Network security

Network security refers to the technologies, policies, people, and procedures that defend any communication infrastructure from cyberattacks, unauthorized access, and data loss. In addition to the network itself, they also secure traffic and network-accessible assets at both the network edge and inside the perimeter

How Does Network Security Work?

Digital acceleration paved the way for business efficiencies, cost reductions, and productivity improvements. Yet, it has also led to an expanded attack surface across the growing network edge. From local area networks (LAN) and wide area networks (WAN) to the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing, each new deployment results in another potential vulnerability.

Worse yet, increasingly sophisticated cybercriminals are exploiting network vulnerabilities at an alarming rate. Malware, ransomware, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, and countless other threats are challenging IT teams to fortify their defenses.

In turn, enterprises have much to gain by strengthening their network protections:

• Reduced cyber risk: Strong, robust security measures help ensure your data always stays protected.
• Enhanced data privacy: Eliminating threat vectors ensures sensitive information is shielded from unauthorized access while traversing the network, thereby safeguarding customer data, and maintaining compliance.
• Improved business continuity: Protected networks are more resilient against potential disruptions and experience minimal downtime, leading to optimal productivity.
• Better network performance: Security prevents bad actors from disabling the network, ensuring critical resources are always readily available.

Types of Network Security Protections

Firewall

Firewalls control incoming and outgoing traffic on networks, with predetermined security rules. Firewalls keep out unfriendly traffic and is a necessary part of daily computing. Network Security relies heavily on Firewalls, especially Next Generation Firewalls, which focus on blocking malware and application-layer attacks.

A firewall is a device that monitors, filters, and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predefined security rules. Acting as a barrier between trusted internal and untrusted external networks, it works by inspecting data packets and choosing to block or allow them.

For example, a financial institution might configure its firewall to block traffic coming from unauthorized IP addresses while still allowing legitimate traffic to pass through. This mitigates a potential breach without interrupting core operations.

2. Intrusion Prevention Systems

Intrusion prevention systems detect and block known and suspected threats before they can impact the network core or devices at its edge. In addition to north/south and east/west deep packet inspection, including inspection of encrypted traffic, they can also provide virtual patching, which mitigates vulnerabilities at the network level.

Using an IPS, organizations can rapidly detect attack signatures and abnormal behavior. The system automatically takes action to block malicious traffic while alerting administrators for further investigation.

3. Antivirus and Sandboxing

Antivirus and sandboxing tools are key to determining whether a file is malicious. While antivirus blocks known malware threats, sandboxing provides a safe environment to analyze suspicious files.

Let’s say a user downloads a file from an email attachment. The antivirus software scans it for known attack signatures and behaviors. If it’s a confirmed threat, the software quarantines or removes the file. For an unknown file, sandboxing isolates it into a protected space where it can be tested to determine if it’s malicious.

Some security vendors are leveraging these capabilities in concert with AI, allowing them to perform sub-second analysis of never-before-seen threats.

4. Web and DNS Filtering

Domain Name System (DNS) filtering allows organizations to stop domain-based attacks, such as DNS hijacking, tunneling, etc. Likewise, URL filtering prevents users and applications from accessing suspicious URLs, which could be linked to malicious websites. These web security tools help enterprises enforce acceptable-use policies while protecting them from harmful content.

For instance, if a user attempts to access a malicious website, the web filter checks its database of categorized sites. If the domain has been flagged, it’ll block access entirely.

5. Attack Surface Management

Some firewall solutions now include Cyber Asset Attack Surface Management tools that can help organizations automatically identify network IT, OT, and IoT assets, and assess those assets for potential risks. The tools can also assess existing security infrastructure and controls for misconfigurations and less-than-optimal settings that can then be updated to strengthen an organization’s security posture.

6. Remote Access VPNs

Remote access VPNs allow users to securely access the corporate network from outside their organization’s office. They create a private, encrypted connection from a public Wi-Fi network, enabling employees to safely use critical resources from their personal devices regardless of location.

