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Enhancing Zero Trust WP 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

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by the rules: Automation for simplified rule recertification As time goes by, once effective firewall rules can become outdated.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 provides organizations with enhanced application connectivity visibility, effective security, and continuous compliance with the most recent regulations across their multi-cloud environments. Ensure up to date compliance and tighten your hybrid network security posture with AlgoSec A32.60 AlgoSec’s latest product release provides organizations with enhanced application connectivity visibility, effective security, and continuous compliance with the most recent regulations across their multi-cloud environments. September 13, 2023 Speak to one of our experts RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J., September 13, 2023 – AlgoSec, a global cybersecurity leader, introduces AlgoSec A32.60, the latest in application connectivity security and compliance. AlgoSec A32.60 provides an effective solution for organizations to secure application connectivity in their hybrid and multi-cloud estate. A32.60 integrates cloud security visibility into AlgoSec’s security management platform and enables organizations to ensure ongoing compliance with industry regulatory standards. The key benefits that AlgoSec A32.60 delivers to network and security experts include: Enhanced visibility and security of north-south network traffic: New integration with Palo Alto Prisma Access, now encompassing mobile user policies within the Prisma access fabric. New integration and support for SD-WAN Versa Networks, offering extended visibility into network connectivity and an intuitive topology map. Ensuring ongoing regulatory compliance: Enhanced ISO 27001 report with the latest 2022 standards, allowing organizations to ensure alignment with the most current regulations. Integration of a new ECB (European Central Bank) regulations report, allowing companies to confidently navigate evolving compliance requirements. Integrating cloud security visibility into network security policy management: Expanded integration with Microsoft Azure firewall enables centralized visibility across both cloud and traditional firewalls, all within a single, unified management solution. New automation support for Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) objects in Palo Alto Panorama, Fortinet FortiManager, and Check Point. This allows users to efficiently manage and secure their network resources while embracing the flexibility of cloud environments. About AlgoSec AlgoSec, a global cybersecurity leader, empowers organizations to secure application connectivity by automating connectivity flows and security policy, anywhere. The AlgoSec platform enables the world’s most complex organizations to gain visibility, reduce risk, achieve compliance at the application-level 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. See what securely accelerating your digital transformation, move-to-cloud, infrastructure modernization, or micro-segmentation initiatives looks like at www.algosec.com

Cloud and Hybrid Environments: The State of Security 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

Over nearly two decades, AlgoSec has undergone a remarkable evolution in both technology and offerings. Initially founded with the... Application Connectivity Management Evolving network security: AlgoSec’s technological journey and its critical role in application connectivity Nitin Rajput 2 min read Nitin Rajput 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 12/13/23 Published Over nearly two decades, AlgoSec has undergone a remarkable evolution in both technology and offerings. Initially founded with the mission of simplifying network security device management, the company has consistently adapted to the changing landscape of cybersecurity. Proactive Network Security In its early years, AlgoSec focused on providing a comprehensive view of network security configurations, emphasizing compliance, risk assessment, and optimization. Recognizing the limitations of a reactive approach, AlgoSec pivoted to develop a workflow-based ticketing system, enabling proactive assessment of traffic changes against risk and compliance. Cloud-Native Security As organizations transitioned to hybrid and cloud environments, AlgoSec expanded its capabilities to include cloud-native security controls. Today, AlgoSec seamlessly manages public cloud platforms such as Cisco ACI, NSX, AWS, GCP, and Azure, ensuring a unified security posture across diverse infrastructures. Application Connectivity Discovery A recent breakthrough for AlgoSec is its focus on helping customers navigate the challenges of migrating applications to public or private clouds. The emphasis lies in discovering and mapping application flows within the network infrastructure, addressing the crucial need for maintaining control and communication channels. This discovery process is facilitated by AlgoSec’s built-in solution or by importing data from third-party micro-segmentation solutions like Cisco Secure Workloads, Guardicore, or Illumio. Importance of Application Connectivity Why is discovering and mapping application connectivity crucial? Applications are the lifeblood of organizations, driving business functions and, from a technical standpoint, influencing decisions related to firewall rule decommissioning, cloud migration, micro-segmentation, and zero-trust frameworks. Compliance requirements further emphasize the necessity of maintaining a clear understanding of application connectivity flows. Enforcing Micro-Segmentation with AlgoSec Micro-segmentation, a vital network security approach, aims to secure workloads independently by creating security zones per machine. AlgoSec plays a pivotal role in enforcing micro-segmentation by providing a detailed understanding of application connectivity flows. Through its discovery modules, AlgoSec ingests data and translates it into access controls, simplifying the management of north-south and east-west traffic within SDN-based micro-segmentation solutions. Secure Application Connectivity Migration In the complex landscape of public cloud and application migration, AlgoSec emerges as a solution to ensure success. Recognizing the challenges organizations face, AlgoSec’s AutoDiscovery capabilities enable a smooth migration process. By automatically generating security policy change requests, AlgoSec simplifies a traditionally complex and risky process, ensuring business services remain uninterrupted while meeting compliance requirements. In