What is a Network?

In its simplest form, a network is two or more computer devices exchanging data and sharing resources with each other.

A network can be as basic as a single desktop computer “talking” with a router or as complicated as some of the biggest enterprise networks with hundreds of switches, routers, endpoints, VLANs, internal servers, jump servers, and a lot other equipment/hosted services.

The internet is the “biggest network” of them all; it’s a massive public highway of interconnected networks. The internet is frequently referred to as a “network of networks.”

Network security matters for any network

A compromised network can lead to compromise of all the devices connected to that network, which makes network security important. Networks can be compromised a variety of ways; common threat vectors include attackers exploiting security vulnerabilities in software/firmware, compromise of an end-point (host), or weak security controls for accessing the network.

Once on a network, threat actors can eavesdrop/monitor traffic flows, pivot, and gain easier access to devices on that network. With access to devices, they can download malware and/or exfiltrate (steal) sensitive data.

Protecting your home/small organization network is mostly a security concern, but it can be a privacy one as well; the compromise of your network and devices means a threat actor can collect potentially sensitive information about you and your devices. This can lead to data misuse/abuse, which can have an adverse affect on privacy.