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  • Case Study Logisticas - AlgoSec

    Case Study Logisticas Horizon Platform released in July 2026. This paper refers to previous product offerings. Download PDF Download PDF Add a Title Add a Title Add a Title Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

  • AlgoSec | Are VLANs secure? VLAN security best practices

    Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) Security Issues You’re in no doubt familiar with Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) technology and its... Information Security Are VLANs secure? VLAN security best practices Kevin Beaver 2 min read Kevin Beaver 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 9/23/14 Published Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) Security Issues You’re in no doubt familiar with Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) technology and its ability to segment traffic within your network. It’s one of those decades-old technologies that businesses have come to rely on to reduce costs, minimize network broadcast domains, and protect certain systems from others. It sounds good on paper but it’s rare to see a VLAN environment that’s truly configured in the right way in order to realize its intended benefits. For example, I’ve seen some networks segmented by physical switches rather than using logical VLANs configured within each managed switch. This means that anyone on the same physical switch/broadcast domain can see every host on that segment. And if they want to see all traffic, it’s often just a matter of using Cain & Abel’s ARP Poison Routing feature . This is not an effective way to manage network devices and there’s no way to prevent inadvertent connections to the wrong segment during network upgrades, troubleshooting, and the like. It becomes a jumbled mess that negates any perceived switching or VLAN benefits. Furthermore, many “virtual” networks allow anyone to hop between segments if they know the IP addressing scheme. For example, say a user is on the 10.10.10.x network and he wants to get onto the production network of 10.0.0.x. No problem… he just points his Web browser, his vulnerability scanner, or whatever to 10.0.0.x and he’s good to go. Worst case, he might have to configure his system with a static IP address on that network, but that’s simple enough to do. This configuration may be considered a “VLAN” that’s managing broadcast traffic but there are no real ACLs, firewall rules, or packet tagging to prevent unauthorized access by internal attackers, malware, and the like. The network is basically flat with no policies and little to no security between any of the network segments and systems. Another thing to remember is that many VLANs are used to partition networks into distinctive segments to separate business units and their unique data sets. Even if the technical aspects of the VLAN configuration are spot on, these environments are often defined at a very high level without involving the actual business unit managers or information owners, therefore there are often security gaps in the segmentation. This means that information specific to a business unit and believed to be isolated is often anything but – it may well be scattered across numerous other VLANs and network hosts within those segments. How does this happen? Convenience and mobility and general carelessness. Users copy information to places where they can work on it and end up copying it to systems outside of the intended VLAN domain or to different hosts on other VLANs. IT may even copy information for backup or test purposes. Either way, confidential information often ends up on unprotected “islands” that no one knows about until it’s too late. Network security based on VLAN technology can work if it’s done properly. And while it’s not perfect, it can add another layer of security to your environment, one that can make the difference between breach and no breach. Schedule a demo Related Articles Q1 at AlgoSec: What innovations and milestones defined our start to 2026? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud 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* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