conclusion, AlgoSec’s technological journey reflects a commitment to adaptability and innovation, addressing the ever-changing demands of network security. From its origins in network device management to its pivotal role in cloud security and application connectivity, AlgoSec continues to be a key player in shaping the future of cybersecurity. Schedule a demo Related Articles 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 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security 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’s new product manages network objects in firewall, SDN and cloud platforms to securely accelerate connectivity changes Finally, a single source of truth for Network Security Objects with AlgoSec ObjectFlow  AlgoSec’s new product manages network objects in firewall, SDN and cloud platforms to securely accelerate connectivity changes May 18, 2022 Speak to one of our experts RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J., May 18, 2022 – AlgoSec, a global cybersecurity leader in securing application connectivity, has announced their new product, AlgoSec ObjectFlow, a network security object management solution for hybrid environments spanning cloud networks, SDNs and on-premises. According to Rik Turner, principal analyst at Omdia “in the complex environments that ensue from modern architectures such as SDN, as well as hybrid and multi-cloud environments, there is a very real risk of overlapping objects, making both their management from a security perspective a real headache. There is clearly the potential for automation to be applied to further streamline management.”  AlgoSec ObjectFlow offers the most comprehensive visibility and control of network objects across an entire hybrid environment. As a turnkey SaaS based solution, customers can leverage ObjectFlow’s advantages within minutes upon activation.  Professor Avishai Wool, AlgoSec CTO and co-founder states that ObjectFlow addresses a dire need in the market for optimal network object management as “most enterprise networks rely on a vast number of network objects that often refer to the same addresses in various forms, creating duplications and inconsistencies that can slow down changes to network connectivity and security policies. As a result, this leads to an increased risk of misconfigurations, outages and security breaches.”  Key benefits that ObjectFlow delivers to IT, network and security experts include:   Single source of truth   ObjectFlow is a central repository of all network objects used in security policies, allowing customers to maintain consistency of definitions across the multiple management systems used by various vendors. Object discovery and complete object visibility   ObjectFlow helps enterprises tap into SDNs and firewalls to discover all the objects on a network. Unique naming conventions can be created and organized based on individual needs and from multiple vendors. Automation of object changes   ObjectFlow makes automation of object changes possible from a central location. With official vendor API Integrations, manual labor is avoided, allowing for changes to be made within minutes instead of days.  Risk reduction   ObjectFlow provides full visibility and uniformity over network objects, breaking down organizational silos. With these processes in place, objects can be easily identifiable, allowing networks to be completely secure.  “Network security objects are the bread and butter of your network security posture,” said Eran Shiff, Vice President, Product of AlgoSec. “With ObjectFlow we give organizations a simple, effective way to manage their network security objects in a centralized object management solution. It helps IT teams to secure application connectivity and reduce the time spent by the security team, increasing efficiency across the board.”  To see how AlgoSec can help you better manage your network security objects with ObjectFlow, schedule your personal demo today. About AlgoSec   AlgoSec, a global cybersecurity leader, empowers organizations to secure application connectivity by automating connectivity flows 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 

Securing & managing hybrid network security 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

Efficiently improve network security and performance by cleaning up and optimizing your firewall rules Streamline operations and meet compliance requirements with ease Firewall rule cleanup & performance optimization tool Select a size Which network Can AlgoSec be used for continuous compliance monitoring? Yes, AlgoSec supports continuous compliance monitoring. As organizations adapt their security policies to meet emerging threats and address new vulnerabilities, they must constantly verify these changes against the compliance frameworks they subscribe to. AlgoSec can generate risk assessment reports and conduct internal audits on-demand, allowing compliance officers to monitor compliance performance in real-time. Security professionals can also use AlgoSec to preview and simulate proposed changes to the organization’s security policies. This gives compliance officers a valuable degree of lead-time before planned changes impact regulatory guidelines and allows for continuous real-time monitoring. Streamlining firewall policies: cleanup & optimization Dangers of outdated firewall rulesets How to audit your existing firewall policy How to properly perform a firewall cleanup Firewall optimization best practices Automate firewall configurations with AlgoSec Get the latest insights from the experts Use these six best practices to simplify compliance and risk mitigation with the AlgoSec Copy White paper Learn how AlgoSec can help you pass PCI-DSS Audits and ensure Copy Solution overview See how this customer improved compliance readiness and risk Copy Case study 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

