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Hybrid cloud security uses a combination of on-premises equipment, private cloud deployments, and public cloud platforms to secure an... Uncategorized Top 6 Hybrid Cloud Security Solutions: Key Features for 2024 Tsippi Dach 10 min read Tsippi Dach Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 1/15/24 Published Hybrid cloud security uses a combination of on-premises equipment, private cloud deployments, and public cloud platforms to secure an organization’s data, apps, and assets. It’s vital to the success of any organization that uses hybrid cloud network infrastructure. The key factors that make hybrid cloud security different from other types of security solutions are flexibility and agility. Your hybrid cloud security solution must be able to prevent, detect, and respond to threats regardless of the assets they compromise. That means being able to detect anomalous behaviors and enforce policies across physical endpoints, cloud-hosted software-as-a-service (SaaS) deployments, and in public cloud data centers. You need visibility and control wherever your organization stores or processes sensitive data. What is Hybrid Cloud Security? To understand hybrid cloud security, we must first cover exactly what the hybrid cloud is and how it works. Hybrid cloud infrastructure generally refers to any combination of public cloud providers (like AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and private cloud environments. It’s easy to predict the security challenges hosting some of your organization’s apps on public cloud infrastructure and other apps on its own private cloud. How do you gain visibility across these different environments? How do you address vulnerabilities and misconfiguration risks? Hybrid cloud architecture can create complex problems for security leaders. However, it provides organizations with much-needed flexibility and offers a wide range of data deployment options. Most enterprises use a hybrid cloud strategy because it’s very rare for a large organization to entrust its entire IT infrastructure to a single vendor. As a result, security leaders need to come up with solutions that address the risks unique to hybrid cloud environments. Key Features of Hybrid Cloud Security An optimized hybrid cloud security solution gives the organization a centralized point of reference for managing security policies and toolsets across the entire environment. This makes it easier for security leaders to solve complex problems and detect advanced threats before they evolve into business disruptions. Hybrid cloud infrastructure can actually improve your security posture if managed appropriately. Some of the things you can do in this kind of environment include: Manage security risk more effectively. Lock down your most sensitive and highly regulated data in infrastructure under your direct control, while saving on cloud computing costs by entrusting less sensitive data to a third party. Distribute points of failure. Diversifying your organization’s cloud infrastructure reduces your dependence on any single cloud platform. This amplifies many of the practical benefits of network segmentation. Implement Zero Trust. Hybrid cloud networks can be configured with strict access control and authentication policies. These policies should work without regard to the network’s location, providing a strong foundation for demonstrating Zero Trust . Navigate complex compliance requirements. Organizations with hybrid cloud infrastructure are well-prepared to meet strict compliance requirements that apply to certain regions, like CCPA or GDPR data classification . With the right tools, demonstrating compliance through custom reports is easy. Real-time monitoring and remediation . With the right hybrid cloud security solutions in place, you can gain in-depth oversight into cloud workloads and respond immediately to security incidents when they occur. How Do Hybrid Cloud Security Solutions Work? Integration with Cloud Platforms The first step towards building a hybrid cloud strategy is determining how your cloud infrastructure deployments will interact with one another. This requires carefully reviewing the capabilities of the major public cloud platforms you use and determining your own private cloud integration capabilities. You will need to ensure seamless operation between these platforms while retaining visibility over your entire network. using APIs to programmatically connect different aspects of your cloud environment can help automate some of the most time-intensive manual tasks. For example, you may need to manage security configurations and patch updates across many different cloud resources. This will be very difficult and time-consuming if done manually, but a well-integrated automation-ready policy management solution can make it easy. Security Controls and Measures Your hybrid cloud solution will also need to provide comprehensive tools for managing firewalls and endpoints throughout your environment. These security tools can’t work in isolation — they need consistent policies informed by observation of your organization’s real-world risk profile. That means you’ll need to deploy a centralized solution for managing the policies and rulesets these devices use, and continuously configure them to address the latest threats. You will also need to configure your hybrid cloud network to prevent lateral movement and make it harder for internal threat actors to execute attacks. This is achieved with network segmentation, which partitions different parts of your network into segments that do not automatically accept traffic from one another. Microsegmentation further isolates different assets in your network according to their unique security needs, allowing access only to an exclusive set of users and assets. Dividing cloud workloads and resources into micro-segmented network zones improves network security and makes it harder for threat actors to successfully launch malware and ransomware attacks. It reduces the attack surface and enhances your endpoint security capabilities by enabling you to quarantine compromised endpoints the moment you detect unauthorized activity. How to Choose a Hybrid Cloud Security Provider Your hybrid cloud security provider should offer an extensive range of features that help you optimize your cloud service provider’s security capabilities. It should seamlessly connect your security team to the cloud platforms it’s responsible for protecting, while providing relevant context and visibility into cloud security threats. Here are some of the key features to look