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Optimize cloud security and management with AlgoSec Cloud for Microsoft Azure, providing visibility, compliance, and automation for your hybrid cloud environment. AlgoSec Cloud for Microsoft Azure Cloud security policy and configuration management made simple As organizations adopt cloud strategies and migrate applications to Microsoft Azure and other clouds to take advantage of economies of scale, they face new levels of complexity and risk to their security posture. Security controls and network architectures in Azure are distinct from those found in on-premise data centers. Customers of Azure services often do not know how to use them securely. AlgoSec Cloud enables effective management of the security control layers across the hybrid and multi-cloud estate, including Microsoft Azure. Schedule a Demo Cloud security main challenges IT and Security staffs find it difficult to create and maintain security in the cloud due to: Complexity of multiple layers of security controls includingCloud providers’ built-in configurations that impact security posture, such as IAM permissions, encryption state, security groups, public/private permissions, asset types like databases, storage and accounts, as well as configuration types like deployment location, networks ACLs, and Misconfigurations can result in security risks across various assets, including IaaS, PaaS and accounts. Security products by cloud providers with many different mechanisms and operational rules and techniques like Azure Security products by independent security vendors (e.g., Next Generation Firewalls by Check Point and Palo Alto Networks). Multiple public clouds along with private clouds and on-premise Security professionals are challenged by the need to understand the differences in the technologies while managing them separately using multiple consoles and diverse tools. Multiple stakeholders managing the security in the cloud. Unlike on-prem networks where policies are typically managed by security teams, in the cloud, other stakeholders (application developers, DevOps, cloud teams) manage changes to cloud configurations and security rules, challenging consistency and control, and increasing the risk of misconfigurations Schedule a Demo All cloud security under a single umbrella AlgoSec Cloud enables effective security management of the various security-control layers across the multi-cloud estate. AlgoSec Cloud central management provides instant visibility, risk assessment and compliance analysis, enabling enforcement of company and regulatory policies, and proactive detection of misconfigurations Schedule a Demo Manage your Microsoft Azure security environment When used in conjunction with AlgoSec’s Firewall Analyzer and FireFlow, customers benefit from a hybrid approach, spanning on-premise, SDN and legacy network security. Continuous Visibility. Always know about the assets that require protection and the multiple security constructs and configurations protecting them. Monitor changes to the cloud configuration and the potential risk of each change. Risk management and compliance. Enforce company and regulatory policies while verifying adherence to best practices. Proactively detect misconfigurations in access, permissions and other configurations to protect cloud assets, including cloud accounts, VMs, storage, databases and more. Automated central management of security policies. Manage network security controls (Network Security Groups, etc.) in one system across multiple accounts, regions and VNETs. Leverage a uniform network model and change- management framework that covers the hybrid and multi-cloud environment. Schedule a Demo Azure Firewall AlgoSec delivers an intuitive and effective central management solution for Azure Firewall, Microsoft’s cloud-native, scalable network and application firewall. Users can consistently manage multiple instances of Azure Firewalls across regions and multiple Azure accounts. Schedule a Demo Quick deployment AlgoSec Cloud is an agentless SaaS solution and is easy to deploy in minutes. It offers immediate ROI and significant security improvements. Schedule a Demo Key Business Benefits Enhanced visibility across the entire hybrid and multi-cloud estate Improved cloud-security posture to avoid breaches Automatic compliance assurance with constant audit-readiness Secure change management at the speed of cloud deployment Reduced manual labor, errors, and associated risks and costs Schedule a Demo AlgoSec Cloud Advantages Unified view of the entire network, hybrid and multi-cloud estates from a unified platform Simplified management of complex multi-layered cloud security controls Automatic risk detection and recommended best practices Avoidance of false alarms – risk analysis takes into consideration all security constructs Schedule a Demo Comprehensive and Unified Security for Heterogeneous Environments AlgoSec seamlessly integrates with all leading brands of traditional and next-generation firewalls and cloud security controls as well as routers, load balancers, web proxies, and SIEM solutions, to deliver unified security policy management across any hybrid-cloud, multi-cloud, SDN, and on-premise network. Additional devices can be added via the AlgoSec Extension Framework. Let's start your journey to our business-centric network security. Schedule a Demo Select a size Cloud security policy and configuration management made simple Cloud security main challenges All cloud security under a single umbrella Manage your Microsoft Azure security environment Azure Firewall Quick deployment Key Business Benefits AlgoSec Cloud Advantages Comprehensive and Unified Security for Heterogeneous Environments Get the latest insights from the experts Choose a better way to manage your network

Ensure your firewall meets all PCI DSS requirements. Learn essential best practices for configuring and managing your firewall for optimal PCI compliance. Firewall PCI DSS compliance: Requirements & best practices What is a firewall PCI DSS compliance? PCI DSS compliance refers to a set of security measures that apply to businesses handling payment cards, e.g., credit cards, debit cards, and cash cards. The full meaning of the term PCI DSS is Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. All companies that accept, process, store, or transmit credit card information require PCI Compliance as it ensures data security during and outside financial transactions. PCI DSS compliance is the rules and policies companies processing, storing, or transmitting payment card information must adhere to, helping them build a secure environment for card data. The PCI security standards council (PCI SSC) is the body responsible for managing PCI DSS. PCI SSC was formed in 2006 and has since been providing policies that tackle evolving cyber threats in the payment card industry. A firewall PCI DSS compliance refers to the process of configuring a firewall to monitor and filter incoming and outgoing internet traffic based on PCI DSS policies. Firewalls function based on a set of security rules, enabling them to block bad traffic like viruses and hackers from penetrating your network. Establishing a PCI-compliant firewall gives companies robust payment card information security that meets business needs and effectively protects sensitive data. Schedule a Demo What are the benefits of a PCI-compliant firewall? Hackers see credit