issues. It's one of the most important ongoing tasks associated with IT security. Threat monitoring experts use this process to gain visibility to networks and the users who access them, enabling them to provide stronger data protections and better prevent breaches.

How Threat Monitoring Works

All organizations need to focus on IT security, but most of them can't afford to keep a dedicated staff of data security experts on their staff. Instead, they take advantage of third-party business IT services that have all the resources and team members required to provide ongoing threat monitoring. These experts collect and correlate data from network sensors and other security technologies to monitor patterns and identify potential threats and security incidents.

Once a potential threat is identified, the monitoring service will report it to the organization. From there, information security officers and other IT professionals can come up with effective mitigation or incidence response solutions.

The Benefits of Ongoing Threat Monitoring

Threat monitoring allows organizations to identify formerly undetected issues such as outsiders connecting to the network and compromised internal accounts. Since threat monitoring involves correlating information about both network and endpoint activity with URLs, IP addresses, and file or application details, it provides accurate identification of anomalies that could indicate security threats.

Given that just about every modern business collects, stores, and transmits multiple forms of sensitive data, threat monitoring should be considered a first-line defense. It allows organizations to defend themselves against both outsider and insider threats, offers full visibility into data usage and access, and makes it easier to enforce information policies designed to protect against sensitive data loss. Threat monitoring will help the organization's internal IT team:

·  Discover what's happening on their networks.

Identify potential risks.

Gain an understanding of how current network usage aligns with the organization's policies.

Meet regulatory compliance standards and business partner agreements.

Uncover vulnerabilities in apps, networks, and security architecture.

Gain a better understanding of how to resolve potential security threats.

Some business owners are hesitant to hire third-party threat monitoring services, but they shouldn't be. This level of engagement with networks and data falls outside the purview of all but the most specialized IT professionals, so it's worth working with a dedicated industry expert.

All Organizations Need Threat Monitoring Services

Cybercriminals' tactics are always evolving, so it's never wise to assume that off-the-shelf software or traditional detection methods are enough to keep a company's data safe. Active monitoring for threats coming from both inside and outside the company offers a necessary level of protection that can't be replaced with software updates and internal policies alone. While some cybersecurity measures are excellent at preventing outsider intrusions, few can detect potential insider threats.

Insider incidents often involve unauthorized data access, intellectual property theft, and damage to a company's reputation. Staying on top of network and endpoint monitoring is the only way to uncover these insider threats before the damage is done.

Defend Against Cyber Attacks

Whether an organization chooses to hire a dedicated data security officer or work with a third-party vendor, threat monitoring is a critical step to defend the company from both outsider cyberattacks and insider threats. Given that most of today's companies employ remote workers, independent contractors, and other staff who use personal devices for work, it's never been more important to stay on top of data protection. Start looking into options today.