Network security protects and monitors the links and the communications within the network using a combination of hardware, software, and enforced policies.
Best practices for network security directly counter the major threats to the network with specific technologies and controls.
Auditing network and user activity logs should be used to verify successful implementation of network security policies and controls.
At its core, access control requires networks to regulate the users that can connect to the network and determine which network resources a specific user can access.
Cloud Access Management: Even smaller organizations now use cloud resources, but most internal network controls do not extend to resources hosted outside of the network, such as Office 365, Google Docs, other software-as-a-service solutions, and even segregated branch office networks.
Network security only concerns itself with users as they apply to network access.
Although beyond the scope of the network, effective network security relies upon the effective authentication of the user elsewhere in the security stack.
Unauthorized devices can intercept or redirect network traffic through attacks such as connecting unauthorized computers to the network, deploying packet sniffers to intercept network traffic, or delivering a phishing link to a man-in-the-middle attack to steal login credentials and data.
Zero Trust Network Access: ZTNA assumes that communication within the network may be compromised and requires continuous verification of user, device, and access levels.
Some solutions need to be applied outside of network security, but directly reinforce the network security goals to control assets making connections to the network.
Larger organizations will need more formal and centralized protection against malicious network traffic and monitoring for both operational and security threats in the local network and data centers.
Monitor Network Traffic: During an attack, network traffic may contain known indicators of compromise or known malicious file signatures.
Network Segmentation: Growing organizations need to allow different types of access, but should not allow everyone to access everything in the network.
Network segmentation can create networks for guests, quarantined networks for insecure devices, and even separate networks for vulnerable IoT, OT, and known obsolete technology.
Enterprise Network Protection: When protecting large, sprawling networks, organizations can consider Secure Access Service Edge solutions designed to encompass multiple locations, local resources, and cloud resources.
While network security monitors the main gateways and internal networks, some traffic occurs beyond the scope of most network security tools.
Resilience tools make the network resources less vulnerable to failure or help the network to recover quickly from damage or compromise.
Network Microsegmentation: With the rise of software defined perimeters, software defined wide-area-networks, and zero trust network access, organizations further control access at a granular level to prevent internal threats.
Not only can virtual networks expand the scope of a network to encompass cloud resources or resources in geographically dispersed locations, they can also create microsegmentation based on user groups, access levels, or even specific users, assets, or applications.
Upgraded Network Capabilities: Some anti-Distributed Denial of Service software and other resilience capabilities will also be built into more advanced routers, firewalls, and other network equipment.
This Cyber News was published on www.esecurityplanet.com. Publication date: Mon, 13 May 2024 16:13:05 +0000