Network security is a growing concern in today’s business arena as hackers use new and improved methods to break into even the most fortified systems. Industry gurus expect losses and business disruption due to security breaches to have monetary implications in the range of $6 trillion within the next two to three years. Even a standalone incident that compromises network security can amount to millions of dollars in expenditure, not to mention the impact on the company’s brand perception and equity.
Existing measures to guard enterprise networks against malicious attacks still leave a lot to be desired. Cyber criminals on the other hand seem to be growing from strength to strength with high end techniques coupled with daring initiatives. WAN connectivity’s increasing influence in bringing together businesses spread across the globe only makes the situation trickier.
It must be noted at this juncture that the network fraternity is making strides in empowering business units incorporate enhanced mitigation techniques into their existing network security systems. Nevertheless the idea that an enterprise’s security system is limited by finite boundaries is fast getting out of date.
More and more enterprises are doing business over the internet that lies beyond the safety of their private networks. An alarming number of network security frameworks that safeguard data centers and regional units are compromised with the help of intervention from within the system. This is caused by devices and software that lack sufficient protection and stealth IT, for e.g. the use of unauthorized cloud services for the exchange of files.
Present day WAN Ecosystem
Modern day workspaces have moved beyond the physical boundaries of office locations and can be accessed from anywhere at any time. The International Data Corporation (IDC) expects around three quarters of the global workforce to migrate to a mobile based environment within the next two to three years. This leaves network security solutions no other choice but to follow the trend and move beyond office perimeters. Many stores are also adopting a more modular approach to business that can be easily assembled and dismantled on the go without pinning their commercial stores for too long to a fixed location.
Such a scenario has made it imperative that the edge device adapt easily to cover a range of fixed and stationery devices connected to the network that run both on in-house as well as third party infrastructure. Needless to say, this gives way to additional issues and complications that pose a threat to enterprise information.
The IoT Overload
Countless IoT devices are being added to conventional IT systems comprising desktops and laptops. IT departments around the world are finding it increasingly difficult to keep a tab on all the badge readers, IP cameras and billions of other IoT devices that are constantly being incorporated into the IT network.
And the target audiences for a majority of these IoT devices are commercial enterprises without expertise in the field of network security. This gives rise to new complications that conventional security strategies aren’t equipped to deal with.
To make things worse, experienced hackers are always on the lookout for such loopholes in the system through which they can sneak in malwares or set off denial of service attacks. According to Gartner, in a couple of year’s time, IoT will be the root cause for more than a quarter of cybercrimes.
Layered Network Infrastructure
Most retail shopping complexes these days host a variety of commercial enterprises that are all connected on the local network. Configuring the local LAN and WAN infrastructures to accommodate VLAN based segmentation becomes increasingly difficult in such a scenario. Once again, this increases the probability of compromises to network security and cyber intrusions.
4G LTE Connectivity and Protection
The influence of 4G LTE within the enterprise network is growing at a rapid pace in an attempt to connect an ever increasing number of individuals, locations and devices. LTE networks are commonly used as an alternate connectivity option for interaction with third party kiosks and devices. Segmenting LTE networks, both physically as well as logically, can be achieved with ease.
Enhanced authentication and private IP are unique features of end to end private networks that can be created on LTE access point networks. IoT devices on an LTE network can create a virtual APN through software defined perimeter (SD-P) technology. This makes categorizing and protecting internet traffic easier.
Conventional networks with physically finite frontiers aren’t going away anytime soon. However, new models that stretch the boundaries of enterprise systems are constantly making inroads into daily business operations. The need of the hour is a healthy mix of conventional and avant-garde strategies that insulate corporate systems against security breaches without hampering productivity.
Some important suggestions towards this end have been briefly highlighted below:
Training & Knowledge Sharing – Educating employees on the latest trends and advancements in network security is a continuous process that should be repeated periodically. And organizations must use these initiatives to explore possibilities beyond avoiding suspicious links and LinkedIn invitations via mail. Sharing information across departments is crucial for a better understanding of specific vulnerabilities that can lead to a breach in network security.
Updating configurations and firmware through automation – Manual errors and other issues arising due to human intervention while configuring systems can be avoided through automation techniques.
Internal security audits – Phishing attacks and other security breaches can be simulated to identify loopholes and improve upon existing systems.
Two factor authentication – This has become a necessity in today’s corporate ecosystem to prevent unidentified people from accessing company resources without permission.
Layered networks – 4G LTE’s inbuilt physical as well as logical segmentation capabilities make multi-layered networks extremely feasible. This is especially effective in curbing east west intrusions.
Physically restricting use of routers and access points – Devices can be installed on network routers that aid in stealing credit card information. Hence it helps in keeping routers and access points physically off limits as a preventive measure against tampering.
Temporary vulnerabilities – Hackers often take advantage of temporarily exposed firewalls while administrators make infrastructural changes in the system. Using out of bound remote access controls can mitigate such attacks.
Merging on-premises security measures with those based on cloud computing – Supporting IT systems across hundreds of remote locations can be a daunting task. A healthy mix of onsite and cloud based strategies can facilitate large scale management of updates and enhancements. Software defined boundaries are also possible that allow administrators to place IoT devices on a secure overlay networks.
Incorporating a high alert strategy – Organizations must use user level authentication as a mandatory prerequisite for application layer access. This is particularly important considering the large number of IoT systems most corporations have installed on their networks. Software defined perimeters (SDP) can give networks a cloak of invisibility and make them less vulnerable to attacks that stem from the internet. This can prevent many security breaches such as DDoS, man-in-the-middle, east-west intrusions etc.
Wireless, software-defined and cloud technologies are a growing presence in today’s IT business environment. While the benefits from these technologies are many, there also challenges and concerns that can’t be ignored. Highly fortified network security frameworks are sorely required in order to allow for a smooth transition forward.