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Security Policy Management with Professor Wool Best Practices for Amazon Web Services Security Best Practices for Amazon Web Services (AWS) Security is a whiteboard-style series of lessons that examine the challenges of and provide technical tips for managing security across hybrid data centers utilizing the AWS IaaS platform. Lesson 1 In this lesson Professor Wool provides an overview of Amazon Web Services (AWS) Security Groups and highlights some of the differences between Security Groups and traditional firewalls. The lesson continues by explaining some of the unique features of AWS and the challenges and benefits of being able to apply multiple Security Groups to a single instance. The Fundamentals of AWS Security Groups Watch Lesson 2 Outbound traffic rules in AWS Security Groups are, by default, very wide and insecure. In addition, during the set-up process for AWS Security Groups the user is not intuitively guided through a set up process for outbound rules – the user must do this manually. In this lesson, Professor Wool, highlights the limitations and consequences of leaving the default rules in place, and provides recommendations on how to define outbound rules in AWS Security Groups in order to securely control and filter outbound traffic and protect against data leaks. Protect Outbound Traffic in an AWS Hybrid Environment Watch Lesson 3 Once you start using AWS for production applications, auditing and compliance considerations come into play, especially if these applications are processing data that is subject to regulations such as PCI, HIPAA, SOX etc. In this lesson, Professor Wool reviews AWS’s own auditing tools, CloudWatch and CloudTrail, which are useful for cloud-based applications. However if you are running a hybrid data center, you will likely need to augment these tools with solutions that can provide reporting, visibility and change monitoring across the entire environment. Professor Wool provides some recommendations for key features and functionally you’ll need to ensure compliance, and tips on what the auditors are looking for. Change Management, Auditing and Compliance in an AWS Hybrid Environment Watch Lesson 4 In this lesson Professor Wool examines the differences between Amazon's Security Groups and Network Access Control Lists (NACLs), and provides some tips and tricks on how to use them together for the most effective and flexible traffic filtering for your enterprise. Using AWS Network ACLs for Enhanced Traffic Filtering Watch Lesson 5 AWS security is very flexible and granular, however it has some limitations in terms of the number of rules you can have in a NACL and security group. In this lesson Professor Wool explains how to combine security groups and NACLs filtering capabilities in order to bypass these capacity limitations and achieve the granular filtering needed to secure enterprise organizations. Combining Security Groups and Network ACLs to Bypass AWS Capacity Limitations Watch Lesson 6 In this whiteboard video lesson Professor Wool provides best practices for performing security audits across your AWS estate. The Right Way to Audit AWS Policies Watch Lesson 7 How to Intelligently Select the Security Groups to Modify When Managing Changes in your AWS Watch Lesson 8 Learn more about AlgoSec at http://www.algosec.com and read Professor Wool's blog posts at http://blog.algosec.com How to Manage Dynamic Objects in Cloud Environments 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... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

Can Firewalls Be Hacked? Yes, Here’s 6 Vulnerabilities Like all security tools, firewalls can be hacked. That’s what happened to the... Cyber Attacks & Incident Response Can Firewalls Be Hacked? Yes, Here’s 6 Vulnerabilities Tsippi Dach 2 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 12/20/23 Published Can Firewalls Be Hacked? Yes, Here’s 6 Vulnerabilities Like all security tools, firewalls can be hacked. That’s what happened to the social media platform X in January 2023, when it was still Twitter. Hackers exploited an API vulnerability that had been exposed since June the previous year. This gave them access to the platform’s security system and allowed them to leak sensitive information on millions of users. This breach occurred because the organization’s firewalls were not configured to examine API traffic with enough scrutiny. This failure in firewall protection led to the leak of more than 200 million names, email addresses, and usernames, along with other information, putting victims at risk of identity theft . Firewalls are your organization’s first line of defense against malware and data breaches. They inspect all traffic traveling into and out of your network, looking for signs of cyber attacks and blocking malicious activity when they find it. This makes them an important part of every organization’s cybersecurity strategy. Effective firewall management and configuration is vital for preventing cybercrime. Read on to find out how you can protect your organization from attacks that exploit firewall vulnerabilities you may not be aware of. Understanding the 4 Types of Firewalls The first thing every executive and IT leader should know is that there are four basic types of firewalls . Each category offers a different level of protection, with simpler solutions costing less than more advanced ones. Most organizations need to use some combination of these four firewall types to protect sensitive data effectively. Keep in mind that buying more advanced firewalls is not always the answer. Optimal firewall management usually means deploying the right type of firewall for its particular use case. Ideally, these should be implemented alongside multi-layered network security solutions that include network detection and response, endpoint security, and security information and event management (SIEM) technology. 