These award wins follow a year of double-digit year-on-year annual recurring revenue growth and the launch of the AlgoSec Horizon Platform AlgoSec Wins SC Award for Best Security Company, Global InfoSec Award for Best Service Cybersecurity Company These award wins follow a year of double-digit year-on-year annual recurring revenue growth and the launch of the AlgoSec Horizon Platform May 14, 2025 Speak to one of our experts RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ, May 14, 2025 – Today, global cybersecurity leader AlgoSec announced it has won two prestigious cybersecurity awards, the 2025 SC Award for Best Security Company and the 2025 Global InfoSec Award for Best Service Cybersecurity Company. These accomplishments reinforce AlgoSec’s global leadership and its mission to deliver secure, seamless application connectivity across hybrid enterprise environments. AlgoSec offers a robust number of solutions dependent on customers’ business needs, such as application discovery and connectivity management , security change automation , and application-centric compliance and risk mitigation . Together, AlgoSec enables application owners, information security experts, SecOps and cloud security teams to deploy business applications faster while maintaining security. “We’re thrilled to be recognized as the best security company for our dedication to our customers and our impact on the industry at large,” said Chris Thomas , Chief Revenue Officer at AlgoSec. “These two awards cement our leadership as the top provider to future-proof complex multi-cloud hybrid networks through our unique application-centric approach.” To meet the complex security needs of its customers, AlgoSec recently launched AlgoSec Horizon Platform , the industry's first application-centric security management platform for the hybrid cloud network environment. With advanced AI nodules, AlgoSec Horizon platform prioritizes security efforts based on the criticality of business applications to ensure the most severe vulnerabilities are addressed first. This reduces operational complexity, simplifies security management, minimizes misconfigurations and enhances operational resilience. In 2024, AlgoSec saw double-digit year-on-year annual recurring revenue growth, gross dollar retention of over 90% and positive cashflow. For more information on AlgoSec, visit www.algosec.com . About AlgoSec AlgoSec, a global cybersecurity leader, empowers organizations to securely accelerate application delivery up to 10 times faster by automating application connectivity and security policy across the hybrid network environment. With two decades of expertise securing hybrid networks, over 2200 of the world's most complex organizations trust AlgoSec to help secure their most critical workloads. AlgoSec Horizon platform utilizes advanced AI capabilities, enabling users to automatically discover and identify their business applications across multi-clouds, and remediate risks more effectively. It serves as a single source for visibility into security and compliance issues across the hybrid network environment, to ensure ongoing adherence to internet security standards, industry, and internal regulations. Additionally, organizations can leverage intelligent change automation to streamline security change processes, thus improving security and agility. Learn how AlgoSec enables application owners, information security experts, SecOps and cloud security teams to deploy business applications faster while maintaining security at www.algosec.com . MEDIA CONTACT: Megan Davis Alloy, on behalf of AlgoSec [email protected]

Learn all about CNAPP limitations, why CNAPP is not enough in the cloud, and what additional cloud security pillars businesses need. Why CNAPP is not enough Select a size Which network Can AlgoSec be used for continuous compliance monitoring? Yes, AlgoSec supports continuous compliance monitoring. As organizations adapt their security policies to meet emerging threats and address new vulnerabilities, they must constantly verify these changes against the compliance frameworks they subscribe to. AlgoSec can generate risk assessment reports and conduct internal audits on-demand, allowing compliance officers to monitor compliance performance in real-time. Security professionals can also use AlgoSec to preview and simulate proposed changes to the organization’s security policies. This gives compliance officers a valuable degree of lead-time before planned changes impact regulatory guidelines and allows for continuous real-time monitoring. Executive summary: Why CNAPP is not enough Cloud native application protection platforms (CNAPPs) are unified security platforms that consolidate a diverse suite of tools and capabilities into a single solution. Widely adopted across industries, the cloud native application protection platform market is projected to reach $19.3 billion by 2027, a CAGR of almost 20% from 2022. These cloud security platforms are often positioned as "all-in-one" or "end-to-end" fortifications for contemporary cloud environments. However, a pressing question persists: Are CNAPPs enough? The dominant assumption is that CNAPPs can single-handedly tackle all enterprise cloud security requirements. However, enterprises should be aware of some critical CNAPP limitations; these can involve: Application security Network security Policy management Without addressing the cloud security blind spots of CNAPPs, minor vulnerabilities can escalate into significant security and compliance incidents. This article dives into the reasons why CNAPPs are so popular, what capabilities they offer, and how companies can transcend their limitations. Why are enterprises embracing cloud-native application protection platforms? CNAPPs are unified and integrated cloud security platforms, promising robust and centralized governance, security, and compliance control and oversight. They’re a captivating option when dealing with complex multi-cloud and hybrid cloud architectures. Setting CNAPP limitations aside for a moment, let’s explore what tools and capabilities these popular cloud security platforms feature. Cloud security posture management (CSPM) CSPM tools continuously monitor and scan IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS infrastructure for misconfigurations and risks. They also support triage and remediation of any cloud misconfigurations identified. Cloud infrastructure entitlement management (CIEM) CIEM tools are the cloud-native version of identity and access management (IAM) solutions. They detect and mitigate identity-related risks such as overprivileged accounts and subpar password policies. Cloud workload protection Cloud workload protection solutions monitor cloud-native workloads across hybrid and multi-cloud architectures for threats. Workloads in the cloud may refer to data, applications, serverless functions, containers, or virtual machines. But do cloud workload protection tools provide comprehensive runtime security and application security? More on that soon. External attack surface management (EASM) EASM tools focus on inventorying, monitoring, and reducing risks across public-facing digital assets. The overall objective of EASM solutions is to minimize the cloud attack surface and reveal blind spots. Container and Kubernetes security Container and Kubernetes security capabilities are crucial components of cloud security platforms, focusing on managing and fortifying containerized applications across multi-cloud environments. Vulnerability management Vulnerability management tools proactively scan cloud