These solutions are especially useful in hybrid work environments, allowing remote workers to stay productive with the assurance their data is safe from malicious interception.

7. Network Access Control

Network access control governs access to the network, ensuring that only authorized and compliant devices gain entry. NAC solutions identify and authenticate devices, granting access only if they meet predefined compliance policies.

For example, enterprises might configure their NAC to block certain device types. This prevents users from accessing the network on unprotected personal devices, but it also can help the company manage IoT and operational technology (OT) deployments.

Network Security Trends

Hybrid Mesh Firewalls

Hybrid IT network environments include multiple threat surfaces by combining on-premises equipment at corporate sites, cloud environments, and remote access by work-from-anywhere users—all of which add complexity to network security management. 

To solve this problem, a hybrid mesh firewall addresses network security with a unified security platform that provides coordinated protection across multiple areas of enterprise IT, to secure corporate sites such as branches, campuses, and data centers; public and private clouds; and remote access points. To do this, hybrid mesh firewalls come in various form factors, including appliances, virtual machines, cloud-native firewalls, and Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS).

Secure SD-WAN

SD-WAN provides secure, reliable connectivity between branch and remote locations. Secure SD-WAN extends that protection to cloud-first, security-sensitive,  global enterprises, and their hybrid workforces. Using one operating system, Secure SD-WAN consolidates functions across SD-WAN, next-generation firewall (NGFW), advanced routing, and ZTNA application gateway to simplify management and secure networking.

Secure SD-WAN is the foundation for a seamless transition to SASE and SD-Branch. It enables organizations to protect their investment and simplify operations along their journey to a Zero Trust Architecture. 

Unified SASE

A Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) architecture converges networking and several cloud-delivered Secure Service Edge solutions to protect distributed networks with advanced cybersecurity at every endpoint/edge.  SD-WAN is the networking component and FWaaS, SWG, CASB, and ZTNA comprise the edge security of SASE.  The advantage of a SASE architecture is that it provides users with secure connections without the latency that results from backlogging traffic all the way to the central data center.

A Unified SASE solution seamlessly integrates essential networking and security technologies delivered via the cloud. It ensures secure access for hybrid workers and safeguards applications and data on any cloud. A single operating system unifies the SASE components enabling seamless and complete convergence of networking and security.

Universal ZTNA

According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a zero trust architecture (ZTA) uses zero trust principles to plan industrial and enterprise infrastructure and workflows. Zero trust assumes there is no implicit trust granted to assets or user accounts based solely on their physical or network location (i.e., local area networks versus the internet) or based on asset ownership (enterprise or personally owned).

Authentication and authorization (of both subject and device) are discrete functions performed before a session to an enterprise resource is established.

Zero trust is a response to enterprise network trends that include remote users, bring your own device (BYOD), IoT, and cloud-based assets that are not located within an enterprise-owned network boundary. Zero trust focuses on protecting resources (assets, services, workflows, network accounts, etc.), not network segments, as the network location is no longer seen as the prime component to the security posture of the resource.

Advantages of Network Security

Keep your data safe

As previously stated, network security prevents illegal access. A network holds a lot of sensitive information, such as personal customer information. Anyone who gains access to the network could jeopardize this critical information. As a result, network security should be in place to safeguard them.

Protects against cyber-attacks

The internet is the source of the majority of network attacks. There are professionals in this field, and then there are virus attacks. They can play with a lot of information available in the network if they aren’t careful. Computers will not be harmed as a result of these attacks if network protection is in place.

Accessibility levels

Different users have different levels of access to the security software. After the user’s authentication, the authorization approach is used to determine whether the user is authorized to access a specific resource. You may have noticed that some shared documents have been password-restricted for security reasons. The software clearly understands who has access to which resources.