1. Packet Filtering Firewalls These are the oldest and most basic types of firewalls. They operate at the network layer, checking individual data packets for their source IP address and destination IP. They also verify the connection protocol, as well as the source port and destination port against predefined rules. The firewall drops packets that fail to meet these standards, protecting the network from potentially harmful threats. Packet filtering firewalls are among the fastest and cheapest types of firewalls available. Since they can not inspect the contents of data packets, they offer minimal functionality. They also can’t keep track of established connections or enforce rules that rely on knowledge of network connection states. This is why they are considered stateless firewalls. 2. Stateful Inspection Firewalls These firewalls also perform packet inspection, but they ingest more information about the traffic they inspect and compare that information against a list of established connections and network states. Stateful inspection firewalls work by creating a table that contains the IP and port data for traffic sources and destinations, and dynamically check whether data packets are part of a verified active connection. This approach allows stateful inspection firewalls to deny data packets that do not belong to a verified connection. However, the process of checking data packets against the state table consumes system resources and slows down traffic. This makes stateful inspection firewalls vulnerable to Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks. 3. Application Layer Gateways These firewalls operate at the application layer, inspecting and managing traffic based on specific applications or protocols, providing deep packet inspection and content filtering. They are also known as proxy firewalls because they can be implemented at the application layer through a proxy device. In practice, this means that an external client trying to access your system has to send a request to the proxy firewall first. The firewall verifies the authenticity of the request and forwards it to an internal server. They can also work the other way around, providing internal users with access to external resources (like public web pages) without exposing the identity or location of the internal device used. 4. Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW) Next-generation firewalls combine traditional firewall functions with advanced features such as intrusion prevention, antivirus, and application awareness . They contextualize data packet flows and enrich them with additional data, providing comprehensive security against a wide range of threats. Instead of relying exclusively on IP addresses and port information, NGFWs can perform identity-based monitoring of individual users, applications, and assets. For example, a properly configured NGFW can follow a single user’s network traffic across multiple devices and operating systems, providing an activity timeline even if the user switches between a desktop computer running Microsoft Windows and an Amazon AWS instance controlling routers and iOT devices. How Do These Firewalls Function? Each type of firewall has a unique set of functions that serve to improve the organization’s security posture and prevent hackers from carrying out malicious cyber attacks. Optimizing your firewall fleet means deploying the right type of solution for each particular use case throughout your network. Some of the most valuable functions that firewalls perform include: Traffic Control They regulate incoming and outgoing traffic, ensuring that only legitimate and authorized data flows through the network. This is especially helpful in cases where large volumes of automated traffic can slow down routine operations and disrupt operations. For example, many modern firewalls include rules designed to deny bot traffic. Some non-human traffic is harmless, like the search engine crawlers that determine your website’s ranking against certain keyword searches. However, the vast majority of bot traffic is either unnecessary or malicious. Firewalls can help you keep your infrastructure costs down by filtering out connection attempts from automated sources you don’t trust. Protection Against Cyber Threats Firewalls act as a shield against various cyber threats, including phishing attacks, malware and ransomware attacks . Since they are your first line of defense, any malicious activity that targets your organization will have to bypass your firewall first. Hackers know this, which is why they spend a great deal of time and effort finding ways to bypass firewall protection. They can do this by exploiting technical vulnerabilities in your firewall devices or by hiding their activities in legitimate traffic. For example, many firewalls do not inspect authenticated connections from trusted users. If cybercriminals learn your login credentials and use your authenticated account to conduct an attack, your firewalls may not notice the malicious activity at all. Network Segmentation By defining access rules, firewalls can segment networks into zones with varying levels of trust, limiting lateral movement for attackers. This effectively isolates cybercriminals into the zone they originally infiltrated, and increases the chance they make a mistake and reveal themselves trying to access additional assets throughout your network. Network segmentation is an important aspect of the Zero Trust framework. Firewalls can help reinforce the Zero Trust approach by inspecting traffic traveling between internal networks and dropping connections that fail to authenticate themselves. Security Policy Enforcement Firewalls enforce security policies, ensuring that organizations comply with their security standards and regulatory requirements. Security frameworks like NIST , ISO 27001/27002 , and CIS specify policies and controls that organizations need to implement in order to achieve compliance. Many of these frameworks stipulate firewall controls and features that require organizations to invest in optimizing their deployments. They also include foundational and organizational controls where firewalls play a supporting role, contributing to a stronger multi-layered cybersecurity strategy. Intrusion Detection and Prevention Advanced firewalls include intrusion detection and prevention capabilities, which can identify and block suspicious activities in real-time. This allows security teams to automate their response to some of the high-volume security events that would otherwise drag down performance . Automatically detecting and blocking known