layers (workloads, APIs, applications, and data) for misconfigurations like insecure APIs, unencrypted data, and excessive permissions. As highlighted above, cloud native application protection platforms are equipped with a diverse and dynamic range of tools. However, risk-ridden cloud security blind spots make these tools insufficient for complete visibility and coverage across complex environments. CNAPP limitations and cloud security blind spots The features covered in the previous section are essential cloud security pillars. Nevertheless, CNAPPs aren't all-encompassing. This section examines these cloud native application protection platforms' biggest cloud security blind spots. In other words, why CNAPP is not enough. Inadequate hybrid cloud coverage One of the biggest cloud security blind spots businesses face? Legacy architecture. CNAPPs are purpose-built to operate in cloud environments. That means, companies with on-premises or hybrid setups might struggle to achieve interconnected visibility and security—even with strong CSPM or cloud workload protection tools. Disproportionate focus on runtime security Runtime security is in the CNAPP wheelhouse. However, some cloud security platforms over-emphasize runtime security and lack coverage in the initial stages of application pipelines. This incomplete visibility is a major application security vulnerability. Remember: A strong runtime security posture doesn’t make up for subpar application security capabilities. Lack of application visibility and context Modern multi-cloud and hybrid environments are primarily made up of applications . While the term “cloud native application security platform” suggests robust application security, CNAPPs often lack deep visibility into applications and their connectivity flows. CNAPP limitations also include a lack of application context: Businesses might know what applications they have, but they may not be able to map broader network security risks to specific applications. Incomplete network security CNAPPs have various features and telemetry capabilities that support cloud network security, but they lack advanced network security controls and tools. For example, CNAPPs can’t fine-tune firewalls, conduct deep packet inspections, or establish network traffic rules. Subpar API security Cloud native application protection platforms don’t always have deep API security capabilities. This is an issue, given APIs are an increasingly prevalent attack vector for adversaries. Weak API security is an application security vulnerability because without API visibility and context, it’s impossible to map application dependencies and identity misconfigurations. Restricted DevSecOps support CNAPPs can help security teams shift left, but they’re not a comprehensive DevSecOps powerhouse. This is due to many of the above-mentioned deficiencies: fractured application and connectivity visibility, as well as a lack of advanced network security options. In complex hybrid cloud architectures, these weaknesses complicate compliance and policy management—and consequently compromise DevSecOps programs. What additional layers of security do enterprises need? Cloud native application protection platform components like CSPM and CIEM are critical security pillars, but it’s evident that CNAPP is not enough for businesses today. Let’s discuss what additional capabilities you need. Advanced application security With applications dominating enterprise IT environments, companies need a cutting-edge application security tool with complete hybrid coverage, as well as connectivity and dependency mapping. Must-have features include deep application contextualization and the ability to map network risks to specific applications. Network security posture management (NSPM) Achieving visibility, security, and compliance across hybrid networks isn’t straightforward, which is why businesses need a strong NSPM tool. Top NSPM solutions enable businesses to visualize their network topology and apply unique firewall rules to understand, control, and secure traffic. They also help businesses enforce zero trust tenets like least privilege and network micro-segmentation. Automated security policy management Cloud environments are dynamic and constantly in flux, making policy and configuration management a tricky endeavor. The initial challenge is designing the right policies, but the bigger complexity is enforcing them consistently without compromising speed or scale. And that’s exactly what the best policy management tools do: Automate every step of the lifecycle, from risk analysis and policy design to implementation and validation. Hybrid cloud compliance management The underlying challenge across every pillar of cloud security, from API security to safe DevSecOps workflows, is ensuring compliance. Today, enterprises have a labyrinth of regulatory requirements they need to adhere to—from GDPR and SOX to industry-specific regulations like HIPAA. You need a compliance tool that can: Generate audit-ready reports Automatically vet policy change requests against compliance requirements Automatically discover traffic flows The benefits of transcending CNAPP limitations There are multiple benefits that enterprises can unlock by adding additional layers of security, such as those discussed above: Reinforced application security posture: Complete and contextual application visibility across the entire lifecycle Enhanced hybrid cloud governance: Control over hybrid cloud infrastructure, applications, data, security tools, and policies Fewer data breaches: Avoidance of the financial, legal, and reputational consequences of suffering data breaches (now featuring an average cost of $4.4 million, according to IBM ) Stronger compliance posture: Adherence to federal, local, and industry-specific laws and regulations More developer-friendly environments: Streamlined and optimized DevSecOps workflows; high-speed development with zero security compromises Boosted cloud performance: Major productivity gains and increased cloud ROI via optimized hybrid cloud governance To wrap up, it’s time to meet the cloud security platform that can help enterprises plug traditional CNAPP gaps and provide comprehensive hybrid cloud security. AlgoSec: A cloud security platform built for modern challenges AlgoSec is a cutting-edge cloud security solution that reinforces every CNAPP pillar while also addressing the most critical CNAPP limitations. AlgoSec Cloud Enterprise (ACE) streamlines every aspect of complex hybrid cloud security, including with automated compliance and policy management. From its emphasis on application visibility and security to zero-touch change management, ACE, along with supporting tools such as AppViz , FireFlow , and Firewall Analyzer , plugs every CNAPP gap and reinforces your overall cloud security posture. No, CNAPP is not enough, and enterprises should swiftly adopt an application-centric hybrid cloud security platform like AlgoSec to achieve the additional layers of cloud security needed in today’s threat landscape. To learn more about how AlgoSec strengthens everything from API security to DevSecOps workflows, and see why over 2,200 companies are already using it, request a demo today. FAQs What are some key CNAPP limitations? CNAPP limitations include excessive emphasis on runtime security, incomplete application security and visibility, weak API security, and DevSecOps deficiencies. What is cloud security posture management (CSPM)? CSPM tools are security solutions that monitor cloud-native infrastructure for security risks and misconfigurations. What is cloud infrastructure entitlement management (CIEM)? CIEM is a type of cloud security tool that focuses on IAM risks in cloud environments. Get the latest insights from the 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

Firewalls form the first line of defense against intrusive hackers trying to infiltrate internal networks and steal sensitive data. They... Firewall Change Management 5 Types of Firewalls for Enhanced Network Security Asher Benbenisty 2 min read Asher Benbenisty 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 10/25/23 Published Firewalls form the first line of defense against intrusive hackers trying to infiltrate internal networks and steal sensitive data. They act as a barrier between networks, clearly defining the perimeters of each. The earliest generation of packet-filter firewalls were rudimentary compared to today’s next-generation firewalls, but cybercrime threats were also less sophisticated. Since then, cybersecurity vendors have added new security features to firewalls in response to emerging cyber threats. Today, organizations can choose between many different types of firewalls designed for a wide variety of purposes. Optimizing your organization’s firewall implementation requires understanding the differences between firewalls and the network layers they protect. How Do Firewalls Work? Firewalls protect networks by inspecting data packets as they travel from one place to another. These packets are organized according to the transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP), which provides a standard way to organize data in transit. This protocol is a concise version of the more general OSI model commonly used to describe computer networks. These frameworks allow firewalls to interpret incoming traffic according to strictly defined standards. Security experts use these standards to create rules that tell firewalls what to do when they detect unusual traffic. The OSI model has seven layers: Application Presentation Session Transport Network Data link Physical Most of the traffic that reaches your firewall will use one of the three major Transport layer protocols in this model, TCP, UDP, or ICMP. Many security experts focus on TCP rules because this protocol uses a three-step TCP handshake to provide a reliable two-way connection. The earliest firewalls only operated on the Network Layer, which provides information about source and destination IP addresses, protocols, and port numbers. Later firewalls added Transport Layer and Application Layer functionality. The latest next-generation firewalls go even further, allowing organizations to enforce identity-based policies directly from the firewall. Related Read : Host-Based vs. Network-Based Firewalls 1. Traditional Firewalls Packet Filtering Firewalls Packet-filtering firewalls only examine Network Layer data, filtering out traffic according to the network address, the protocol used, or source and destination port data. Because they do not inspect the connection state of individual data packets, they are also called stateless firewalls. These firewalls are simple and they don’t support advanced inspection features. However, they offer low latency and high throughput, making them ideal for certain low-cost inline security applications. Stateful Inspection Firewalls When stateful firewalls inspect data packets, they capture details about active sessions and connection states. Recording this data provides visibility into the Transport layer and allows the firewall to make more complex decisions. For example, a stateful firewall can mitigate a denial-of-service attack by comparing a spike in incoming traffic against rules for making new connections – stateless firewalls don’t have a historical record of connections to look up. These firewalls are also called dynamic packet-filtering firewalls. They are generally more secure than stateless firewalls but may introduce latency because it takes time to inspect every data packet traveling through the network. Circuit-Level Gateways Circuit-level gateways act as a proxy between two devices attempting to connect with one another. These firewalls work on the Session layer of the OSI model, performing the TCP handshake on behalf of a protected internal server. This effectively hides valuable information about the internal host, preventing attackers from conducting reconnaissance into potential targets. Instead of inspecting individual data packets, these firewalls translate internal IP addresses to registered Network Address Translation (NAT) addresses. NAT rules allow organizations to protect servers and endpoints by preventing their internal IP address from being public knowledge. 2. Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFWs) Traditional firewalls only address threats from a few layers in the OSI model. Advanced threats can bypass these Network and Transport Layer protections to attack web applications directly. To address these threats, firewalls must be able to analyze individual users, devices, and data assets as they travel through complex enterprise networks. Next-generation firewalls achieve this by looking beyond the port and protocol data of individual packets and sessions. This grants visibility into sophisticated threats that simpler firewalls would overlook. For example, a traditional firewall may block traffic from an IP address known for conducting denial-of-service attacks. Hackers can bypass this by continuously changing IP addresses to confuse and overload the firewall, which may allow routing malicious traffic to vulnerable assets. A next-generation firewall may notice that all this incoming traffic carries the same malicious content. It may act as a TCP proxy and limit the number of new connections made per second. When illegitimate connections fail the TCP handshake, it can simply drop them without causing the organization’s internal systems to overload. This is just one example of what next-gen firewalls are capable of. Most modern firewall products combine a wide variety of technologies to provide comprehensive perimeter security against comprehensive cyber attacks. How do NGFWs Enhance Network Security? Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) : NGFWs go beyond basic packet filtering by inspecting the content of data packets. They analyze the actual data payload and not just header information. This allows them to identify and block threats within the packet content, such as malware, viruses, and suspicious patterns. Application-Level Control : NGFWs can identify and control applications and services running on the network. This enables administrators to define and enforce policies based on specific applications, rather than just port numbers. For example, you can allow or deny access to social media sites or file-sharing applications. Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) : NGFWs often incorporate intrusion prevention capabilities. They can detect and prevent known and emerging cyber threats by comparing network traffic patterns against a database of known attack signatures. This proactive approach helps protect against various cyberattacks. Advanced Threat Detection: NGFWs use behavioral analysis and heuristics to detect and block unknown or zero-day threats. By monitoring network traffic for anomalies, they can identify suspicious behavior and take action to mitigate potential threats. U ser and Device Identification : NGFWs can associate network traffic with specific users or devices, even in complex network environments. This user/device awareness allows for more granular security policies and helps in tracking and responding to security incidents effectively. Integration with Security Ecosystem : NGFWs often integrate with other security solutions, such as antivirus software, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and security information and event management (SIEM) systems. This collaborative approach provides a multi-layered defense strategy . Security Automation : NGFWs can automate threat response and mitigation. For example, they can isolate compromised devices from the network or initiate other predefined actions to contain threats swiftly. In a multi-layered security environment, these firewalls often enforce the policies established by security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR) platforms. Content Filtering : NGFWs can filter web content, providing URL filtering and content categorization. This helps organizations enforce internet usage policies and block access to potentially harmful or inappropriate websites. Some NGFWs can even detect outgoing user credentials (like an employee’s Microsoft account password) and prevent that content from leaving the network. VPN and Secure Remote Access : NGFWs often include VPN capabilities to secure remote connections. This is crucial for ensuring the security of remote workers and branch offices. Advanced firewalls may also be able to identify malicious patterns in external VPN traffic, protecting organizations from threat actors hiding behind encrypted VPN providers. Cloud-Based Threat Intelligence : Many NGFWs leverage cloud-based threat intelligence services to stay updated with the latest threat information. This real-time threat intelligence helps NGFWs identify and block emerging threats more effectively. Scalability and Performance : NGFWs are designed to handle the increasing volume of network traffic in modern networks. They offer improved performance and scalability, ensuring that security does not compromise network speed. Logging and Reporting : NGFWs generate detailed logs and reports of network activity. These logs are valuable for auditing, compliance, and forensic analysis, helping organizations understand and respond to security incidents. 3. Proxy Firewalls Proxy firewalls are also called application-level gateways or gateway firewalls. They define which applications a network can support, increasing security but demanding continuous attention to maintain network functionality and efficiency. Proxy firewalls provide a single point of access allowing organizations to assess the threat posed by the applications they use. It conducts deep packet inspection and uses proxy-based architecture to mitigate the risk of Application Layer attacks. Many organizations use proxy servers to segment the parts of their network most likely to come under attack. Proxy firewalls can monitor the core internet protocols these servers use against every application they support. The proxy firewall centralizes application activity into a single server and provides visibility into each data packet processed. This allows the organization to maintain a high level of security on servers that make tempting cyberattack targets. However, these servers won’t be able to support new applications without additional firewall configuration. These types of firewalls work well in highly segmented networks that allow organizations to restrict access to sensitive data without impacting usability and production. 4. Hardware Firewalls Hardware firewalls are physical devices that secure the flow of traffic between devices in a network. Before cloud computing became prevalent, most firewalls were physical hardware devices. Now, organizations can choose to secure on-premises network infrastructure using hardware firewalls that manage the connections between routers, switches, and individual devices. While the initial cost of acquiring and configuring a hardware firewall can be high, the ongoing overhead costs are smaller than what software firewall vendors charge (often an annual license fee). This pricing structure makes it difficult for growing organizations to rely entirely on hardware devices. There is always a chance that you end up paying for equipment you don’t end up using at full capacity. Hardware firewalls offer a few advantages over software firewalls: They avoid using network resources that could otherwise go to value-generating tasks. They may end up costing less over time than a continuously renewed software firewall subscription fee. Centralized logging and monitoring can make hardware firewalls easier to manage than complex software-based deployments. 