When was the last time someone actually reviewed your firewall rules? Audited your wireless security? Tested your backups? This 25-point checklist is what CloudTechForce uses when we onboard new managed IT clients — and what we find is usually concerning.
A network security audit is the foundation of any cybersecurity program. At CloudTechForce, we conduct these audits for every new managed IT client and annually thereafter. This is our actual 25-point checklist, grouped by category.
Firewall and Perimeter (5 checks): Review all firewall rules and remove any-any rules. Verify firmware is current and auto-update is enabled. Confirm no unnecessary ports are open. Validate VPN configurations and encryption standards. Check that admin access requires MFA.
Network Segmentation (4 checks): Verify critical systems are on separate VLANs. Confirm guest Wi-Fi is isolated from production. Validate that IoT devices are segmented. Test that segmentation rules actually block cross-VLAN traffic.
Endpoint Security (5 checks): Verify EDR is deployed on 100% of endpoints. Confirm patches are applied within 14 days for critical updates. Validate disk encryption on all laptops. Check that USB device policies are enforced. Review local admin account usage.
Identity and Access (5 checks): Confirm MFA on all admin and user accounts. Review privileged access and remove unnecessary admin rights. Validate password policies meet current standards. Check for stale accounts and disable them. Review service account permissions.
Monitoring and Response (6 checks): Verify log collection from firewalls, servers, and endpoints. Confirm alerts are configured for critical events. Test incident response procedures. Validate backup integrity with test restores. Review DNS filtering configuration. Check that security awareness training is current.
CloudTechForce provides this comprehensive audit free as part of our IT assessment. Most businesses discover 8-15 critical gaps that need immediate attention.