  • AlgoSec | Errare humanum est

    Nick Ellsmore is an Australian cybersecurity professional whose thoughts on the future of cybersecurity are always insightful. Having a... Cloud Security Errare humanum est Rony Moshkovich 2 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 11/25/21 Published Nick Ellsmore is an Australian cybersecurity professional whose thoughts on the future of cybersecurity are always insightful. Having a deep respect for Nick, I really enjoyed listening to his latest podcast “Episode 79 Making the cyber sector redundant with Nick Ellsmore” . As Nick opened the door to debate on “all the mildly controversial views” he has put forward in the podcast, I decided to take a stab at a couple of points made by Nick. For some mysterious reason, these points have touched my nerve. So, here we go. Nick: The cybersecurity industry, we spent so long trying to get people to listen to us and take the issue seriously, you know, we’re now getting that, you know. Are the businesses really responding because we were trying to get people to listen to us? Let me rephrase this question. Are the businesses really spending more on cybersecurity because we were trying to get people to listen to us? The “cynical me” tells me No. Businesses are spending more on cybersecurity because they are losing more due to cyber incidents. It’s not the number of incidents; it’s their impact that is increasingly becoming devastating. Over the last ten years, there were plenty of front-page headliners that shattered even seemingly unshakable businesses and government bodies. Think of Target attack in 2013, the Bank of Bangladesh heist in 2016, Equifax breach in 2017, SolarWinds hack in 2020 .. the list goes on. We all know how Uber tried to bribe attackers to sweep the stolen customer data under the rug. But how many companies have succeeded in doing so without being caught? How many cyber incidents have never been disclosed? These headliners don’t stop. Each of them is another reputational blow, impacted stock options, rolled heads, stressed-out PR teams trying to play down the issue, knee-jerk reaction to acquire snake-oil-selling startups, etc. We’re not even talking about skewed election results (a topic for another discussion). Each one of them comes at a considerable cost. So no wonder many geniuses now realise that spending on cybersecurity can actually mitigate those risks. It’s not our perseverance that finally started paying off. It’s their pockets that started hurting. Nick: I think it’s important that we don’t lose sight of the fact that this is actually a bad thing to have to spend money on. Like, the reason that we’re doing this is not healthy. .. no one gets up in the morning and says, wow, I can’t wait to, you know, put better locks on my doors. It’s not the locks we sell. We sell gym membership. We want people to do something now to stop bad things from happening in the future. It’s a concept of hygiene, insurance, prevention, health checks. People are free not to pursue these steps, and run their business the way they used to .. until they get hacked, get into the front page, wondering first “Why me?” and then appointing a scapegoat. Nick: And so I think we need to remember that, in a sense, our job is to create the entire redundancy of this sector. Like, if we actually do our job, well, then we all have to go and do something else, because security is no longer an issue. It won’t happen due to 2 main reasons. Émile Durkheim believed in a “society of saints”. Unfortunately, it is a utopia. Greed, hunger, jealousy, poverty are the never-ending satellites of the human race that will constantly fuel crime. Some of them are induced by wars, some — by corrupt regimes, some — by sanctions, some — by imperfect laws. But in the end — there will always be Haves and Have Nots, and therefore, fundamental inequality. And that will feed crime. “Errare humanum est” , Seneca. To err is human. Because of human errors, there will always be vulnerabilities in code. Because of human nature (and as its derivative, geopolitical or religious tension, domination, competition, nationalism, fight for resources), there will always be people willing to and capable of exploiting those vulnerabilities. Mix those two ingredients — and you get a perfect recipe for cybercrime. Multiply that with never-ending computerisation, automation, digital transformation, and you get a constantly growing attack surface. No matter how well we do our job, we can only control cybercrime and keep the lid on it, but we can’t eradicate it. Thinking we could would be utopic. Another important consideration here is budget constraints. Building proper security is never fun — it’s a tedious process that burns cash but produces no tangible outcome. Imagine a project with an allocated budget B to build a product P with a feature set F, in a timeframe T. Quite often, such a project will be underfinanced, potentially leading to a poor choice of coders, overcommitted promises, unrealistic expectations. Eventually leading to this (oldie, but goldie): Add cybersecurity to this picture, and you’ll get an extra step that seemingly complicates everything even further: The project investors will undoubtedly question why that extra step was needed. Is there a new feature that no one else has? Is there a unique solution to an old problem? None of that? Then what’s the justification for such over-complication? Planning for proper cybersecurity built-in is often perceived as FUD. If it’s not tangible, why do we need it? Customers won’t see it. No one will see it. Scary stories in the press? Nah, that’ll never happen to us. In some way, extra budgeting for cybersecurity is anti-capitalistic in nature. It increases the product cost and, therefore, its price, making it less competitive. It defeats the purpose of outsourcing product development, often making outsourcing impossible. From the business point of view, putting “Sec” into “DevOps” does not make sense. That’s Ok. No need. .. until it all gloriously hits the fan, and then we go back to STEP 1. Then, maybe, just maybe, the customer will say, “If we have budgeted for that extra step, then maybe we would have been better off”. Schedule a demo Related Articles Q1 at AlgoSec: What innovations and milestones defined our start to 2026? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud 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* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

  • AlgoSec | Navigating the complex landscape of dynamic app security with AlgoSec Horizon AppViz