exploits frees IT staff to spend more time on high-impact strategic work that can boost the organization’s security posture. Logging and Reporting Firewalls generate logs and reports that assist in security analysis, incident response, and compliance reporting. These logs provide in-depth data on who accessed the organization’s IT assets, and when the connection occurred. They enable security teams to conduct forensic investigations into security incidents, driving security performance and generating valuable insights into the organization’s real-world security risk profile. Organizations that want to implement SIEM technology must also connect their firewall devices to the platform and configure them to send log data to their SIEM for centralized analysis. This gives security teams visibility into the entire organization’s attack surface and enables them to adopt a Zero Trust approach to managing log traffic. Common Vulnerabilities & Weaknesses Firewalls Share Firewalls are crucial for network security, but they are not immune to vulnerabilities. Common weaknesses most firewall solutions share include: Zero-day vulnerabilities These are vulnerabilities in firewall software or hardware that are unknown to the vendor or the general public. Attackers can exploit them before patches or updates are available, making zero-day attacks highly effective. Highly advanced NGFW solutions can protect against zero-day attacks by inspecting behavioral data and using AI-enriched analysis to detect unknown threats. Backdoors Backdoors are secret entry points left by developers or attackers within a firewall’s code. These hidden access points can be exploited to bypass security measures. Security teams must continuously verify their firewall configurations to identify the signs of backdoor attacks. Robust and effective change management solutions help prevent backdoors from remaining hidden. Header manipulation Attackers may manipulate packet headers to trick firewalls into allowing unauthorized traffic or obscuring their malicious intent. There are multiple ways to manipulate the “Host” header in HTTP traffic to execute attacks. Security teams need to configure their firewalls and servers to validate incoming HTTP traffic and limit exposure to header vulnerabilities. How Cyber Criminals Exploit These Vulnerabilities Unauthorized Access Exploiting a vulnerability can allow cybercriminals to penetrate a network firewall, gaining access to sensitive data, proprietary information, or critical systems. Once hackers gain unauthorized access to a network asset, only a well-segmented network operating on Zero Trust principles can reliably force them to reveal themselves. Otherwise, they will probably remain hidden until they launch an active attack. Data Breaches Once inside your network, attackers may exfiltrate sensitive information, including customer data, intellectual property, and financial records (like credit cards), leading to data breaches. These complex security incidents can lead to major business disruptions and reputational damage, as well as enormous recovery costs. Malware Distribution Attackers may use compromised firewalls to distribute malware, ransomware, or malicious payloads to other devices within the network. This type of attack may focus on exploiting your systems and network assets, or it may target networks adjacent to your own – like your third-party vendors, affiliate partners, or customers. Denial of Service (DDoS) Exploited firewalls can be used in DDoS attacks, potentially disrupting network services and rendering them unavailable to users. This leads to expensive downtime and reputational damage. Some hackers try to extort their victims directly, demanding organizations pay money to stop the attack. 6 Techniques Used to Bypass Firewalls 1. Malware and Payload Delivery Attackers use malicious software and payloads to exploit firewall vulnerabilities, allowing them to infiltrate networks or systems undetected. This often occurs due to unpatched security vulnerabilities in popular firewall operating systems. For example, in June 2023 Fortinet addressed a critical-severity FortiOS vulnerability with a security patch. One month later in July, there were still 300,000 Fortinet firewalls still using the unpatched operating system. 2. Phishing Attacks Phishing involves tricking individuals into divulging sensitive information or executing malicious actions. Attackers use deceptive emails or websites that may bypass firewall filters. If they gain access to privileged user account credentials, they may be able to bypass firewall policies entirely, or even reconfigure firewalls themselves. 3. Social Engineering Tactics Cybercriminals manipulate human psychology to deceive individuals into disclosing confidential information, effectively bypassing technical security measures like firewalls. This is typically done through social media, email, or by telephone. Attackers may impersonate authority figures both inside and outside the organization and demand access to sensitive assets without going through the appropriate security checks. 4. Deep Packet Inspection Evasion Attackers employ techniques to disguise malicious traffic, making it appear benign to firewalls using deep packet inspection, allowing it to pass through undetected. Some open-source tools like SymTCP can achieve this by running symbolic executions on the server’s TCP implementation, scanning the resulting execution paths, and sending malicious data through any handling discrepancies identified. 5. VPNs and Remote Access Attackers may use Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and remote access methods to circumvent firewall restrictions and gain unauthorized entry into networks. This is particularly easy in cases where simple geo restrictions block traffic from IP addresses associated with certain countries or regions. Attackers may also use more sophisticated versions of this technique to access exposed services that don’t require authentication, like certain containerized servers . 6. Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) Bypass Sophisticated attackers attempt to evade IPS systems by crafting traffic patterns or attacks that go undetected, enabling them to compromise network security. For example, they may use technologies to decode remote access tool executable files hidden inside certificate files, allowing them to reassemble the malicious file after it passes through the IPS. Protecting Against Firewall Vulnerabilities Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide multiple forms of identification, such as a password and a one-time code sent to their mobile device, before they gain access. This prevents attackers from accessing sensitive network assets immediately after stealing privileged login credentials. Knowing an account holder’s password and username is not enough. Two-factor Authentication (2FA) 2FA is a subset of MFA that involves using two authentication factors, typically something the user knows (password) and something the user has (a mobile device or security token), to verify identity and enhance firewall security. Other versions use biometrics like fingerprint scanning to authenticate the user. Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) IPS solutions work alongside firewalls to actively monitor network traffic for suspicious activity and known attack patterns, helping to block or mitigate threats before they can breach the network. These systems significantly reduce the amount of manual effort that goes into detecting and blocking known malicious attack techniques. Web Application Firewalls (WAF) WAFs are specialized firewalls designed to protect web applications from a wide range of threats, including SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and other web-based attacks. Since these firewalls focus specifically on HTTP traffic, they are a type of application level gateway designed specifically for web applications that interact with users on the public internet. Antivirus Software and Anti-malware Tools Deploying up-to-date antivirus and anti-malware software on endpoints, servers, and Wi-Fi network routers helps detect and remove malicious software, reducing the risk of firewall compromise. In order to work effectively, these tools must be configured to detect and mitigate the latest threats alongside the organization’s other security tools and firewalls. Automated solutions can help terminate unauthorized processes before attackers get a chance to deliver malicious payloads. Regular Updates and Patch Management Keeping firewalls and all associated software up-to-date with the latest security patches and firmware updates is essential for addressing known vulnerabilities and ensuring optimal security. Security teams should know when configuration changes are taking place, and be equipped to respond quickly when unauthorized changes take place. Implementing a comprehensive visibility and change management platform like AlgoSec makes this possible. With AlgoSec, you can simulate the effects of network configuration changes and proactively defend against sophisticated threats before attackers have a chance to strike. Monitoring Network Traffic for Anomalies Continuous monitoring of network traffic helps identify unusual patterns or behaviors that may indicate a security incident. Anomalies can trigger alerts for further investigation and response. Network detection and response solutions grant visibility into network activities that would otherwise go unnoticed, potentially giving security personnel early warning when unannounced changes or suspicious behaviors take place. Streamline Your Firewall Security With AlgoSec Organizations continue to face increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, including attacks that capitalize on misconfigured firewalls – or manipulate firewall configurations directly. Firewall management software has become a valuable tool for maintaining a robust network security posture and ensuring regulatory compliance. AlgoSec plays a vital role enhancing firewall security by automating policy analysis, optimizing rule sets, streamlining change management, and providing real-time monitoring and visibility. Find out how to make the most of your firewall deployment and detect unauthorized changes to firewall configurations with our help. 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* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

Learn how automation can simplify the process of rule recertification and help determine which rules are still necessary Webinars Play by the rules: Automation for simplified rule recertification As time goes by, once effective firewall rules can become outdated. This results in bloated security policies which can slow down application delivery. Therefore, best practice and compliance requirements calls for rule recertification at least once per year. While rule recertification can be done manually by going through the comments fields of every rule, this is a tedious process which is also subject to the weaknesses of human error. Automation can simplify the process and help determine which rules are still necessary, if done right. Join security experts Asher Benbenisty and Tsippi Dach to learn about: Rule recertification as part of application delivery pipeline The importance of recertifying rules regularly Methods used for rule recertification The business application approach for rule recertification October 27, 2021 Tsippi Dach Director of marketing communications Asher Benbenisty Director of product marketing Relevant resources AlgoSec AppViz – Rule Recertification Watch Video Changing the rules without risk: mapping firewall rules to business applications 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’s latest product release delivers automated application connectivity and security policy changes, deepens application visibility and discovery, and extends application risk analysis across multi-clouds and hybrid environments. Securely Accelerate Application Delivery and Policy Management with AlgoSec ASMS A32.10 AlgoSec’s latest product release delivers automated application connectivity and security policy changes, deepens application visibility and discovery, and extends application risk analysis across multi-clouds and hybrid environments. September 8, 2021 Speak to one of our experts RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J., September 8, 2021 – AlgoSec , the application connectivity and security policy company, has introduced enhanced automated