Securing the Network Perimeter of a Community Bank

Allocating the investment for perimeter protection and detection mechanisms can be an unique challenge with the budget of a smaller community bank. This paper's purpose is to raise awareness of the external threats present to confidential customer information held on the private network of community banks, and recommend technologies and designs to protect the perimeter of the network, while taking heed of the limited resources of community banks. The perimeter protection topics will include: routers, firewalls, Wi-Fi, phone systems, publicly accessible servers, and remote access. Current and developing techniques for preventing attacks will be presented as will the importance, type, and frequency of independent audits to ensure the perimeter maintains a secure posture.