    In the fast-paced world of technology, where innovation drives success, organizations find themselves in a perpetual race to enhance their applications, captivate customers, and stay ahead of the competition. But as your organization launches its latest flagship CRM solution after months of meticulous planning, have you considered what happens beyond Day 0 or Day 1 of the rollout? Picture this: your meticulously diagrammed application architecture is in place, firewalls are fortified, and... Application Connectivity Management Navigating the complex landscape of dynamic app security with AlgoSec Horizon AppViz Malcom Sargla 2 min read Malcom Sargla 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 8/10/23 Published In the fast-paced world of technology, where innovation drives success, organizations find themselves in a perpetual race to enhance their applications, captivate customers, and stay ahead of the competition. But as your organization launches its latest flagship CRM solution after months of meticulous planning, have you considered what happens beyond Day 0 or Day 1 of the rollout? Picture this: your meticulously diagrammed application architecture is in place, firewalls are fortified, and cloud policies are strategically aligned. The application tiers are defined, the flows are crystal clear, and security guardrails are firmly established to safeguard your prized asset. The stage is set for success – until the application inevitably evolves, communicates, and grows. This dynamic nature of applications presents a new challenge: ensuring their security, compliance, and optimal performance while navigating a complex web of relationships. Do you know who your Apps are hanging out with? Enter AlgoSec Horizon AppViz – the game-changing solution that unveil the hidden intricacies of your application ecosystem, ensuring a secure and accelerated application delivery process. In a world where agility, insights, and outcomes reign supreme, Horizon AppViz offers a revolutionary approach to handling application security. The urgent need for application agility In a landscape driven by customer demands, competitive advantages, and revenue growth, organizations can’t afford to rest on their laurels. However, as applications become increasingly complex, managing them becomes a monumental task: – Infrastructure Complexity: Juggling on-premises, cloud, and multi-vendor solutions is a daunting endeavor. – Conflicting Demands: Balancing the needs of development, operations, and management often leads to a tug-of-war. – Rising Customer Expectations: Meeting stringent time-to-market and feature release demands becomes a challenge. – Resource Constraints : A scarcity of application, networking, and security resources hampers progress. – Instant Global Impact: A single misstep in application delivery or performance can be broadcasted worldwide in seconds. – Unseen Threats: Zero-day vulnerabilities and ever-evolving threat landscapes keep organizations on edge. The high stakes of ignoring dynamic application management Failure to adopt a holistic and dynamic approach to application delivery and security management can result in dire consequences for your business: – Delayed Time-to-Market: Lags in application deployment can translate to missed opportunities and revenue loss. – Revenue Erosion: Unsatisfied customers and delayed releases can dent your bottom line. – Operational Inefficiencies: Productivity takes a hit as resources are wasted on inefficient processes. – Wasted Investments: Ill-informed decisions lead to unnecessary spending. – Customer Dissatisfaction: Poor application experiences erode customer trust and loyalty. – Brand Erosion: Negative publicity from application failures tarnishes your brand image. – Regulatory Woes: Non-compliance and governance violations invite legal repercussions. The AlgoSec Horizon AppViz advantage So, how does Horizon AppViz address these challenges and fortify your application ecosystem? Let’s take a closer look at its groundbreaking features: – Dynamic Application Learning: Seamlessly integrates with leading security solutions to provide real-time insights into application paths and relationships. – Real-time Health Monitoring: Instantly detects and alerts you to unhealthy application relationships. – Intelligent Policy Management: Streamlines security policy control, ensuring compliance and minimizing risk. – Automated Provisioning: Safely provisions applications with verified business requirements, eliminating uncertainty. – Micro-Segmentation Mastery: Enables precise micro-segmentation, enhancing security without disrupting functionality. – Vulnerability Visibility: Identifies and helps remediate vulnerabilities within your business-critical applications. In a world where application agility is paramount, AlgoSec Horizon AppViz emerges as the bridge between innovation and security. With its robust features and intelligent insights, Horizon AppViz empowers organizations to confidently navigate the dynamic landscape of application security, achieving business outcomes that set them apart in a fiercely competitive environment. Request a demo and embrace the future of application agility – embrace AlgoSec Horizon AppViz. Secure, accelerate, and elevate your application delivery today. Schedule a demo Related Articles Q1 at AlgoSec: What innovations and milestones defined our start to 2026? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud 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* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