application connectivity and security policy changes, and deepened application visibility and discovery, in the latest version of its Network Security Management Solution. AlgoSec Security Management Suite (ASMS) A32.10 builds on previous versions to give IT and security experts the most comprehensive visibility and control over security across their entire hybrid environment. With A32.10, organizations can align network security with their overall business objectives, automating the process in a single platform for a seamless, zero-touch experience. The key benefits that AlgoSec ASMS A32.10 delivers to IT, network and security experts include: Intelligent application connectivity in SDNs and the cloud AlgoSec ASMS A32.10 introduces intelligent application connectivity management and enhanced security policy automation to leading SDN and cloud platforms, including VMware’s NSX-T. It also extends support for MSO-managed Cisco ACI devices, Cisco’s leading SDN platform. Application discovery and visibility across hybrid networks With A32.10 enterprises can use traffic logs to automatically discover applications on the network, providing enriched mapping across hybrid network estates. It provides a seamless and complete picture of the network across multiple public clouds including Google Cloud (GCP) and AWS Transit Gateway as well as Check Point R80 Inline and Ordering Layers. Extended application risk analysis A32.10 extends cloud risk management with new risk triggers of interest and unique filtering capabilities. When using A32.10, VMware NSX-T users can receive risk notifications, so they are aware of the potential compliance violations introduced by applications. “In this fast pace era of digital transformation, speed is of the essence. Unfortunately, many organizations confuse this for agility and take too many risks with their security, leaving them vulnerable to attack.” said Eran Shiff, Vice President, Product, of AlgoSec. “A32.10 makes it easier for organizations to securely accelerate application connectivity, enabling them to move fast across multi-cloud and hybrid environments and stay ahead of security threats, increasing business agility and compliance.” AlgoSec ASMS A32.10 is generally available. About AlgoSec AlgoSec, a global cybersecurity leader, empowers organizations to securely accelerate application delivery by automating application connectivity and security policy, anywhere. The AlgoSec platform enables the world’s most complex organizations to gain visibility, reduce risk and process changes at zero-touch across the hybrid network. AlgoSec’s patented application-centric view of the hybrid network enables business owners, application owners, and information security professionals to talk the same language, so organizations can deliver business applications faster while achieving a heightened security posture. Over 1,800 of the world’s leading organizations trust AlgoSec to help secure their most critical workloads across public cloud, private cloud, containers, and on-premises networks, while taking advantage of almost two decades of leadership in Network Security Policy Management. See what securely accelerating your digital transformation, move-to-cloud, infrastructure modernization, or micro-segmentation initiatives looks like at www.algosec.com Media Contacts: Tsippi Dach AlgoSec [email protected] Jenni Livesley Context Public Relations [email protected] +44(0)300 124 6100

Case Study Soitron Siber Güvenlik Servisleri Download PDF Schedule time with one of our experts 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

The persistence of sophisticated ransomware In 2023, organizations faced a surge in ransomware attacks, prompting a reevaluation of... Network Segmentation Navigating the Cybersecurity Horizon in 2024 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 12/17/23 Published The persistence of sophisticated ransomware In 2023, organizations faced a surge in ransomware attacks, prompting a reevaluation of cybersecurity readiness. The focus on high-value assets and critical infrastructure indicated an escalating threat landscape, demanding stronger preemptive measures. This trend is expected to continue in 2024 as cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities. Beyond relying on technology alone, organizations must adopt strategies like Zero Trust and Micro-segmentation for comprehensive preparedness, fortifying data security. A resolute and practical response is crucial to safeguard critical assets in the evolving cybersecurity landscape. DevSecOps Integration DevSecOps is set to become a cornerstone in software development, integrating security practices proactively. As Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) popularity rises, customizing security settings becomes challenging, necessitating a shift from network perimeter reliance. Anticipating an “Always-on Security” approach like Infrastructure as Code (IaC), companies can implement policy-based guardrails in the CI/CD pipeline. If risks violating the guardrails are identified, automation should halt for human review. Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP): The CNAPP market has advanced from basic Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) to include varied vulnerability and malware scans, along with crucial behavioral analytics for cloud assets like containers. However, few vendors emphasize deep analysis of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) networking controls in risk and compliance reporting. A more complete CNAPP platform should also provide comprehensive analytics of cloud applications’ connectivity exposure. Application-centric approach to network security will supersede basic NSPM Prepare for the shift from NSPM to an application-centric security approach, driven by advanced technologies, to accelerate in 2024. Organizations, grappling with downsizing and staff shortages, will strategically adopt this holistic approach to improve efficiency in the security operations team. Emphasizing knowledge retention and automated change processes will become crucial to maintain security with agility. AI-based enhancements to security processes Generative AI, as heralded by Chat-GPT and its ilk, has made great strides in 2023, and has demonstrated that the technology has a lot of potential. I think that in 2024 we will see many more use cases in which this potential goes from simply being “cool” to a more mature technology that is brought to market to bring real value to owners of security processes. Any use case that involves analyzing, summarizing, or generalizing text, can potentially benefit from a generative AI assist. The trick will be to do so in ways that save human time, without introducing factual hallucinations. 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* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