out for when choosing a hybrid cloud security provider: Scalability and Flexibility. The solution must scale according to your hybrid environment’s needs. Changing security providers is never easy, and you should project its capabilities well into the future before deciding to go through with the implementation. Pay close attention to usage and pricing models that may not be economically feasible as your organization grows. SLAs and Compliance. Your provider must offer service-level agreements that guarantee a certain level of performance. These SLAs will also play an important role ensuring compliance requirements are always observed, especially in highly regulated sectors like healthcare. Security Posture Assessment. You must be able to easily leverage the platform to assess and improve your overall security posture in a hybrid cloud model. This requires visibility and control over your data, regardless of where it is stored or processed. Not all hybrid cloud security solutions have the integrations necessary to make this feasible. DevSecOps Integration. Prioritize cloud security providers that offer support for integrating security best practices into DevOps, and providing security support early in the software development lifecycle. If your organization plans on building continuous deployment capabilities now or in the future, you will need to ensure your cloud security platform is capable of supporting those workflows. Top 6 Hybrid Cloud Security Solutions 1. AlgoSec AlgoSec is an application connectivity platform that manages security policies across hybrid and multi-cloud environments . It allows security leaders to take control of their apps and security tools, managing and enforcing policies that safeguard cloud services from threats. AlgoSec supports the automation of data security policy changes and allows users to simulate configuration changes across their tech stack. This makes it a powerful tool for in-depth risk analysis and compliance reporting, while giving security leaders the features they need to address complex hybrid cloud security challenges . Key Features: Complete network visualization. AlgoSec intelligently analyzes application dependencies across the network, giving security teams clear visibility into their network topology. Zero-touch change management. Customers can automate application and policy connectivity changes without requiring manual interaction between administrators and security tools. Comprehensive security policy management. AlgoSec lets administrators manage security policies across cloud and on-premises infrastructure, ensuring consistent security throughout the organization. What Do People Say About AlgoSec? AlgoSec is highly rated for its in-depth policy management capabilities and its intuitive, user-friendly interface. Customers praise its enhanced visibility, intelligent automation, and valuable configuration simulation tools. AlgoSec provides security professionals with an easy way to discover and map their network, and scale policy management even as IT infrastructure grows. 2. Microsoft Azure Security Center Microsoft Azure Security Center provides threat protection and unified security management across hybrid cloud workloads. As a leader in cloud computing, Microsoft has equipped Azure Security Center with a wide range of cloud-specific capabilities like advanced analytics, DevOps integrations, and comprehensive access management features into a single cloud-native solution. Adaptive Application Controls leverages machine learning to give users personalized recommendations for whitelisting applications. Just-in-Time VM Access protects cloud infrastructure from brute force attacks by reducing access when virtual machines are not needed. Key Features: Unified security management. Microsoft’s security platform offers visibility both into cloud workflows and non-cloud assets. It can map your hybrid network and enable proactive threat detection across the enterprise tech stack. Continuous security assessments. The platform supports automated security assessments for network assets, services, and applications. It triggers alerts notifying administrators when vulnerabilities are detected. Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) compatibility. Microsoft enables customers to extend visibility and protection to the IaaS layer, providing uniform security and control across hybrid networks. What Do People Say About Microsoft Azure Security Center? Customers praise Microsoft’s hybrid cloud security solution for its user-friendly interface and integration capabilities. However, many users complain about false positives. These may be the result of security tool misconfigurations that lead to unnecessary disruptions and expensive investigations. 3. Amazon AWS Security Hub Amazon AWS Security Hub is a full-featured cloud security posture management solution that centralized security alerts and enables continuous monitoring of cloud infrastructure. It provides a detailed view of security alerts and compliance status across the hybrid environment. Security leaders can use Amazon AWS Security Hub to automate compliance checks, and manage their security posture through a centralized solution. It provides extensive API support and can integrate with a wide variety of additional tools. Key Features: Automated best practice security checks. AWS can continuously check your security practices against a well-maintained set of standards developed by Amazon security experts. Excellent data visualization capabilities. Administrators can customize the Security Hub dashboard according to specific compliance requirements and generate custom reports to demonstrate security performance. Uniform formatting for security findings. AWS uses its own format — the AWS Security Findings Format (ASFF) — to eliminate the need to normalize data across multiple tools and platforms. What Do People Say About Amazon AWS Security Hub? Amazon’s Security Hub is an excellent choice for native cloud security posture management, providing granular control and easy compliance. However, the platform’s complexity and lack of visibility does not resonate well with all customers. Some organizations will need to spend considerable time and effort building comprehensive security reports. 