FAQ encyclopedia
Network security questions, answered plainly
Questions people really ask about intrusions, ransomware, NIS2, encrypted traffic, AI and running security with a small team. Where a network sensor does not solve the problem, the answer says so and says what does.
995 questions in 28 topics
For the board: All twelve board questions →
Topics
Have I been hacked?
35 questions
- How do I know if my business network has been compromised?
- Can an attacker stay inside a network for years without being noticed?
- What free checks can I run today?
- Does NetSenX replace antivirus or EDR?
- Can my small business be hacked without me knowing?
Incident response
60 questions
- What are the early warning signs of ransomware on a network?
- Can network monitoring detect ransomware before encryption?
- Does NetSenX stop ransomware?
- What should we do first if we see these signs?
- What should we do first if we are hit by ransomware?
Attack techniques explained
69 questions
- What is lateral movement in cybersecurity?
- How do you detect C2 beaconing?
- Can you detect lateral movement in encrypted traffic?
- Which MITRE ATT&CK techniques can network detection see?
- What is C2 beaconing?
NDR, EDR, SIEM, XDR, MDR
40 questions
- What is NDR (Network Detection and Response)?
- What does NDR stand for?
- How does network detection and response work?
- What is the difference between NDR, EDR and SIEM?
- What do EDR, NDR, XDR and MDR mean in plain words?
Small business monitoring
40 questions
- Does a small business need NDR?
- What is the minimum security a small business needs?
- What network security monitoring should a small business use?
- Is network monitoring useful if everything we use is in the cloud?
- How do I monitor a network on a budget?
Encryption and encrypted traffic
40 questions
- Can NetSenX detect threats in encrypted traffic?
- Can NDR detect threats in encrypted traffic without decrypting it?
- What does NetSenX read from an encrypted connection?
- Do I need TLS decryption to detect threats?
- Why not decrypt TLS traffic for inspection?
Post-quantum cryptography
33 questions
- What is a quantum computer?
- Why are quantum computers a threat to encryption?
- How does Shor's algorithm break RSA and ECC?
- What does Grover's algorithm mean for AES?
- When will a quantum computer break RSA?
AI use and AI security
45 questions
- What is shadow AI?
- Can NetSenX detect shadow AI on my network?
- How can I detect shadow AI on my network?
- Which AI services does our company actually use?
- How much company data goes to AI services each month?
OT and IoT
50 questions
- Can NetSenX monitor OT and industrial networks?
- Can you monitor an OT network without affecting PLCs?
- Which industrial protocols does NetSenX read?
- Do I need a hardware appliance on every site?
- Does NIS2 cover OT networks?
Remote work and exposed services
40 questions
- Is remote desktop (RDP) exposed to the internet dangerous?
- How do we know if our VPN has been compromised?
- Can an infected home laptop spread malware into the office over the VPN?
- Is it safe to expose SSH to the internet?
- Which services should never be exposed to the internet?
Zero trust, identity and segmentation
45 questions
- Is zero trust realistic for a small business?
- How do we check that network segmentation actually works?
- What does "assume breach" mean in practice?
- Can network access control (NAC) replace network monitoring?
- Does a VPN contradict zero trust?
NIS2 scope and duties
40 questions
- Do I need NDR for NIS2?
- Does NIS2 require network monitoring?
- What are the NIS2 incident reporting deadlines?
- Does NIS2 apply to mid-sized companies?
- Does NetSenX submit the NIS2 report for us?
Incident reporting deadlines
35 questions
- When does the NIS2 24-hour clock start?
- What has to be in a NIS2 early warning?
- Is the final report due one month after the incident?
- Are the deadlines different for trust service providers?
- How fast must a data breach be reported under the GDPR?
Germany: BSIG
15 questions
- Where are NIS2 incidents reported in Germany?
- When must German companies register with the BSI?
- Which German companies fall under the new BSIG?
- What is the difference between a particularly important and an important entity in Germany?
- Why does the BSI registration ask for our public IP address ranges?
Cyber insurance
20 questions
- Will cyber insurance pay for a ransomware attack?
- Can network logs help a cyber insurance claim?
- We bought a security tool but nobody watched the alerts. Does that affect cover?
- Why do cyber insurance claims get denied?
- What evidence does a cyber insurer need to pay a claim?
Budget, staff and alert noise
25 questions
- How much should a small business spend on cyber security?
- What security spending should a small company never cut?
- How do I calculate the cost of one day of IT downtime?
- How do I justify a security tool to management?
- How much does network detection and response cost for a 50-person company?
MSPs and MSSPs
35 questions
- What is the difference between an MSP and an MSSP?
- Can an MSP use NetSenX for several customers?
- Can an MSP manage many client networks in one NetSenX account?
- How are MSP clients kept separate in a multi-tenant security tool?
- Does NetSenX have a partner programme for MSPs and resellers?
Data residency and trust
20 questions
- How does NetSenX handle GDPR, and where is my data stored?
- Where is my data stored?
- Can I bring my own encryption keys (BYOK)?
- Where does NetSenX store customer data?
- Does any data leave the EU?
NetSenX: plans and set-up
20 questions
- What does each NetSenX plan include?
- How is NetSenX deployed?
- Do I need to install anything?
- Which operating systems does the NetSenX agent run on?
- Does the NetSenX agent slow down our servers?
For the board and finance
40 questions
- How do I answer the board when they ask if we have been hacked?
- Can any tool prove that a company is not hacked?
- What can a network sensor tell the board that antivirus cannot?
- What security evidence does a buyer ask for in due diligence?
- How far back can NetSenX show alerts?
People, HR and insider risk
40 questions
- How do we know a former employee's device is no longer on our network?
- What should IT check on the network when an employee leaves?
- Can we see when an unreturned company laptop connects again?
- Can we see if a leaving employee uploads company data to the cloud?
- What evidence is lawful to collect when an employee leaves for a competitor?
What is…? Network and security terms
69 questions
All 69 questions on What is…? Network and security terms →Ransomware groups and families
25 questions
- What is the difference between a ransomware family, a group and an affiliate?
- What is ransomware as a service (RaaS)?
- What is double extortion in ransomware?
- What is a ransomware leak site?
- Where can we find official information about ransomware groups?
Phishing and e-mail aftermath
29 questions
- What is phishing?
- How can you tell that an e-mail is phishing?
- I clicked a phishing link. What should I do now?
- I entered my work password on a phishing page. What now?
- An employee entered their password on a phishing page. What should we check on the network?
Cloud and SaaS security
25 questions
- What is the shared responsibility model in the cloud?
- What is the difference between IaaS, PaaS and SaaS?
- Does moving to the cloud make us safer?
- What does a network sensor see of our cloud and SaaS traffic?
- Can NetSenX monitor our servers in the cloud?
Backups and recovery
25 questions
- What is the 3-2-1 backup rule?
- What is an immutable backup?
- What is an offline or air-gapped backup?
- How often should we test a restore?
- Do ransomware gangs go after backups first?
EU law: GDPR, DORA, CRA and AI Act
20 questions
- What is the GDPR, in plain terms?
- Are IP addresses personal data under the GDPR?
- What counts as a personal data breach under the GDPR?
- What is the difference between a controller and a processor under the GDPR?
- What security measures does the GDPR actually require?
Security standards: ISO 27001, SOC 2
15 questions
- What is ISO/IEC 27001, in plain terms?
- What is an information security management system?
- What is a statement of applicability in ISO 27001?
- What is SOC 2, and why do customers ask for it?
- What is the difference between a SOC 2 Type 1 and a Type 2 report?
General information, not legal advice.