Published 2025-08-10 by TechNet New England
A network security assessment systematically evaluates your IT infrastructure to identify vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and gaps in your defenses. Regular assessments are essential. Threats evolve constantly, and what was secure last year may not be secure today.
Why Conduct Security Assessments
- Identify vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them
- Meet compliance requirements (HIPAA, PCI DSS, etc.)
- Validate that security controls are working as intended
- Prioritize security investments based on actual risk
- Establish a baseline for measuring improvement
Network Security Assessment Checklist
Perimeter Security
- Firewall rules reviewed and unnecessary ports closed
- Intrusion detection/prevention systems active and updated
- VPN configurations secure with strong encryption
- No services exposed directly to the internet unnecessarily
- DDoS protection in place for public-facing systems
Access Controls
- Multi-factor authentication enabled on all critical systems
- Least privilege principle enforced
- Privileged accounts inventoried and monitored
- Former employee accounts disabled promptly
- Password policies meet current best practices
- Service accounts have minimal necessary permissions
Endpoint Security
- All devices have current endpoint protection
- Operating systems and applications fully patched
- Full disk encryption enabled on laptops
- USB and removable media policies enforced
- Mobile devices managed through MDM
Email Security
- Email filtering and anti-phishing tools active
- DMARC, DKIM, and SPF records configured
- Attachment scanning enabled
- External email warnings displayed to users
- Email archiving and retention policies in place
Data Protection
- Sensitive data identified and classified
- Encryption used for data at rest and in transit
- Data loss prevention (DLP) controls implemented
- Backup systems tested and verified
- Offsite or cloud backups current and accessible
Monitoring and Logging
- Security logs collected from all critical systems
- Log retention meets compliance requirements
- Alerts configured for suspicious activity
- Regular review of security logs
- Incident response procedures documented
Wireless Security
- WPA3 or WPA2-Enterprise encryption used
- Guest network isolated from corporate network
- Default credentials changed on all access points
- Rogue access point detection in place
- Wireless network regularly audited
After the Assessment
An assessment is only valuable if you act on the findings:
- Prioritize issues by risk level and exploitability
- Create a remediation plan with timelines
- Address critical vulnerabilities immediately
- Schedule follow-up assessment to verify fixes
- Document everything for compliance purposes
Need help conducting a security assessment? Contact TechNet New England for a professional evaluation of your network security.