4. Google Cloud Security Command Center Google’s centralized platform helps administrators identify and remediate security risks in Google Cloud and hybrid environments. It is designed to identify misconfigurations and vulnerabilities while making it easier for security leaders to manage regulatory compliance. Some of the key features it offers include real-time threat detection, security health analytics, and risk assessment tools. Google can also simulate the attack path that threat actors might use to compromise cloud networks. Key Features: Multiple service tiers. The standard service tier provides security health analytics and alerts, while the premium tier offers attack path simulations and event threat detection capabilities. AI-generated summaries. Premium subscribers can read dynamically generated summaries of security findings and attack paths in natural language, reducing this technology’s barrier to entry. Cloud infrastructure entitlement management. Google’s platform supports cloud infrastructure entitlement management, which exposes misconfigurations at the principal account level from an identity-based framework What Do People Say About Google Cloud Security Command Center? Customers applaud the feature included in Google’s premium tier for this service, but complain that it can be hard to get. Not all organizations meet the requirements necessary to use this platform’s most advanced features. Once properly implemented and configured, however, it provides state-of-the-art cloud security that integrates well with Google-centric workflows. 5. IBM Cloud Pak for Security IBM’s cloud security service connects disparate data sources across hybrid and multi-cloud environments to uncover hidden threats. It allows hybrid organizations to advance Zero Trust strategies without compromising on operational security. IBM provides its customers with AI-driven insights, seamless integrations with existing IT environments, and data protection capabilities. It’s especially well-suited for enterprise organizations that want to connect public cloud services with legacy technology deployments that are difficult or expensive to modify. Key Features : Open security. This platform is designed to integrate easily with existing security applications, making it easy for customers to scale their security tech stack and improve policy standards across the enterprise. Improved data stewardship. IBM doesn’t require customers to move their data from one place to another. This makes compliance much easier to manage, especially in complex enterprise environments. Threat intelligence integrations. Customers can integrate IBM Cloud Pak with IBM Threat Intelligence Insights to get detailed and actionable insights delivered to cloud security teams. What Do People Say About IBM Cloud Pak? IBM Cloud Pak helps connect security teams and administrators to the content they need in real time. However, it’s a complicated environment with a significant amount of legacy code, well-established workarounds, and secondary components. This impacts usability and makes it less accessible than other entries on this list. 6. Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud Palo Alto Networks offers comprehensive cloud-native security across multi-cloud and hybrid environments to customers. Prisma Cloud reduces risk and prevents security breaches at multiple points in the application lifecycle. Some of the key features this solution includes are continuous monitoring, API security, and vulnerability management. It provides comprehensive visibility and control to security leaders managing extensive hybrid cloud deployments. Key Features: Hardens CI/CD pipelines. This solution includes robust features for reducing the attack surface of application development environments and protecting CI/CD pipelines. Secures infrastructure-as-code (IaC) deployments. Extensive coverage for detecting and resolving misconfigurations in IaC templates like Terraform, Kubernetes, ARM, and CloudFormation. Provides context-aware prioritization. Palo Alto Networks addresses open source vulnerabilities and license compliance problems contextually, bringing attention to the most important issues first. What Do People Say About Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud? Palo Alto Networks is highly regarded as an enterprise security leader. Many customers praise its products, and Prisma Cloud is no different. However, it comes with a very high price tag that many organizations simply can’t afford. This is especially true when additional integration and implementation costs are factored in. Additionally, some customers have complained about the lack of embedded Identity and Access Management (IAM) controls in the solution. Optimize Hybrid Cloud Security with AlgoSec Security leaders must continually adapt their security deployments to meet evolving cybersecurity threats in hybrid cloud environments. As the threat landscape changes, the organization’s policies and capabilities must adjust to meet new demands. Achieving this level of flexibility is not easy with purely manual configuration and policy workflows. Human error is a major element in many data breaches, and organizations must develop security best practices that address that risk. Implementing the right cloud security platform can make a significant difference when it comes to securing complex hybrid cloud deployments. The ability to simulate in-depth configuration changes and automate the deployment of those changes across the entire environment offers significant advantages to operational security. Consider making AlgoSec your cybersecurity co-pilot for identifying vulnerabilities and addressing security gaps. Avoid costly misconfigurations and leverage intelligent automation to make your hybrid cloud environment more secure than ever before. Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* Phone number* country* Select country... By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

Minimize risks and maximize benefits with a successful data center migration Explore key considerations and strategies Data center migration checklist + project plan template Yes, AlgoSec supports continuous compliance monitoring. As organizations adapt their security policies to meet emerging threats and address new vulnerabilities, they must constantly verify these changes against the compliance frameworks they subscribe to. Can AlgoSec be used for continuous compliance monitoring? Select a size Which network Get the latest insights from the experts Use these six best practices to simplify compliance and risk mitigation with the AlgoSec White paper Learn how AlgoSec can help you pass PCI-DSS Audits and ensure Solution overview See how this customer improved compliance readiness and risk Case study Schedule time with one of our experts Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... phone By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