Migrate policies to Cisco ACI with AlgoSec Download PDF Schedule time with one of our experts 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

The power of double-layered protection across your cloud estate Download PDF Schedule time with one of our experts 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

Webinars Optimize your Juniper Investment with Intelligent Network Security Automation Are you maximizing all the capabilities that your Juniper solutions offer? Expand its potential and maximize your ROI. Discover how to secure your homogeneous and multi-vendor network with intelligent automation. In this webinar, Max Shirshov, EMEA Solutions Architect at AlgoSec, will demonstrate how to assess risk and audit the firewall estate for regulatory compliance, address security breaches caused by misconfigured network devices, and provide fast and efficient change management utilizing the AlgoSec Security Management solution for your Juniper devices. Join the webinar to learn how to: Gain complete visibility into your Juniper-estate as well as multi-vendor and hybrid networks Intelligently push security policy changes to your Netscreen and SRX firewalls, MX routers and Juniper Space, as well as other vendors’ security devices, SDN and public clouds Automate application and user aware security policy management and ensure your Juniper devices are properly configured Assess risk and ensure regulatory compliance across your entire enterprise environment March 24, 2020 Max Shirshov Relevant resources AlgoSec & Juniper Networks Keep Reading The Juniper Networks Vulnerability Does Not Change Network Security Fundamentals 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

SWIFT Compliance Download PDF Schedule time with one of our experts 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

Enterprise cybersecurity must constantly evolve to meet the threat posed by new malware variants and increasingly sophisticated hacker... Uncategorized Network Security vs. Application Security: The Complete Guide Tsippi Dach 2 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 1/25/24 Published Enterprise cybersecurity must constantly evolve to meet the threat posed by new malware variants and increasingly sophisticated hacker tactics, techniques, and procedures. This need drives the way security professionals categorize different technologies and approaches. The difference between network security and application security is an excellent example. These two components of the enterprise IT environment must be treated separately in any modern cybersecurity framework. This is because they operate on different levels of the network and they are exposed to different types of threats and security issues. To understand why, we need to cover what each category includes and how they contribute to an organization’s overall information security posture. IT leaders and professionals can use this information to their organization’s security posture, boost performance, and improve event outcomes. What is Network Security? Network security focuses on protecting assets located within the network perimeter. These assets include data, devices, systems, and other facilities that enable the organization to pursue its interests — just about anything that has value to the organization can be an asset. This security model worked well in the past, when organizations had a clearly defined network perimeter. Since the attack surface was well understood, security professionals could deploy firewalls, intrusion prevention systems, and secure web gateways directly at the point of connection between the internal network and the public internet. Since most users, devices and applications were located on-site, security leaders had visibility and control over the entire network. This started to change when organizations shifted to cloud computing and remote work, supported by increasingly powerful mobile devices. Now most organizations do not have a clear network perimeter, so the castle-and-moat approach to network security is no longer effective. However, the network security approach isn’t obsolete. It is simply undergoing a process of change, adjusting to smaller, more segmented networks governed by Zero Trust principles and influenced by developments in application security. Key Concepts of Network Security Network security traditionally adopts a castle-and-moat approach, where all security controls exist at the network perimeter. Users who attempt to access the network must authenticate and verify themselves before being allowed to enter. Once they enter, they can freely move between assets, applications, and systems without the need to re-authenticate themselves. In modern, cloud-enabled networks, the approach is less like a castle and more like a university campus. There may be multiple different subnetworks working together, with different security controls based on the value of the assets under protection. In these environments, network security is just one part of a larger, multi-layered security deployment. This approach focuses on protecting IT infrastructure, like routers, firewalls, and network traffic. Each of these components has a unique role to play securing assets inside the network: Firewalls act as filters for network traffic , deciding what traffic is allowed to pass through and denying the rest. Well-configured firewall deployments don’t just protect internal assets from incoming traffic, they also protect against data from leaking outside the network as well. Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) are security tools that continuously monitor the network for malicious activity and take action to block unauthorized processes. They may search for known threat signatures, monitor for abnormal network activity, or enforce custom security policies. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) encrypt traffic between networks and hide users’ IP addresses from the public internet. This is useful for maintaining operational security in a complex network environment because it prevents threat actors from intercepting data in transit. Access control tools allow security leaders to manage who is authorized to access data and resources on the network. Secure access control policies determine which users have permission to access sensitive assets, and the conditions under which that access might be revoked. Why is Network Security Important? Network security tools protect organizations against cyberattacks that target their network infrastructure, and prevent hackers from conducting lateral movement. Many modern network security solutions focus on providing deep visibility into network traffic, so that security teams can identify threat actors who have successfully breached the network perimeter and gained unauthorized access. Network Security Technologies and Strategies Firewalls : These tools guard the perimeters of network infrastructure. Firewalls filter incoming and outgoing traffic to prevent malicious activity. They also play an important role in establishing boundaries between network zones, allowing security teams to carefully monitor users who move between different parts of the network. These devices must be continuously monitored and periodically reconfigured to meet the organization’s changing security needs. VPNs : Secure remote access and IP address confidentiality is an important part of network security. VPNs ensure users do not leak IP data outside the network when connecting to external sources. They also allow remote users to access sensitive assets inside the network even when using unsecured connections, like public Wi-Fi. Zero Trust Models : Access control and network security tools provide validation for network endpoints, including IoT and mobile devices. This allows security teams to re-authenticate network users even when they have already verified their identities and quickly disconnect users who fail these authentication checks. What is Application Security? Application security addresses security threats to public-facing applications, including APIs. These threats may include security misconfigurations, known vulnerabilities, and threat actor exploits. Since these network assets have public-facing connections, they are technically part of the network perimeter — but they do not typically share the same characteristics as traditional network perimeter assets. Unlike network security, application security extends to the development and engineering process that produces individual apps. It governs many of the workflows that developers use when writing code for business contexts. One of the challenges to web application security is the fact that there is no clear and universal definition for what counts as an application. Most user-interactive tools and systems count, especially ones that can process data automatically through API access. However, the broad range of possibilities leads to an enormous number of potential security vulnerabilities and exposures, all of which must be accounted for. Several frameworks and methods exist for achieving this: The OWASP Top Ten is a cybersecurity awareness document that gives developers a broad overview of the most common application vulnerabilities . Organizations that adopt the document give software engineers clear guidance on the kinds of security controls they need to build into the development lifecycle. The Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) is a long list of software weaknesses known to lead to security issues. The CWE list is prioritized by severity, giving organizations a good starting point for improving application security. Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) codes contain extensive information on publicly disclosed security vulnerabilities, including application vulnerabilities. Every vulnerability has its own unique CVE code, which gives developers and security professionals the ability to clearly distinguish them from one another. Key Concepts of Application Security The main focus of application security is maintaining secure environments inside applications and their use cases. It is especially concerned with the security vulnerabilities that arise when web applications are made available for public use. When public internet users can interact with a web application directly, the security risks associated with that application rise significantly. As a result, developers must adopt security best practices into their workflows early in the development process. The core elements of application security include: Source code security, which describes a framework for ensuring the security of the source code that powers web-connected applications. Code reviews and security approvals are a vital part of this process, ensuring that vulnerable code does not get released to the public. Securing the application development lifecycle by creating secure coding guidelines, providing developers with the appropriate resources and training, and creating remediation service-level agreements (SLAs) for application security violations. Web application firewalls, which operate separately from traditional firewalls and exclusively protect public-facing web applications and APIs. Web application firewalls monitor and filter traffic to and from a web source, protecting web applications from security threats wherever they happen to be located. Why is Application Security Important? Application security plays a major role ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive data processed by applications. Since public-facing applications often collect and process end-user data, they make easy targets for opportunistic hackers. At the same time, robust application security controls must exist within applications to address security vulnerabilities when they emerge and prevent data breaches. Application Security Technologies Web Application Firewalls. These firewalls provide protection