Test your network threats and attacks expertise in this quiz
Network security is an ever-changing subject, but many of its common threats have plagued IT pros for years -- and will likely continue to do so. See what you know in this quiz.
When it comes to network security, even the world's leading experts will never know everything there is to know about the topic, as it's constantly changing and adapting.
The best place to start understanding network security is with the top network threats and attacks that plague organizations daily. Even then, every network is inherently different -- like a fingerprint, according to author Aditya Mukherjee -- and no security platform or service will be a silver bullet. That's why understanding each type of network security threat or attack individually can help organizations understand how to secure and protect their networks as efficiently as possible.
IT professionals can begin this learning process and training with the below quiz from Mukherjee's book, Network Security Strategies. The quiz reviews Chapter 3, "Mitigating the Top Network Threats of 2020," and these seven questions review test-takers' knowledge of common network threats and attacks, including phishing and ransomware.
Even equipped with the knowledge of different potential threats, organizations must build resiliency and test their networks against live attacks. Regardless of the policies or services IT teams put in place, Mukherjee said organizations should have an external party come in and crash the environment to test their defenses and to give IT teams the confidence that the network and organization are secure.
Mukherjee suggested IT teams repeatedly perform these tests with external parties every six months or so to ensure they consider and mitigate any new attacks or changes in their environments and the potential effects to their threat landscapes.
IT professionals will also want to ensure their knowledge of network threats and attacks is always up to date because, while many of the below threats will remain for the foreseeable future, other threats are likely to appear and bring further headaches to IT professionals and their networks.
Professionals should keep up with relevant information to remain equipped and ready for any attack that comes their way. The following seven questions provide a solid baseline to start.