Knowing how to select and position security capabilities in different cloud deployment models is critical to comprehensive security... Cloud Security Understanding Security Considerations in IaaS/PaaS/SaaS Deployments Rony Moshkovich 7 min read Rony Moshkovich Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 11/24/22 Published Knowing how to select and position security capabilities in different cloud deployment models is critical to comprehensive security across your organization. Implementing the right pattern allows you to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of cloud data assets. It can also improve incident response to security threats. Additionally, security teams and cloud security architects no longer have to rely on pre-set security templates or approaches built for on-premises environments. Instead, they must adapt to the specific security demands of the cloud and integrate them with the overall cloud strategy. This can be accomplished by re-evaluating defense mechanisms and combining cloud-native security and vendor tools. Here, we’ll break down the security requirements and best practices for cloud service models like IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. Do you have cloud security architects on board? We’ll also cover their roles and the importance of leveraging native security tools specific to each model. Managing Separation of Responsibilities with the Cloud Service Provider Secure cloud deployments start with understanding responsibilities. Where do you stand, and what is expected of you? There are certain security responsibilities the cloud security provider takes care of and those that the customer handles. This division of responsibilities means adjusting focus and using different measures to ensure security is necessary. Therefore, organizations must consider implementing compensating controls and alternative security measures to make up for any limitations in the cloud service provider’s security offerings. Security Considerations for SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) Deployments The specific security requirements in SaaS deployments may vary between services. However, it’s important to consider the following areas: Data protection During cloud deployments, protecting data assets is a tough nut to crack for many organizations. As a SaaS provider, ensuring data protection is crucial because you handle and store sensitive customer data. Encryption must be implemented for data in transit and at rest. Protecting data at rest is the cloud provider’s responsibility, whereas you are responsible for data in transit. The cloud provider implements security measures like encryption, access controls, and physical security to protect the data stored in their infrastructure. On the other hand, it’s your responsibility to implement secure communication protocols like encryption, ensuring data remains protected when it moves between your SaaS application. Additionally, best practice solutions may offer you the option of managing your encryption keys so that cloud operations staff cannot decrypt customer data. Interfacing with the Cloud Service There are a number of security considerations to keep in mind when interacting with a SaaS deployment. These include validating data inputs, implementing secure APIs, and securing communication channels. It’s crucial to use secure protocols like HTTPS and to ensure that the necessary authentication and authorization mechanisms are in place. You may also want to review and monitor access logs frequently to spot and address any suspicious activity. Application Security in SaaS During SaaS deployments, it’s essential to ensure application security. For instance, secure coding practices, continuous vulnerability assessments, and comprehensive application testing all contribute to effective SaaS application security. Cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection are some of the common web application cyber-attacks today. You can improve the application’s security posture by implementing the right input validation, regular security patches from the SaaS provider, and web application firewalls (WAFs). Cloud Identity and Access Controls Here, you must define how cloud services will integrate and federate with existing enterprise identity and access management (IAM) systems. This ensures a consistent and secure access control framework. Implementing strong authentication mechanisms like multifactor authentication (MFA) and enforcing proper access controls based on roles and responsibilities are necessary security requirements. You should also consider using Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) tools to provide adaptive and risk-based access controls. Regulatory Compliance Using a cloud service doesn’t exempt one from regulatory compliance, and cloud architects must design the SaaS architecture to align with these requirements. But why are these stringent requirements there in the first place? The purpose of these regulations is to protect consumer privacy by enforcing confidentiality, integrity, availability, and accountability. So, achieving compliance means you meet these regulations. It demonstrates that your applications and tech stack maintain secure privacy levels. Failure to comply could cost money in the form of fines, legal action, and a damaged reputation. You don’t want that. Security Considerations for PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) Deployments PaaS security considerations during deployments will address all the SaaS areas. But as a PaaS customer, there are slight differences you should know. For example, more options exist to configure how data is protected and who can do what with it. As such, the responsibility of user permissions may be given to you. On the other hand, some PaaS providers may have built-in tools and mechanisms for managing user permissions. So, what are the other key areas you want to address to ensure a secure environment for PaaS deployments? We’ll start with the application security. Application Security The customer is responsible for securing the applications they build and deploy on the PaaS platform. Securing application platforms is necessary, and cloud architects must ensure this from the design and development stage. So, what do you do to ensure application security? It all starts from the onset. From secure coding practices, addressing application vulnerabilities, and conducting regular security testing. You’ll often find that most security vulnerabilities are introduced from the early stages of software development. If you can identify and fix potential flaws using penetration