A gradual but widespread change has taken place in the corporate world, accompanied by the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has contributed to a transition to a remote work style. As a result, effective next-generation network security is required for enterprises.
Changes in the work environment mean a change in how companies approach network security.
The Definitive Guide to Modern-Day Network Security for Businesses
Reducing the barriers to cybersecurity means making it easier for employees to do their work from home. Additionally, this extension of the traditional network security boundaries helps promote the use of network security practises at the edges of the network. It appears to be more like edge-to-cloud security, rather than end-to-end security.
Networks and cloud environments will have to adapt to this new model, which requires technology and tools. Indeed, the primary feature of this metamorphosis is a shift in perspective.
A focus on data and network security
More data is being collected because of the expansion in the number of technical tools at work, including and notably IoT devices. When more data is gathered, more work is required to keep it safe from those who would gain access to it.
This adds weight to the previous statement that, in network security, the new normal is no longer just about change, but it also incorporates an extension. The addition of attack capability extensions to respond to the revolution in attack strategies.
At a high level, the need for strong network security in all organisational processes is no different from the need for strong organisational processes in general. Furthermore, the number of cyber attacks is not decreasing, but is instead growing; as a result, attackers are always coming up with new and improved techniques of network penetration and system destabilisation.
We must change and adapt
The understandable behaviour of certain leaders is to dip their toes into the water before trying to go for the tidal wave; the globe has not seen this scale of a sweeping upset in a long time.
Unfortunately, many people feel that current and future issues will pass with time.
According to the World Economic Forum, however, many organisations will find the greatest barrier to be recognising that short-term disruptions are here for the long run.
In other words, corporate executives should not think of returning to normal; instead, they should think of adjusting to the new normal or the future normal.
These arguments illustrate why businesses should reassess their cybersecurity approach to match the characteristics of the modern business world, in particular the rise of remote labour.
Security endpoints
Traditional network security practises have traditionally included an approach that revolves around flowing security outwards from the centre to the edge.
But it appears that recent developments in cybersecurity have proven that having an edge is just as important as having a foundation. To introduce harmful code into a system, a “small” breach (such as a computer infected by malware, an air conditioning system connected to the internet, or an email attachment that is opened on a client’s computer) is all that is required.
In addition, this hostile implant can linger in the system for several days, disrupting the operation of the system as a whole. A study by IBM claims that, on average, it takes firms three months to uncover a data breach, with an additional 73 days required to contain it.
This is a seemingly contradictory concept: organisations need to secure the ‘edge’ just as much as the ‘core’. Prior to the pandemic, the only option a company had was to wait it out; now, however, the epidemic requires immediate and extreme response.
Network security-enabled networking
From now on, enterprises should focus on developing an integrated security approach for the entirety of their IT infrastructure by implementing security-driven networking solutions.
The design therefore essentially linked the network security and network architecture, going against the typical network security strategy of silos.
An initial step in a new model of network security has already been taken. The current generation of cybersecurity solutions doesn’t only focus on how large the technology is, but how effective it is.
It is more accurate to say that, rather, they know that security evolves and, at their heart, are based on models that are able to shift as necessary to meet new security requirements. This information can be seen below.
- A software-defined perimeter system restricts network access to those who meet specific criteria, such as a clean bill of health from a third-party security firm. In order to maintain system integrity, a network must use the least-privilege, need-to-know, and micro-segmentation models. Simply said, an SDP effectively shuts out any potential incursion by using a defined protocol of trust to determine access.
- To avoid undesirable software or malware from entering the company network, utilise a secure web gateway, also called a WebFilter. A web gateway that employs URL filtering, data loss prevention, and other safeguards to block dangerous and risky web destinations on the endpoints is a common security solution. This is a vital component in enhancing the ability to adjust to the observed extension of security boundaries as stated above.
- Behavioral biometrics are used to measure the risk to network security, which can be used to grant or restrict access. Adaptive authentication (also referred to as risk-based authentication) is a type of behavioural biometrics that determines if a user should be granted access to a network and, if granted, what level of access to be granted. The use of passwords has been a known issue for some time. A unique authentication method, such as RBA, removes the friction that comes with using passwords and even two-factor authentication (2FA).
Conclusion
Newer technologies appear to be better alternatives to older systems such as VPNs and firewalls, which are widely understood to be significantly more vulnerable currently than they have ever been.
Cybersecurity investment has increased over the past several years. There has been an increase in cyberattacks. Security risks used to be a nuisance; for example, a virus that made your computer crash. This was all just an innocent little conversation until we began talking about hazards to life and limb, mission-critical systems that cannot fail. In order to meet security requirements, we need to get to the very fabric of the future generation of the internet.
Cybersecurity may or may not be a problem, but the debate is whether it is primarily a matter of money and technology or a problem of strategy and approach.
