The internet network is probably the most valuable yet vulnerable asset of a company. Because cybercriminals have mastered their misconduct over the years and private networks are in danger more than ever.
But luckily, cybersecurity professionals also maximized their efforts and policies to combat online criminals. We have the necessary weapons to prevent any kind of attack against private networks. One of these is IP whitelisting for specific user roles. Let’s see what it is and how companies can benefit from it.
About IP Whitelisting
Whitelists are a great way to ensure network integrity by choosing the specific users and applications that have access to corporate resources. If you have a dedicated IP address with a dedicated server, you can whitelist permitted users for maximum security.
You can think of whitelisting as the opposite of blacklisting. While blacklists define banned entities, whitelists specify only the allowed online entities.
IP whitelisting is exactly what the name suggests; creating an allowlist based on the IPs of the permitted users. One thing to remember is that this can only be done if you have access to a dedicated server and a static IP.
By creating a whitelist based on IP addresses, you can automate security as the whitelist will take care of login permission. You can also provide secure access to remote users by defining their IPs as trusted.
In addition to security, IP whitelisting also allows you to restrict access to specific data. If you have data confidentiality categories and a segmented network, this can be highly useful. You can set up specific permission for each user and prevent them from accessing highly sensitive data.
In short, IP whitelisting is an effective method to define permitted users that access a private network. You can easily automate access control and network activities by creating a whitelist.
IP Whitelisting for User Roles
IP whitelisting comes into use when you store sensitive data on your networks. Of course, every employee needs some kind of access to the corporate network, but some of them are needless.
That’s why IP whitelisting for specific user roles is a great idea. Since it allows you to specify access levels based on the IP addresses of the end users, preventing insider threats is automated. If the IP is not whitelisted, there is no way they can access that specific data.
This is especially useful when you need to protect customer data. They’re one of the most popular targets of cybercriminals, and you have to use everything to prevent them from becoming public. IP whitelisting for user roles ensures customer data is hidden from unauthorized employees.
How to Use IP Whitelisting?
IP whitelisting is an advanced cybersecurity method used by companies of all sizes. That’s why this security approach is accessible and useful for all businesses.
The only thing you need to have for IP whitelisting security is a dedicated IP address. Since they also come with a dedicated server, you’ll have full control over who can get into your network. As IP whitelisting requires this power, a dedicated IP address is mandatory.
But as you might already know, they are much more accessible nowadays with the growing number of providers. Not to mention the prices also went down considerably. Now, you can easily get your own dedicated IP for affordable prices.
Benefits of IP Whitelisting for User Roles
The first benefit is the improved network access control you’ll have. You’ll be able to define specific roles and restrict access via IP addresses. This both automates layered access and ensures sensitive data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.
Secondly, the remote work model seems to be on the rise, and IP whitelisting is a great way to provide secure remote access. Remote workers can connect from everywhere, and physical security policies don’t work. IP whitelisting with a static IP address creates a secure gateway between the private network and the remote user, offering risk-free and convenient remote access.
Lastly, IP whitelisting improves user experience by unifying access control and verification. It might be annoying to end-users when several verification tools are applied after every request. IP whitelisting applies verification beforehand by creating a permanent but secure gateway between the user and the network.
Final Words
IP whitelisting is one of the best ways to improve overall network security. They prevent any unauthorized access, allow you to control user activities, and specify individual user roles based on IPs.
If your company network stores sensitive data and valuable business information, IP whitelisting for user roles might be the only thing you need. Preventing access to sensitive data eliminates insider threats and protects the network’s most important part against misuse.
You do need to invest in a dedicated IP address to use whitelists. But since IP whitelisting can drastically mitigate cyber security risks, especially insider threats, we believe it is the right thing to do.