  • Executive Brochure – Secure application connectivity anywhere - AlgoSec

    Executive Brochure – Secure application connectivity anywhere Download PDF Download PDF Add a Title Add a Title Add a Title Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

  • Cutting the kill chain - AlgoSec

    Cutting the kill chain Download PDF Download PDF Add a Title Add a Title Add a Title Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

  • Secure Application Connectivity with Automation | AlgoSec

    In this webinar, our experts show how application centric automation can help secure connectivity Webinars Secure Application Connectivity with Automation In this webinar, our experts show how application centric automation can help secure connectivity. How can a high degree of application connectivity be achieved when your data is widely distributed? Efficient cloud management helps simplify today’s complex network environment, allowing you to secure application connectivity anywhere. But it can be hard to achieve sufficient visibility when your data is dispersed across numerous public clouds, private clouds, and on-premises devices. Today it is easier than ever to speed up application delivery across a hybrid cloud environment while maintaining a high level of security. In this webinar, we’ll discuss: – The basics of managing multiple workloads in the cloud – How to create a successful enterprise-level security management program – The structure of effective hybrid cloud management March 22, 2022 Asher Benbenisty Director of product marketing Relevant resources Best Practices for Incorporating Security Automation into the DevOps Lifecycle Watch Video Avoiding the Security/Agility Tradeoff with Network Security Policy Automation Keep Reading 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... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

  • Cloud network security report 2025 - AlgoSec

    Cloud network security report 2025 Datasheet Download PDF Download PDF Add a Title Add a Title Add a Title Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

  • Bridging NetOps and SecOps: An Experts’ Panel

    Silos hurt security NetworkSecurity is the responsibility of both NetOps SecOps In this panel with Cisco, Conscia AlgoSec security experts, we’ll share how to bring the teams together Webinars Bridging NetOps and SecOps: An Experts’ Panel Silos hurt security. Your network and its security are not managed by just one team. It is the responsibility of both NetOps and SecOps, but these teams don’t always play well together. In this security experts’ panel, Doug Hurd from Cisco, Henrik Skovfoged from Conscia, Oren Amiram and Tsippi Dach from AlgoSec will share how you can bring NetOps and SecOps teams together with Cisco ACI, Cisco Secure Workload (formerly Cisco Tetration) and AlgoSec. Discover how NetOps and SecOps teams can: Bridge the NetOps/SecOps divide, improve communication, and break down the silos between network and security. Align network, security, and business application owners Improve the entire network security with Cisco Secure Workload and firewall management Automate tasks and gain network traffic visibility of networks and security controls for threat detection, analysis and response across Cisco ACI and the entire hybrid and multi-vendor network. March 16, 2021 Alex Hilton Chief Executive at Cloud Industry Forum (CIF) Tsippi Dach Director of marketing communications Relevant resources Cisco & AlgoSec achieving application-driven security across your hybrid network Keep Reading DevSecOps: Putting the Sec into the DevOps Keep Reading 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... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

  • AlgoSec | Securing Cloud-Native Environments: Containerized Applications, Serverless Architectures, and Microservices