5. Software Firewalls Many firewall vendors provide virtualized versions of their products as software. They typically charge an annual licensing fee for their firewall-as-a-service product, which runs on any suitably provisioned server or device. Some software firewall configurations require the software to be installed on every computer in the network, which can increase the complexity of deployment and maintenance over time. If firewall administrators forget to update a single device, it may become a security vulnerability. At the same time, these firewalls don’t have their own operating systems or dedicated system resources available. They must draw computing power and memory from the devices they are installed on. This leaves less power available for mission-critical tasks. However, software firewalls carry a few advantages compared to hardware firewalls: The initial subscription-based cost is much lower, and many vendors offer a price structure that ensures you don’t pay for resources you don’t use. Software firewalls do not take up any physical space, making them ideal for smaller organizations. The process of deploying software firewalls often only takes a few clicks. With hardware firewalls, the process can involve complex wiring and time-consuming testing. Advanced Threats and Firewall Solutions Most firewalls are well-equipped to block simple threats, but advanced threats can still cause problems. There are many different types of advanced threats designed to bypass standard firewall policies. Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) often compromise high-level user accounts and slowly spread throughout the network using lateral movement. They may move slowly, gathering information and account credentials over weeks or months before exfiltrating the data undetected. By moving slowly, these threats avoid triggering firewall rules. Credential-based attacks bypass simple firewall rules by using genuine user credentials to carry out attacks. Since most firewall policies trust authenticated users, attackers can easily bypass rules by stealing user account credentials. Simple firewalls can’t distinguish between normal traffic and malicious traffic by an authenticated, signed-in user. Malicious insiders can be incredibly difficult to detect. These are genuine, authenticated users who have decided to act against the organization’s interest. They may already know how the firewall system works, or have privileged access to firewall configurations and policies. Combination attacks may target multiple security layers with separate, independent attacks. For example, your cloud-based firewalls may face a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack while a malicious insider exfiltrates information from the cloud. These tactics allow hackers to coordinate attacks and cover their tracks. Only next-generation firewalls have security features that can address these types of attack. Anti-data exfiltration tools may prevent users from sending their login credentials to unsecured destinations, or prevent large-scale data exfiltration altogether. Identity-based policies may block authenticated users from accessing assets they do not routinely use. Firewall Configuration and Security Policies The success of any firewall implementation is determined by the quality of its security rules. These rules decide which types of traffic the firewall will allow to pass, and what traffic it will block. In a modern network environment, this is done using four basic types of firewall rules: Access Control Lists (ACLs). These identify the users who have permission to access a certain resource or asset. They may also dictate which operations are allowed on that resource or asset. Network Address Translation (NAT) rules. These rules protect internal devices by hiding their original IP address from the public Internet. This makes it harder for hackers to gain unauthorized access to system resources because they can’t easily target individual devices from outside the network. Stateful packet filtering . This is the process of inspecting data packets in each connection and determining what to do with data flows that do not appear genuine. Stateful firewalls keep track of existing connections, allowing them to verify the authentication of incoming data that claims to be part of an already established connection. Application-level gateways. These firewall rules provide application-level protection, preventing hackers from disguising malicious traffic as data from (or for) an application. To perform this kind of inspection, the firewall must know what normal traffic looks like for each application on the network, and be able to match incoming traffic with those applications. Network Performance and Firewalls Firewalls can impact network performance and introduce latency into networks. Optimizing network performance with firewalls is a major challenge in any firewall implementation project. Firewall experts use a few different approaches to reduce latency and maintain fast, reliable network performance: Installing hardware firewalls on high-volume routes helps, since separate physical devices won’t draw computing resources away from other network devices. Using software firewalls in low-volume situations where flexibility is important. Sometimes, being able to quickly configure firewall rules to adapt to changing business conditions can make a major difference in overall network performance. Configuring servers to efficiently block unwanted traffic is a continuous process. Server administrators should avoid overloading firewalls with denied outbound requests that strain firewalls at the network perimeter. Firewall administrators should try to distribute unwanted traffic across multiple firewalls and routers instead of allowing it to concentrate on one or two devices. They should also try reducing the complexity of the firewall rule base and minimize overlapping rules. Schedule a demo Related Articles 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 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security 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... 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Oren Amiram, Director of Product at AlgoSec, explains why misconfigurations continue to plague public cloud network services and how... Firewall Change Management Why misconfigurations continue to plague public cloud network services and how to avoid them? Oren Amiram 2 min read Oren Amiram 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 3/18/24 Published Oren Amiram, Director of Product at AlgoSec, explains why misconfigurations continue to plague public cloud network services and how organizations can address these shortfalls with AlgoSec Cloud. Cloud security as a strategy is constantly evolving to meet the needs of organizations for scale, agility, and security. If your organization is weighing the merits of the use of public cloud versus private cloud, here are a few facts to keep in mind. Data shows that the public cloud is the preferred choice. Here’s what’s driving it. Public cloud security has become more ubiquitous thanks to IaaS platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Microsoft Azure. According to Gartner, worldwide end-user spending on public cloud services is expected to grow by 20.4% in 2022 to a total of $494.7 billion, up from $410.9 billion in 2021 It is easy to see why public clouds are so appealing. Unlike private clouds, public cloud platform solutions allow organizations to provide business applications fast and reduce the costs associated with purchasing, managing, and maintaining on-premise hardware and application infrastructure. Furthermore, public clouds enable businesses to set up the required infrastructure much faster than on-premise and provide unmatched scalability, as well as extra security capabilities. Public cloud benefits are abundantly clear, but there’s more to this than meets the eye. As robust as a public cloud platform, there are also challenges that organizations need to overcome. According to a recent global survey on public cloud security risks, just under a third of organizations (31%) were not confident or only slightly confident about their ability to protect sensitive data in a cloud environment and another 44 percent reported they were only moderately confident. Another survey focused on top threats to cloud computing showed that misconfiguration of the cloud platform was one of the top three concerns among respondents. This challenge is even more amplified as evidenced in a separate survey, with nearly 76% of respondents stating their organization uses two or more different public cloud providers. The findings suggest that security teams often have to manage multiple native security and management consoles to enforce security and compliance across different environments. How profound is the impact of misconfigurations on your network? All it takes is a single hole It is no surprise that enterprise IT teams find it difficult to keep their applications secure. Migration of applications to public cloud platforms involves many potential pitfalls. Misconfiguration errors can occur at many different points on the network as part of the migration process, especially when moving from traditional firewalls to cloud security controls. Ongoing management of applications and workflows within the public cloud presents a unique challenge. Many organizations have multiple teams using different methods to manage the applications and the security controls that should protect them, such as Ansible, Chef and Terraform, in addition to manual changes. Even if you are using a single public cloud platform, you still need to manage multiple security controls protecting a multitude of applications. Organizations may have hundreds of separate public cloud accounts, each with multiple VPCs, spread across different regions. These VPCs are protected by multi-layered security controls, from Cloud Infrastructure, such as security groups and network ACLs, cloud-native advanced network firewalls, to Security Products offered by ISVs, such as NG Firewalls. It is easy to see why misconfiguration occurs if IT teams attempt to take on this complex, tedious and labor-intensive process themselves. A single mistake can cause outages, compliance violations and create holes in your security perimeter. Digital Shadows detected over 2.3 billion files that had been Misconfigured storage services have exposed more than 30 billion records and contributed to more than 200 breaches over the past two years. It is safe to assume that as organizations seek to optimize their public cloud deployment, cloud breaches will increase in velocity and scale. According to a recent Accurics report, misconfigured cloud storage services were commonplace in 93% of hundreds of public cloud deployments analyzed. Avoiding misconfiguration risks is easier said than done, but there’s a solution Given that organizations are so concerned about misconfiguration risks, what steps can they take to avoid making them? There are two basic principles that should be followed: Ensuring that only authorized, qualified personnel can make network or security control changes Following a clearly defined change process, with mandatory review and approval for each stage. It’s also important to keep in mind that errors are still likely to occur even while you’re still carrying out your processes manually. Luckily, there is an easy solution – hybrid network-aware automation. This solution enables you to employ network change automation, eliminates guesswork and error-prone manual input, while also simplifying large-scale, complex application migration projects and security change management. Is there a much more holistic solution? Yes, meet AlgoSec AlgoSec’s cloud offering seamlessly integrates with all leading brands of cloud security controls, firewalls (including NGFWs deployed in the cloud), routers, and load balancers, to deliver unified security policy management. With the AlgoSec Security Management Solution, users benefit from holistic management and automation spanning on-premise, SDN and public cloud. AlgoSec cloud offering, including CloudFlow, allows organizations to seamlessly manage security control layers across the hybrid network in three key areas: Visibility across your hybrid network With our cloud offering, you can obtain a full network map of your entire hybrid network security estate, as well as identify risks and correlate them to the assets they impact. You can also achieve instant visibility of cloud assets and security controls, pinpointing and troubleshooting application and network connectivity issues resulting from security policies. Change management Organizations can leverage a uniformed network model and change-management framework that covers the hybrid and multi-cloud environment, with an automated policy push for “zero-touch” automation. You can securely migrate workloads from on-prem to the public cloud and discover the power of CloudFlow’s central policy management, allowing you to orchestrate multiple similar security controls in a single policy. Cloud-centric risk analysis and remediation You can proactively detect misconfigurations to protect cloud assets, including cloud instances, databases and serverless functions. Also, you can easily identify risky security policy rules, the assets they expose and whether they are in use. You can also remediate risk, including cleaning up bloated and risky policies and enjoy audit-ready compliance reporting, including vast support for diverse regulations. Find out more about AlgoSec cloud offering or start your journey through AlgoSec’s hybrid cloud hub . Schedule a demo Related Articles 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 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security 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