testing and threat modeling practices, you’re on your way to successful deployment. Data Security PaaS cloud security deployments offer more flexibility and allow customers control over their data and user entitlements. What this means is you can build and deploy your own applications on the platform. You can configure security measures and controls within your applications by defining who has access to applications, what they can do, and how data is protected. Here, cloud security architects and security teams can ensure data classification and access controls, determining appropriate encryption keys management practices, secure data integration and APIs, and data governance. Ultimately, configuring data protection mechanisms and user permissions provides customers with greater customization and control. Platform Security The platform itself, including the operating system, underlying infrastructure, data centers, and middleware, need to be protected. This is the responsibility of the PaaS provider. They must ensure that the components that keep the platform up are functional at all times. Network Security In PaaS environments, identity and roles are primarily used for network security to determine access to resources and data in the PaaS platform. As such, the most important factor to consider in this case is verifying the user identity and managing access based on their roles and permissions. Rather than relying on traditional network security measures like perimeter controls, IDS/IPS, and traffic monitoring, there is a shift to user-centric access controls. Security Considerations for IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service) Cloud Deployments When it comes to application and software security, IaaS security during cloud deployment is similar. If you’re an IaaS customer, there are slight differences in how IaaS cloud deployment is handled. For example, while the cloud provider handles the hypervisor or virtualized layer, everything else is the customers’ responsibility. So, you must secure the cloud deployment by implementing appropriate security measures to safeguard their applications and data. Due to different deployment patterns, some security tools that work well for SaaS may not be suitable for IaaS. For example, we discussed how CASB could be excellent for cloud identity, data, and access controls in SaaS applications. However, this may not be effective in IaaS environments. Your cloud architects and security teams must understand these differences when deploying IaaS. They should consider alternative or additional security measures in certain areas to ensure more robust security during cloud deployments. These areas are: Access Management IaaS deployment requires you to consider several identity and access management (IAM) dimensions. For example, cloud architects must consider access to the operating system, including applications and middleware installed on them. Additionally, they must also consider privileged access, such as root or administrative access at the OS level. Keep in mind that IaaS has additional access layers. These consist of access to the IaaS console and other cloud provider features that may offer insights about or impact the operation of cloud resources. For example, key management and auditing and resource configuration and hardening. It’s important to clarify who has access to these areas and what they can do. Regular Patching There are more responsibilities for you. The IaaS customer is responsible for keeping workloads updated and maintained. This typically includes the OS itself and any additional software installed on the virtual machines. Therefore, cloud architects must apply the same vigilance to cloud workloads as they would to on-premises servers regarding patching and maintenance. This ensures proactive, consistent, and timely updates that ensure the security and stability of cloud workloads. Network Security IaaS customers must configure and manage security mechanisms within their virtual networks. This includes setting firewalls, using intrusion detection and intrusion prevention systems (IDS/IPS), establishing secure connections (VPN), and network monitoring. On the other hand, the cloud provider ensures network security for the underlying network infrastructure, like routers and switches. They also ensure physical security by protecting network infrastructure from unauthorized access. Data Protection While IaaS providers ensure the physical security of data centers, IaaS customers must secure their own data in the IaaS environment. They need to protect data stored in databases, virtual machines (VMs), and any other storage system provisioned by the IaaS provider. Some IaaS providers, especially large ones, offer encryption capabilities for the VMs created on their platform. This feature is typically free or low-priced. It’s up to you to decide whether managing your own encryption keys is more effective or to choose the provider’s offerings. If you decide to go for this feature, it’s important to clarify how encrypting data at rest may affect other services from the IaaS provider, such as backup and recovery. Leveraging Native Cloud Security Tools Just like the encryption feature, some cloud service providers offer a range of native tools to help customers enforce effective security. These tools are available for IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS cloud services. While customers may decide not to use them, the low financial and operational impact of native cloud security tools on businesses makes them a smart decision. It allows you to address several security requirements quickly and easily due to seamless control integration. However, it’s still important to decide which controls are useful and where they are needed. Conclusion Cloud security architecture is always evolving. And this continuous change makes cloud environments more complex and dynamic. From misconfigurations to data loss, many challenges can make secure cloud deployments for IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS services more challenging. Prevasio, an AlgoSec company, is your trusted cloud security partner that helps your organization streamline cloud deployments. Our cloud-native application provides increased risk visibility and control over security and compliance requirements. Contact us now to learn more about how you can expedite your cloud security operations. Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* Phone number* country* Select country... By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