specific to web applications, preventing attackers from conducting SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and denial-of-service attacks, among others. These technical attacks can lead to application instability and leak sensitive information to attackers. Application Security Testing. This important step includes penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, and the use of CWE frameworks. Pentesters and application security teams work together to ensure public-facing web applications and APIs hold up against emerging threats and increasingly sophisticated attacks. App Development Security. Organizations need to incorporate security measures into their application development processes. DevOps security best practices include creating modular, containerized applications uniquely secured against threats regardless of future changes to the IT environment or device operating systems. Integrating Network and Application Security Network and application security are not mutually exclusive areas of expertise. They are two distinct parts of your organization’s overall security posture. Identifying areas where they overlap and finding solutions to common problems will help you optimize your organization’s security capabilities through a unified security approach. Overlapping Areas Network and application security solutions protect distinct areas of the enterprise IT environment, but they do overlap in certain areas. Security leaders should be aware of the risk of over-implementation, or deploying redundant security solutions that do not efficiently improve security outcomes. Security Solutions : Both areas use security tools like intrusion prevention systems, authentication, and encryption. Network security solutions may treat web applications as network entry points, but many hosted web applications are located outside the network perimeter. This makes it difficult to integrate the same tools, policies, and controls uniformly across web application toolsets. Cybersecurity Strategy : Your strategy is an integral part of your organization’s security program, guiding your response to different security threats. Security architects must configure network and application security solutions to work together in use case scenarios where one can meaningfully contribute to the other’s operations. Unique Challenges Successful technology implementations of any kind come with challenges, and security implementations are no different. Both application and network security deployments will present issues that security leaders must be prepared to address. Application security challenges include: Maintaining usability. End users will not appreciate security implementations that make apps harder to use. Security teams need to pay close attention to how new features impact user interfaces and workflows. Detecting vulnerabilities in code. Ensuring all code is 100% free of vulnerabilities is rarely feasible. Instead, organizations need to adopt a proactive approach to detecting vulnerabilities in code and maintaining source code security. Managing source code versioning. Implementing DevSecOps processes can make it hard for organizations to keep track of continuously deployed security updates and integrations. This may require investing in additional toolsets and versioning capabilities. Network security challenges include: Addressing network infrastructure misconfigurations. Many network risks stem from misconfigured firewalls and other security tools. One of the main challenges in network security is proactively identifying these misconfigurations and resolving them before they lead to security incidents. Monitoring network traffic efficiently. Monitoring network traffic can make extensive use of limited resources, leading to performance issues or driving up network-related costs. Security leaders must find ways to gain insight into security issues without raising costs beyond what the organization can afford. Managing network-based security risks effectively. Translating network activity insights into incident response playbooks is not always easy. Simply knowing that unauthorized activity might be happening is not enough. Security teams must also be equipped to address those risks and mitigate potential damage. Integrating Network and Application Security for Unified Protection A robust security posture must contain elements of both network and application security. Public-facing applications must be able to filter out malicious traffic and resist technical attacks, and security teams need comprehensive visibility into network activity and detecting insider threats . This is especially important in cloud-enabled hybrid environments. If your organization uses cloud computing through a variety of public and private cloud vendors, you will need to extend network visibility throughout the hybrid network. Maintaining cloud security requires a combination of network and web application security capable of producing results in a cost-effective way. Highly automated security platforms can help organizations implement proactive security measures that reduce the need to hire specialist internal talent for every configuration and policy change. Enterprise-ready cloud security solutions leverage automation and machine learning to reduce operating costs and improve security performance across the board. Unify Network and Application Security with AlgoSec No organization can adequately protect itself from a wide range of cyber threats without investing in both network and application security. Technology continues to evolve and threat actors will adapt their tactics to exploit new vulnerabilities as they are discovered. Integrating network and application security into a single, unified approach gives security teams the ability to create security policies and incident response plans that address real-world threats more effectively. Network visibility and streamlined change management are vital to achieving this goal. AlgoSec is a security policy management and application connectivity platform that provides in-depth information on both aspects of your security posture. Find out how AlgoSec can help you centralize policy and change management in your network. 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