    Enterprises are embracing cloud platforms to drive innovation, enhance operational efficiency, and gain a competitive edge. Cloud... Hybrid Cloud Security Management Securing Cloud-Native Environments: Containerized Applications, Serverless Architectures, and Microservices Malcom Sargla 2 min read Malcom Sargla 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 9/6/23 Published Enterprises are embracing cloud platforms to drive innovation, enhance operational efficiency, and gain a competitive edge. Cloud services provided by industry giants like Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Azure, AWS, IBM, and Oracle offer scalability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness that make them an attractive choice for businesses. One of the significant trends in cloud-native application development is the adoption of containerized applications, serverless architectures, and microservices. While these innovations bring numerous benefits, they also introduce unique security risks and vulnerabilities that organizations must address to ensure the safety of their cloud-native environments. The Evolution of Cloud-Native Applications Traditionally, organizations relied on on-premises data centers and a set of established security measures to protect their critical applications and data. However, the shift to cloud-native applications necessitates a reevaluation of security practices and a deeper understanding of the challenges involved. Containers: A New Paradigm Containers have emerged as a game-changer in the world of cloud-native development. They offer a way to package applications and their dependencies, ensuring consistency and portability across different environments. Developers appreciate containers for their ease of use and rapid deployment capabilities, but this transition comes with security implications that must not be overlooked. One of the primary concerns with containers is the need for continuous scanning and vulnerability assessment. Developers may inadvertently include libraries with known vulnerabilities, putting the entire application at risk. To address this, organizations should leverage container scanning tools that assess images for vulnerabilities before they enter production. Tools like Prevasio’s patented network sandbox provide real-time scanning for malware and known Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs), ensuring that container images are free from threats. Continuous Container Monitoring The dynamic nature of containerized applications requires continuous monitoring to ensure their health and security. In multi-cloud environments, it’s crucial to have a unified monitoring solution that covers all services consistently. Blind spots must be eliminated to gain full control over the cloud deployment. Tools like Prevasio offer comprehensive scanning of asset classes in popular cloud providers such as Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google GCP. This includes Lambda functions, S3 buckets, Azure VMs, and more. Continuous monitoring helps organizations detect anomalies and potential security breaches early, allowing for swift remediation. Intelligent and Automated Policy Management As organizations scale their cloud-native environments and embrace the agility that developers demand, policy management becomes a critical aspect of security. It’s not enough to have static policies; they must be intelligent and adaptable to evolving threats and requirements. Intelligent policy management solutions enable organizations to enforce corporate security policies both in the cloud and on-premises. These solutions have the capability to identify and guard against risks introduced through development processes or traditional change management procedures. When a developer’s request deviates from corporate security practices, an intelligent policy management system can automatically trigger actions, such as notifying network analysts or initiating policy work orders. Moreover, these solutions facilitate a “shift-left” approach, where security considerations are integrated into the earliest stages of development. This proactive approach ensures that security is not an afterthought but an integral part of the development lifecycle. Mitigating Risks in Cloud-Native Environments Securing containerized applications, serverless architectures, and microservices in cloud-native environments requires a holistic strategy. Here are some key steps that organizations can take to mitigate risks effectively: 1. Start with a Comprehensive Security Assessment Before diving into cloud-native development, conduct a thorough assessment of your organization’s security posture. Identify potential vulnerabilities and compliance requirements specific to your industry. Understanding your security needs will help you tailor your cloud-native security strategy effectively. 2. Implement Continuous Security Scanning Integrate container scanning tools into your development pipeline to identify vulnerabilities early in the process. Automate scanning to ensure that every container image is thoroughly examined before deployment. Regularly update scanning tools and libraries to stay protected against emerging threats. 3. Embrace Continuous Monitoring Utilize continuous monitoring solutions that cover all aspects of your multi-cloud deployment. This includes not only containers but also serverless functions, storage services, and virtual machines. A unified monitoring approach reduces blind spots and provides real-time visibility into potential security breaches. 4. Invest in Intelligent Policy Management Choose an intelligent policy management solution that aligns with your organization’s security and compliance requirements. Ensure that it offers automation capabilities to enforce policies seamlessly across cloud providers. Regularly review and update policies to adapt to changing security landscapes. 5. Foster a Culture of Security Security is not solely the responsibility of the IT department. Promote a culture of security awareness across your organization. Train developers, operations teams, and other stakeholders on best practices for cloud-native security. Encourage collaboration between security and development teams to address security concerns early in the development lifecycle. Conclusion The adoption of containerized applications, serverless architectures, and microservices in cloud-native environments offers unprecedented flexibility and scalability to enterprises. However, these advancements also introduce new security challenges that organizations must address diligently. By implementing a comprehensive security strategy that includes continuous scanning, monitoring, and intelligent policy management, businesses can harness the power of the cloud while safeguarding their applications and data. As the cloud-native landscape continues to evolve, staying proactive and adaptive in security practices will be crucial to maintaining a secure and resilient cloud environment. Schedule a demo Related Articles Q1 at AlgoSec: What innovations and milestones defined our start to 2026? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud 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* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

  • Assessing the Value of Network Segmentation from a Business Application Perspective - AlgoSec

    Assessing the Value of Network Segmentation from a Business Application Perspective Download PDF Download PDF Add a Title Add a Title Add a Title Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