Security Policy Management with Professor Wool Managing Business Application Connectivity Managing Business Application Connectivity is a whiteboard-style series of lessons that examine the challenges of and provide technical tips for provisioning and decommissioning application connectivity across enterprise networks and data centers. Lesson 1 In this lesson, Professor Wool examines the challenges of managing data center applications and their connectivity requirements. Professor Wool also offers tips for bridging the gap between application owners and network and security teams - to ensure faster, more secure deployment, maintenance and decommissioning of critical applications. Examining the Need for Application-Centric Security Policy Management Watch Lesson 2 In this lesson, Professor Wool discusses how to look at and prioritize network security vulnerabilities in a new way - from the perspective of the business applications in your data center. How to Prioritize Risk from the Business Perspective Watch Lesson 3 In this lesson, Professor Wool examines how to leverage firewall rules for discovering the connectivity requirements of data center applications. Tips to Discover Business Application Connectivity Requirements Watch Lesson 4 In this lesson, Professor Wool examines the challenges of decommissioning business applications and offers recommendations for improving security without impacting network operations by removing firewall rules that are no longer in use. Tips for Secure Decommissioning of Business Applications Watch Lesson 5 How to Automatically Identify Business Application Connectivity Needs from Network Traffic Watch Lesson 6 The Different Data Sources for Application Connectivity Discovery Watch Lesson 7 How to Aggregate Network Flows Into Application Flows Watch Lesson 8 The Benefits of Mapping Firewall Rules to Business Applications Watch Have a Question for Professor Wool? Ask him now Choose a better way to manage your network Choose a better way to manage your network Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... phone By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

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Boost Cisco ACI adoption with AlgoSec. Simplify security management, enhance visibility, and streamline policy automation for your ACI environment. Increasing Cisco ACI adoption with AlgoSec ------- ---- Select a size ----- Get the latest insights from the experts Choose a better way to manage your network

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Modern organizations face a wide and constantly changing range of network security threats, and security leaders must constantly update... Network Security Network Security Threats & Solutions for Cybersecurity Leaders Tsippi Dach 9 min read Tsippi Dach Tsippi Dach is the director of marketing communications at AlgoSec. Tsippi has an extensive experience in product and corporate marketing, and has worked in some of the leading and prestigious cyber security and technology companies. In her free time, Tsippi likes spending time with her family, hiking and learning about health and medicine. Tags Share this article 2/11/24 Published Modern organizations face a wide and constantly changing range of network security threats, and security leaders must constantly update their security posture against them. As threat actors change their tactics, techniques, and procedures, exploit new vulnerabilities , and deploy new technologies to support their activities — it’s up to security teams to respond by equipping themselves with solutions that address the latest threats. The arms race between cybersecurity professionals and cybercriminals is ongoing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, high-profile ransomware attacks took the industry by storm. When enterprise security teams responded by implementing secure backup functionality and endpoint detection and response, cybercriminals shifted towards double extortion attacks. The cybercrime industry constantly invests in new capabilities to help hackers breach computer networks and gain access to sensitive data. Security professionals must familiarize themselves with the latest network security threats and deploy modern solutions that address them. What are the Biggest Network Security Threats? 1. Malware-based Cyberattacks Malware deserves a category of its own because so many high-profile attacks rely on malicious software to work. These include everything from the Colonial Pipeline Ransomware attack to historical events like Stuxnet . Broadly speaking, cyberattacks that rely on launching malicious software on computer systems are part of this category. There are many different types of malware-based cyberattacks, and they vary widely in scope and capability. Some examples include: Viruses. Malware that replicates itself by inserting its own code into other applications are called viruses. They can spread across devices and networks very quickly. Ransomware. This type of malware focuses on finding and encrypting critical data on the victim’s network and then demanding payment for the decryption key. Cybercriminals typically demand payment in the form of cryptocurrency, and have developed a sophisticated industrial ecosystem for conducting ransomware attacks. Spyware. This category includes malware variants designed to gather information on victims and send it to a third party without your consent. Sometimes cybercriminals do this as part of a more elaborate cyberattack. Other times it’s part of a corporate espionage plan. Some spyware variants collect sensitive information that cybercriminals value highly. Trojans. These are malicious applications disguised as legitimate applications. Hackers may hide malicious code inside legitimate software in order to trick users into becoming victims of the attack. Trojans are commonly hidden as an email attachment or free-to-download file that launches its malicious payload after being opened in the victim’s environment. Fileless Malware. This type of malware leverages legitimate tools native to the IT environment to launch an attack. This technique is also called “living off the land” because hackers can exploit applications and operating systems from inside, without having to download additional payloads and get them past firewalls. 2. Network-Based Attacks These are attacks that try to impact network assets or functionality, often through technical exploitations. Network-based attacks typically start at the edge of the network, where it sends and receives traffic to the public internet. Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attacks. These attacks overwhelm network resources, leading to downtime and service unavailability, and in some cases, data loss . To launch DDoS attacks, cybercriminals must gain control over a large number of compromised devices and turn them into bots. Once thousands (or millions) of bots using unique IP addresses request server resources, the server breaks down and stops functioning. Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks: These attacks let cybercriminals eavesdrop on communications between two parties. In some cases, they can also alter the communications between both parties, allowing them to plan and execute more complex attacks. Many different types of man-in-the-middle attacks exist, including IP spoofing, DNS spoofing, SSL stripping, and others. 3. Social Engineering and Phishing These attacks are not necessarily technical exploits. They focus more on abusing the trust that human beings have in one another. Usually, they involve the attacker impersonating someone in order to convince the victim to give up sensitive data or grant access to a secure asset. Phishing Attacks. This is when hackers create fake messages telling victims to take some kind of action beneficial to the attacker. These deceptive messages can result in the theft of login credentials, credit card information, or more. Most major institutions are regularly impersonated by hackers running phishing scams, like the IRS . Social Engineering Attacks. These attacks use psychological manipulation to trick victims into divulging confidential information. A common example might be a hacker contacting a company posing as a third-party technology vendor, asking for access to a secure system, or impersonating the company CEO and demanding an employee pay a fictitious invoice. 4. Insider Threats and Unauthorized Access These network security threats are particularly dangerous because they are very difficult to catch. Most traditional security tools are not configured to detect malicious insiders, who generally have permission to access sensitive data and assets. Insider Threats. Employees, associates, and partners with access to sensitive data may represent severe security risks. If an authorized user decides to steal data and sell it to a hacker or competitor, you may not be able to detect their attack using traditional security tools. That’s what makes insider threats so dangerous, because they are often undetectable. Unauthorized Access. This includes a broad range of methods used to gain illegal access to networks or systems. The goal is usually to steal data or alter it in some way. Attackers may use credential-stuffing attacks to access sensitive networks, or they can try brute force methods that involve automatically testing millions of username and password combinations until they get the right one. This often works because people reuse passwords that are easy to remember. Solutions to Network Security Threats Each of the security threats listed above comes with a unique set of risks, and impacts organizations in a unique way. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to navigating these risks. Every organization has to develop a cybersecurity policy that meets its specific needs. However, the most secure organizations usually share the following characteristics. Fundamental Security Measures Well-configured Firewalls. Firewalls control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on security rules. These rules can deny unauthorized traffic attempting to connect with sensitive network assets and block sensitive information from traveling outside the network. In each case, robust configuration is key to making the most of your firewall deployment . Choosing a firewall security solution like AlgoSec can dramatically improve your defenses against complex network threats. Anti-malware and Antivirus Software. These solutions detect and remove malicious software throughout the network. They run continuously, adapting their automated scans to include the latest threat detection signatures so they can block malicious activity before it leads to business disruption. Since these tools typically rely on threat signatures, they cannot catch zero-day attacks that leverage unknown vulnerabilities. Advanced Protection Tools Intrusion Prevention Systems. These security tools monitor network traffic for behavior that suggests unauthorized activity. When they find evidence of cyberattacks and security breaches, they launch automated responses that block malicious activity and remove unauthorized users from the network. Network Segmentation. This is the process of dividing networks into smaller segments to control access and reduce the attack surface. Highly segmented networks are harder to compromise because hackers have to repeatedly pass authentication checks to move from one network zone to another. This increases the chance that they fail, or generate activity unusual enough to trigger an alert. Security and Information Event Management (SIEM) platforms. These solutions give security analysts complete visibility into network and application activity across the IT environment. They capture and analyze log data from firewalls, endpoint devices, and other assets and correlate them together so that security teams can quickly detect and respond to unauthorized activity, especially insider threats. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR). These solutions provide real-time visibility into the activities of endpoint devices like laptops, desktops, and mobile phones. They monitor these devices for threat indicators and automatically respond to identified threats before they can reach the rest of the network. More advanced Extended Detection and Response (XDR) solutions draw additional context and data from third party security tools and provide in-depth automation . Authentication and Access Control Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). This technology enhances security by requiring users to submit multiple forms of verification before accessing sensitive data. This makes it useful against phishing attacks, social engineering, and insider threats, because hackers need more than just a password to gain entry to secure networks. MFA also plays an important role in Zero Trust architecture. Strong Passwords and Access Policies. There is no replacement for strong password policies and securely controlling user access to sensitive data. Security teams should pay close attention to password policy compliance, making sure employees do not reuse passwords across accounts and avoid simple memory hacks like adding sequential numbers to existing passwords. Preventing Social Engineering