The Situation
A law firm wants employees to use their own laptops and phones at work (a Bring-Your-Own-Device or BYOD plan).
Rule: A device may join the office Wi-Fi only if it has:
- the latest antivirus updates
- the newest operating-system patches
The Simple Fix: Network Access Control (NAC)
| Step | What NAC Does | Why It Helps |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Check at the door | When a phone or laptop tries to connect, NAC quickly inspects it: “Is your antivirus current? Are your patches installed?” | Stops trouble before it enters. |
| 2. Decide | Healthy? → Full network access. Unhealthy? → No access or only a small “quarantine” network. | Keeps outdated or infected devices away from client data. |
| 3. Guide the user | Shows a web page: “Please update your antivirus, reboot, then reconnect.” | Saves help-desk time; users fix issues on their own. |
Key Benefits for the Firm
- Stronger security – Only up-to-date devices touch the network.
- Automatic enforcement – No need to chase employees manually.
- Easy user experience – Clear instructions if their device is out of date.
Bottom line: Think of NAC as a bouncer at the network’s front door, checking each device’s “health card.” If the card is clean, the device comes in. If not, it stays outside until it gets a clean bill of health.
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