Centrally Controlled 

Network security software, unlike desktop security software, is managed by a single user known as the network administrator. While the former is vulnerable to worms and viruses, the latter can prevent hackers from causing damage. This is due to the software being installed on a machine that does not have access to the internet.

Updates from a central location

It is critical that anti-virus software be updated on a regular basis. You may not have enough security against attackers if you are using an older version. However, it is not assured that every network user would adhere to it religiously. A centralized network security solution has the advantage of providing frequent updates without requiring individual knowledge.

Disadvantages of Network Security

The world is abuzz with innovations to harness the power of global IT. Network security is one such invention contrived for the cyber and digital world that is woven by the web of the internet of things. 

Network Security covers a wide range of applications including devices, processes, and technology. To put it in the most basic terms, it implies a set of rules and regulations employing both software and hardware technologies with the objective to safeguard the fundamental principles of cyber security – Confidentiality, Integrity, and Accessibility. There is a need for network security in every organization cutting across variance of sectors regardless of their size and structure. The principal motive is to secure the organization.

Securing your network is what network security is all about. Private networks, like those within a firm, can be private or public. Preventing any misuse or illegal access to the network or its resources is part of network security. 

To access data relevant to them, each user is given a unique user ID and password. No user is allowed to enter the network without this authentication. The network administrator is in charge of the network’s operations. As with any technical area, there are advantages and disadvantages of Network Security. We will learn all about them today here in this post.

Robust Network Security Will Protect Against

• Virus: A virus is a malicious, downloadable file that can lay dormant that replicates itself by changing other computer programs with its own code. Once it spreads those files are infected and can spread from one computer to another, and/or corrupt or destroy network data.
• Worms: Can slow down computer networks by eating up bandwidth as well as the slow the efficiency of your computer to process data. A worm is a standalone malware that can propagate and work independently of other files, where a virus needs a host program to spread.
• Trojan: A trojan is a backdoor program that creates an entryway for malicious users to access the computer system by using what looks like a real program, but quickly turns out to be harmful. A trojan virus can delete files, activate other malware hidden on your computer network, such as a virus and steal valuable data.
• Spyware: Much like its name, spyware is a computer virus that gathers information about a person or organization without their express knowledge and may send the information gathered to a third party without the consumer’s consent.
• Adware: Can redirect your search requests to advertising websites and collect marketing data about you in the process so that customized advertisements will be displayed based on your search and buying history.
• Ransomware: This is a type of trojan cyberware that is designed to gain money from the person or organization’s computer on which it is installed by encrypting data so that it is unusable, blocking access to the user’s system.

Secure Your Network With Check Point

Network Security is vital in protecting client data and information, it keeps shared data secure, protects from viruses and helps with network performance by reducing overhead expenses and costly losses from data breaches, and since there will be less downtime from malicious users or viruses, it can save businesses money in the long-term.

Check Point’s Network Security solutions simplify your network security without impacting the performance, provide a unified approach for streamlined operations, and enable you to scale for business growth.

Schedule a demo to learn how Check Point protects customers with effective network security for on-premises, branches, and public and private cloud

Network Security Best Practices

The modern enterprise is increasingly distributed and cloud-centric, which has dire implications for cybersecurity. The attack surface has never been greater, and now cybercriminals have become acutely adept at exploiting this new reality. The key to overcoming this challenge is following up-to-date security best practices, or zero trust security, which is based on the precept of never trusting anything (outside or inside the organization’s security perimeters) but balancing a realistic user experience.

With a growing and evolving cyber threat landscape, effective network security is vital for every organization. We’ve compiled a list of the top five network security best practices to help your organization protect itself against Gen V cyber threats:

1. Segment

The first best practice is to segment your network into zones. Basic network segments for a perimeter-based network firewall in a small organization are designed to isolate it from external networks, maybe creating a demilitarized zone (DMZ) and internal network.