and Phishing While SIEM platforms, MFA policies and strong passwords go a long way towards preventing social engineering and phishing attacks, there are a few additional security measures worth taking to reduce these risks: Security Awareness Training. Leverage a corporate training LMS to educate employees about phishing and social engineering tactics. Phishing simulation exercises can help teach employees how to distinguish phishing messages from legitimate ones, and pinpoint the users at highest risk of falling for a phishing scam. Email Filtering and Verification: Email security tools can identify and block phishing emails before they arrive in the inbox. They often rely on scanning the reputation of servers that send incoming emails, and can detect discrepancies in email metadata that suggest malicious intent. Even if these solutions generally can’t keep 100% of malicious emails out of the inbox, they significantly reduce email-related threat risks. Dealing with DDoS and MitM Attacks These technical exploits can lead to significant business disruption, especially when undertaken by large-scale threat actors with access to significant resources. Your firewall configuration and VPN policies will make the biggest difference here: DDoS Prevention Systems. Protect against distributed denial of service attacks by implementing third-party DDoS prevention solutions, deploying advanced firewall configurations, and using load balancers. Some next generation firewalls (NGFWs) can increase protection against DDoS attacks by acting as a handshake proxy and dropping connection requests that do not complete the TCP handshake process. VPNs and Encryption: VPNs provide secure communication channels that prevent MitM attacks and data eavesdropping. Encrypted traffic can only be intercepted by attackers who go through the extra step of obtaining the appropriate decryption key. This makes it much less likely they focus on your organization instead of less secure ones that are easier to target. Addressing Insider Threats Insider threats are a complex security issue that require deep, multi-layered solutions to address. This is especially true when malicious insiders are actually employees with legitimate user credentials and privileges. Behavioral Auditing and Monitoring: Regular assessments and monitoring of user activities and network traffic are vital for detecting insider threats . Security teams need to look beyond traditional security deployments and gain insight into user behaviors in order to catch authorized users doing suspicious things like escalating their privileges or accessing sensitive data they do not normally access. Zero Trust Security Model. Assume no user or device is trustworthy until verified. Multiple layers of verification between highly segmented networks — with multi-factor authentication steps at each layer — can make it much harder for insider threats to steal data and conduct cyberattacks. Implementing a Robust Security Strategy Directly addressing known threats should be just one part of your cybersecurity strategy. To fully protect your network and assets from unknown risks, you must also implement a strong security posture that can address risks associated with new and emerging cyber threats. Continual Assessment and Improvement The security threat landscape is constantly changing, and your security posture must adapt and change in response. It’s not always easy to determine exactly how your security posture should change, which is why forward-thinking security leaders periodically invest in vulnerability assessments designed to identify security vulnerabilities that may have been overlooked. Once you have a list of security weaknesses you need to address, you can begin the process of proactively addressing them by configuring your security tech stack and developing new incident response playbooks. These playbooks will help you establish a coordinated, standardized response to security incidents and data breaches before they occur. Integration of Security Tools Coordinating incident response plans isn’t easy when every tool in your tech stack has its own user interface and access control permissions. You may need to integrate your security tools into a single platform that allows security teams to address issues across your entire network from a single point of reference. This will help you isolate and address security issues on IoT devices and mobile devices without having to dedicate a particular team member exclusively to that responsibility. If a cyberattack that targets mobile apps occurs, your incident response plan won’t be limited by the bottleneck of having a single person with sufficient access to address it. Similarly, highly integrated security tools that leverage machine learning and automation can enhance the scalability of incident response and speed up incident response processes significantly. Certain incident response playbooks can be automated entirely, providing near-real-time protection against sophisticated threats and freeing your team to focus on higher-impact strategic initiatives. Developing and Enforcing Security Policies Developing and enforcing security policies is one of the high-impact strategic tasks your security team should dedicate a great deal of time and effort towards. Since the cybersecurity threat landscape is constantly changing, you must commit to adapting your policies in response to new and emerging threats quickly. That means developing a security policy framework that covers all aspects of network and data security. Similarly, you can pursue compliance with regulatory standards that ensure predictable outcomes from security incidents. Achieving compliance with standards like NIST, CMMC, PCI-DSS, and HIPPA can help you earn customers’ trust and open up new business opportunities. AlgoSec: Your Partner in Network Security Protecting against network threats requires continuous vigilance and the ability to adapt to fast-moving changes in the security landscape. Every level of your organization must be engaged in security awareness and empowered to report potential security incidents. Policy management and visibility platforms like AlgoSec can help you gain control over your security tool configurations. This enhances the value of continuous vigilance and improvement, and boosts the speed and accuracy of policy updates using automation. Consider making AlgoSec your preferred security policy automation and visibility platform. Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* Phone number* country* Select country... By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call