  • AlgoSec | Managing network connectivity during mergers and acquisitions

    Prof. Avishai Wool discusses the complexities of mergers and acquisitions for application management and how organizations can securely... Security Policy Management Managing network connectivity during mergers and acquisitions Prof. Avishai Wool 2 min read Prof. Avishai Wool 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 7/22/21 Published Prof. Avishai Wool discusses the complexities of mergers and acquisitions for application management and how organizations can securely navigate the transition It comes as no surprise that the number of completed Mergers and Acquisitions (M&As) dropped significantly during the early stages of the pandemic as businesses closed ranks and focused on surviving rather than thriving. However, as we start to find some reprieve, many experts forecast that we’ll see an upturn in activity. In fact, by the end of 2020, M&A experienced a sudden surge and finished the year with only a 3% decline on 2019 levels. Acquiring companies is more than just writing a cheque. There are hundreds of things to consider both big and small, from infrastructure to staffing, which can make or break a merger. With that in mind, what do businesses need to do in order to ensure a secure and successful transition? When two worlds collide For many businesses, a merger or acquisition is highly charged. There’s often excitement about new beginnings mixed with trepidation about major business changes, not least when it comes to IT security. Mergers and acquisitions are like two planets colliding, each with their own intricate ecosystem. You have two enterprises running complex IT infrastructures with hundreds if not thousands of applications that don’t just simply integrate together. More often than not they perform replicated functions, which implies that some need to be used in parallel, while others need to be decommissioned and removed. This means amending, altering, and updating thousands of policies to accommodate new connections, applications, servers, and firewalls without creating IT security risks or outages. In essence, from an IT security perspective, a merger or acquisition is a highly complicated project that, if not planned and implemented properly, can have a long-term impact on business operations. Migrating and merging infrastructures One thing a business will need before it can even start the M&A process is an exhaustive inventory of all business applications spanning both businesses. An auto-discovery tool can assist here, collecting data from any application that is active on the network and adding it to a list. This should allow the main business to create a map of network connectivity flows which will form the cornerstone of the migration from an application perspective. Next comes security. A vulnerability assessment should be carried across both enterprise networks to identify any business-critical applications that may be put at risk. This assessment will give the main business the ability to effectively ‘rank’ applications and devices in terms of risk and necessity, allowing for priority lists to be created. This will help SecOps focus their efforts on crucial areas of the business that contain sensitive customer data, for instance. By following these steps you’ll get a clear organizational view of the entire enterprise environment and be able to identify and map all the critical business applications, linking vulnerabilities and cyber risks to specific applications and prioritize remediation actions based on business-driven needs. The power of automation While the steps outlined above will give you with an accurate picture of your IT topology and its business risk, this is only the first half of the story. Now you need to update security policies to support changes to business applications. Automation is critical when it comes to maintaining security during a merger or acquisition. An alarming number of data breaches are due to firewall misconfigurations, often resulting from attempts to change policies manually in a complex network environment. This danger increases with M&A, because the two merging enterprises likely have different firewall setups in place, often mixing traditional with next-generation firewalls or firewalls that come from different vendors. Automation is therefore essential to ensure the firewall change management process is handled effectively and securely with minimal risk of misconfigurations. Achieving true Zero-Touch automation in the network security domain is not an easy task but over time, you can let your automation solution run handsfree as you conduct more changes and gain trust through increasing automation levels step by step. Our Security Management Solution enables IT and security teams to manage and control all their security devices – from cloud controls in public clouds, SDNs, and on-premise firewalls from one single console. With AlgoSec you can automate time-consuming security policy changes and proactively assess risk to ensure continuous compliance. It is our business-driven approach to security policy management that enables organizations to reduce business risk, ensure security and continuous compliance, and drive business agility. Maintaining security throughout the transition A merger or acquisition presents a range of IT challenges but ensuring business applications can continue to run securely throughout the transition is critical. If you take an application centric approach and utilize automation, you will be in the best position for the merger/migration and will ultimately drive long term success. To learn more or speak to one of our security experts, schedule your personal demo . Schedule a demo Related Articles Q1 at AlgoSec: What innovations and milestones defined our start to 2026? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud 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* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

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