Internal network zones may be created using functional or business group attributes. Examples of business groups include HR, finance, Research & Development, visitor Wi-Fi access. Examples of functional groups include web, database, email, core network services (like DNS and Microsoft Active Directory), and IoT services like building management or surveillance systems. Segmented networks enable the setup of least privileged access across zone boundaries. This is the foundation for zero trust and our next security best practice.

2. Trust but Verify

In the zero trust model, data can be considered the new perimeter. Access to that data is allowed only to the people, devices, systems, and applications that need it as part of their defined role. To implement zero trust, deploy role-based access controls and identity management systems that can verify access.

This includes:

• Using multi-factor authentication for people.
• Ensuring the device or machine where they are making the request from complies with company requirements (e.g. is not in an infected or rooted state).
• Using PKI-based certificates to verify and identify applications and systems.

Once verified, the connection context and device can be monitored for any change in state. For example, a connection context change may occur if the client uses a network or application exploit once the connection is established. This can be accomplished using IDS/IPS technologies.

3. Secure IoT

IoT security is an extension of the “Trust but Verify” best practice. IoT devices connected to the network are ubiquitous today. Like shadow-IT, employees may connect IoT devices to the network without first getting approval. Unfortunately there is a good chance the device is vulnerable, and, if it is exposed to the Internet, it has a good chance of being discovered and compromised by bot networks.

Companies can discover the devices when they’re connected using products that specialize in IoT for different industries, such as enterprises, healthcare, manufacturing, and utilities. All industries are vulnerable to enterprise IoT devices such as IP cameras and HVAC or building management systems. Include solutions that detect these IoT devices as well. In industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and utilities that use sanctioned IoT devices in production, apply security controls that do not impede the IoT devices normal functions.

Securing IoT involves:

• Discovering and classifying the IoT device.
• Automatically segmenting the device using firewall policy.
• Preventing exploits of known vulnerable devices using IPS technologies.

4. Enable Security

Here, we get back to one of the five recommendations we mentioned above: change your security settings from detect to prevent. First, enable security that matches the data, device, user, or system that you’re securing, including:

• Safe Internet Access: Users accessing files on the Internet will need advanced threat prevention technologies such as sandboxing and Content Disarm & Reconstruction (CDR) to protect them from malicious files.
  • CDR enables them access to only safe files while the files are emulated in a virtual sandbox to watch for maliciousness.
  • Likewise, users should be protected from visiting sites that are malicious and serving up drive-by malware.
  • No user is safe from targeted spear phishing, so anti-phishing protections are vital as well.
• Secure Data: Prevent the inadvertent loss of sensitive data with Data Loss Prevention (DLP) technologies. Users sometimes inadvertently or out of convenience may send work to a personal email. DLP technologies provide security and visibility into how employees are using company data.
• Device Security: Firewalls enable control of large groups of computers, but sometimes granular device security is needed.
  • Device security products that secure laptops and BYOD devices apply the zero trust model’s micro-segmentation best practice by creating a security layer for these mobile devices.
  • Endpoint security and EDR solutions that protect laptops and computers with anti-ransomware that detects when files are at risk, can automatically restore files to their safe state, and can provide rich and detailed information of how a malware infection started (even when from connecting a malicious USB device).
  • Mobile threat defense solutions protect BYOD and company-owned mobile devices from malicious apps and can detect when a device is rooted or jail-broken. When combined with an MDM/UEM solution only compliant mobile devices can be allowed access to corporate assets.
• Cloud-Native Security: Cloud technologies virtualize networks, workloads, and applications. Securing hybrid data center and hybrid cloud (public and private cloud) infrastructures requires cloud-native security technologies that are agile, dynamic, and can scale as these infrastructures grow or shrink. This can be achieved with DevSecOps, i.e. including security in DevOps CI/CD pipelines to automate security, prevent threats, and manages posture across multi-cloud and hybrid environments.

5. Security is a Process, not a Product

Here, we revisit one of the top cyber security recommendations from the 2021 Security Report: be cyber-aware and use this threat intelligence to your advantage and what this means when applied to network security

• Create and Communicate your Security Plan: Primarily, this means having a security plan in place and communicating this to your employees to ensure they follow company guidelines. This, along with employee training, will help increase their awareness and provide guidelines for them to follow as well.
• Build Resilient Security: The likelihood that any company will be attacked is high, so it’s important to design and create resilient security systems. Cyber security resilience ensures your business continues to operate even when under attack.
  • This means having security that is not a single point of failure, i.e. using firewalls in an HA or better yet an Active-Active load-sharing cluster like that in a hyperscale network security solution.
  • Additionally, this means following the first recommendation from the 2021 Security Report: change your settings from detect to prevent. When you prevent attacks, you save time trying to control the infection from spreading laterally within your networks.
• Audit Regularly: Performing regular security audits can identify vulnerabilities in systems such as open ports, insecure protocol use (TELNET), and configurations that are not secure (using default passwords).
  • Another security audit finding may show that sensitive data that is not secured at rest, in transit across the network, or while in use. Encrypting data at rest and using VPNs can help secure data from eavesdropping and when a breach occurs.
  • Security audits can be augmented by hiring a third party to do penetration testing or a security assessment to identify security gaps.
• Security Maintenance: The top consideration here is to regularly backup and update your security systems and other connected network devices.
  • Even firewalls can be vulnerable. Follow 8 Firewall Best Practices for Securing the Network for hardening your firewall and the firewall security.
  • Regularly backing up system configurations and data will help you recover when systems fail, administrators make mistakes, and, in a worst-case scenario, when a breach occurs.
• Security Change Control: Having a change control process in place reduces configuration errors, ensures changes are tracked and their effect is analyzed and gauged.
• Optimize Security: In addition to performing regular audits, security systems should be monitored to ensure they’re performing well as devices are added to the network or more load is placed on the network.
  • Firewalls need to do deep packet inspection which can add latency and lower throughput. Use security systems that can scale as needed to meet demand.
• Be Proactive: Sophisticated threat actors plan their attacks by doing reconnaissance, researching their target, and creating multi-vector and targeted attacks. This may mean registering a domain similar to your company domain and using carefully crafted phishing techniques that will trick users into unknowingly giving up their credentials.
  • SOC teams can benefit from tools that exist for searching the dark web to find early stages of an attack that can help identify attacks before they occur.
  • Similarly, using the MITRE ATT&CK framework can help identify tactics and techniques used in an attack and reduce the time it takes to remediate the effects of an attack.

Importance of Network Security

Businesses, large and small, need to secure networks from the next attack. As we learned in the 2021 Security Report, threat actors are opportunists. When the pandemic began and workers shifted to a work from home model, cyber threat actors took advantage of vulnerabilities in VPNs and stepped up phishing attacks targeting remote workers.

In the report there were 5 simple, easy to remember recommendations for improving your cyber security stance:

• Change your security settings from detect to prevent.
• Secure everything; networks, mobile, endpoint, and cloud.
• Consolidate security to improve visibility.
• Implement the zero trust, “trust but verify” model.
• Be cyber-aware and use this threat intelligence to your advantage.

If there is one takeaway, it is to adopt a cyber security mindset. To quote Dr. Dorit Dor, VP Products at Check Point, “security is an enabler that unlocks innovation and helps to safeguard the future – for all of us.”

Top Network Security Issues, Threats, and Concerns

As 2021 begins, it’s a good time to reflect on threats the Check Point Research group saw in 2020 to prepare for the year ahead. According to the 2021 Cyber Security Report, the Sunburst attacks that breached thousands of government and private sector organizations was just the tip of the iceberg with regard to 2020 cyberattacks. In fact, 87% of organizations experienced an attempted exploit of a known vulnerability.

In addition to the nation-state style attack of Sunburst, financially motivated threat actors continue to wage malware campaigns. They’re evolving their techniques to use voice phishing (vishing), double extortion ransomware, email thread hijacking, and attacks targeting cloud infrastructures. That said, there are also some silver linings on the horizon.

Network Security Architecture

Networks must have security embedded into their very design. A network security architecture provides a basis for an organization’s cyber defenses and helps to protect all of the company’s IT assets. Here, we discuss the components of a network security architecture, how it benefits businesses, and different models for creating a secure network architecture.

Elements of a Network Security Architecture

A network security architecture includes both network and security elements, such as the following:

• Network Elements: Network nodes (computers, routers, etc.), communications protocols (TCP/IP, HTTP, DNS, etc.), connection media (wired, wireless), and topologies (bus, star, mesh, etc.).
• Security Elements: Cybersecurity devices and software, secure communications protocols (e.g. IPsec VPN and TLS), and data privacy technologies (classification, encryption, key management, etc.).

The Purpose of a Network Security Architecture

A well-designed cybersecurity architecture enables businesses to maintain resiliency in the face of a cyberattack or a failure of one or more components of their infrastructure. The architecture should be optimized for daily use during normal business operations and prepare the company to handle reasonable bursts, spikes, or surges in traffic and to appropriately manage potential cyber threats to the organization.

How Does a Security Architect Create a Network Security Architecture?

A security architect is responsible for identifying and working to prevent potential cyber threats to an organization’s network and systems. As part of their role, security architects should develop a network and security architecture that provides the visibility and control necessary to identify and respond to cyber threats to an organization’s systems. This includes developing a plan for locating security controls to maximize their benefit to the company.

The Check Point Enterprise Security Framework (CESF) defines a process for developing a network security architecture that includes four primary phases:

• Assess: This phase of the process is for business and architecture reviews. The key steps in this phase include data capture, business modeling, and risk assessments.
• Design: This phase is intended to develop a response to the requirements and to build customized logical design blueprints and recommendations.
• Implement: This phase is for professional services, partners, etc. to add low-level design details and deliver statement-of-works for real-world solutions.
• Manage: This phase is geared towards continuous development and incremental improvements of the security posture.

Network Security Architecture Frameworks

Network security architectures can be designed based on a few different frameworks. Two of the most widely used models include zero trust and the Sherwood Applied Business Security Architecture (SABSA).

Zero Trust

The zero trust security model is designed to replace traditional, perimeter-based security models that place implicit trust in users, devices, and applications inside of the network. Zero trust eliminates the network perimeter by treating all devices as potential threats regardless of their location.

With a zero trust architecture, all requests for access to corporate resources are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If the request is deemed legitimate based on role-based access controls (RBACs) and other contextual data, then access is granted only to the requested asset at the requested level for the duration of the current session.

A zero trust security architecture provides deep visibility and control over the actions performed within the corporate network. This is accomplished using a combination of strong authentication systems, including multi-factor authentication (MFA), and granular access control implemented using micro-segmentation.

Conclusion

Network security is an indispensable component of modern digital life. It safeguards sensitive data, maintains business continuity, and preserves trust between organizations and their customers. While technological advancements have provided robust tools to combat cyber threats, the landscape is constantly evolving, demanding continuous vigilance and adaptation.

The complexity of IT systems, coupled with human error, makes achieving perfect security an elusive goal. However, by implementing a layered defense strategy, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, encryption, and employee training, organizations can significantly reduce their vulnerability to attacks.

The complexity of IT systems, coupled with human error, makes achieving perfect security an elusive goal. However, by implementing a layered defense strategy, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, encryption, and employee training, organizations can significantly reduce their vulnerability to attacks.

In conclusion, network security is a shared responsibility. It requires collaboration between organizations, governments, and individuals to create a safer digital ecosystem. By prioritizing network security, we can protect critical infrastructure, foster innovation, and build a more resilient digital world.

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