cards and other payment card types as money-making opportunities. They tirelessly attack systems and networks to extract cardholders’ personal information and sensitive authentication data, which they can exploit. Examples of cardholder data are: Primary Account Number (PAN) Cardholder name Expiration date Service code Sensitive authentication data include: Full track data (magnetic-stripe data or equivalent on a chip) CAV2/CVC2/CVV2/CID PINs/PIN blocks Becoming PCI-compliant means you have effective security solutions to help defend your network against attacks and protect the financial and personal data of payment cards. A PCI-compliant firewall has been configured following PCI policies to allow specific network traffic and block others from accessing card data. Some benefits of having a PCI-compliant firewall in your organization include: Builds customer trust Any business that stores, processes, accepts, or transmits credit card information must have a reliable cybersecurity solution to gain customers’ trust. Users want reassurance that their data is safely stored and transmitted in your organization’s network, backed by the strictest information security policy. By showing that your business meets international standards for card information security, you can easily build customer trust and increase patronage. Prevents data breaches The primary benefit of PCI DSS compliance is that it eliminates the risks of data breaches. Data breaches can lead to huge financial losses and even damage a company’s reputation. Often, hackers look for easy targets, and one quick way to find them is by checking for companies whose firewall configuration isn’t PCI-compliant. Being PCI-compliant shows any potential attacker that your network security is top-notch, thus discouraging them from taking any further action. It displays that your cardholder data environment is protected by formidable security solutions that meet industry regulations and best practices. Helps you to meet global standards PCI DSS compliance was put together by the PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC). The body was formed by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and JCB– the top five payment card firms. They designed this payment card information security policy to prevent data breaches and protect network system components, including servers, firewalls, etc. Building a PCI-compliant firewall confirms that your business aligns with the most trusted payment firms and meets global cybersecurity standards for payment cards. Prevents fines and penalties Besides the financial loss that hackers directly cause from data breaches, companies may also suffer heavy fines and penalties. They may be required to foot card replacement bills, audit fees, investigation costs, and even compensate for customers’ losses. Every business that processes, stores, accepts, or transmits payment card data must meet the ideal security standards required to avoid fines and penalties. More importantly, becoming compliant helps you establish a good reputation for your business online and offline. Puts security first A compliant firewall enjoys round-the-clock security as it is fully configured to regulate physical access and network-based attacks. So even if there’s an internal malicious actor, you can still secure your customers and prevent unauthorized access. This attitude of putting security first across your IT infrastructure can save you from losses worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in the long run. Maximum speed functionality Organizations that deploy industry-standard firewall policies can function at maximum speed as they’re assured they have a secure network. Working at full speed enables goods or service providers to generate greater revenue as they can satisfy more customers within a short time. Plus, PCI firewall rules don’t only protect the Cardholder Data Environment against attacks, but they also improve your system’s operational efficiency. As a result, you generate maximum ROI from your investment. Schedule a Demo How does PCI compliance affect my business? As a business handling, storing, processing, or transmitting payment card data, it’s essential to prioritize building trust and a positive reputation. This is because customers prefer to do business with brands they trust to provide top security for their card information. Unarguably, being PCI-compliant is one of the core ways to show customers and partners that your business can be trusted. It makes them understand that your security posture meets international standards and can withstand tough security threats. Also, with your compliance certification, you gain a competitive advantage over many other businesses as statistics show that only about 36% of businesses are PCI-compliant. Being compliant allows you to compete with top brands by displaying the alignment of your card data security with the best industry practices. More interestingly, PCI compliance allows every component of your network environment to function optimally, thus giving an impressive and satisfactory output. Schedule a Demo How should the PCI DSS firewall configuration be? PCI DSS firewall should be configured in line with standard practices to protect Cardholder Data Environments (CDE) effectively. You must first regulate the flow of traffic to gain more control and create an effective risk management strategy that prevents cybercriminals from impacting your network. Organizations with a highly complex CDE may resort to segmentation using multiple firewalls, which involves separating systems for better control. Here’s how the PCI DSS firewall should be configured: Set security : Every switch port should have security settings, especially when following segmentation practices. You must set firewalls at the CDE boundaries and also between untrusted networks and the demilitarized zone (DMZ). The DMZ is a sub-network providing an extra layer of security to your internal private network. Establish rules: Set and regularly update firewall rules so that systems and system ports are only accessed by authorized sources. All wireless networks should have perimeter firewalls installed to prevent access from outside the defined environment. Outdated software programs and default passwords should also be avoided during configuration. Inbound/outbound rules: Determine what traffic should be allowed to enter or exit your network based on business needs. Firewalls should only allow traffic needed in the CDE, while other unnecessary traffic must be blocked. Also, direct traffic from the CDE to the Internet should be blocked to avoid creating a loophole. Use VPNs: remote users accessing the system should do so via virtual private networks (VPNs). Also, their portable devices (laptops, desktops, or smart devices) should have firewalls installed. Add/Close switch ports : You should use switch ports (e.g., Internet, office, CDE) to segment different networks. Also, ensure that end users can’t alter the firewall’s configuration on devices and that their management procedures are well-documented. Schedule a Demo Twelve requirements to become PCI-compliant? Every company that aims to achieve PCI compliance must fulfill the twelve PCI DSS compliance requirements. Doing this ensures that your organization’s network enjoys top-tier security controls against any cybersecurity threat. Below are the PCI DSS requirements. 1. Install a firewall and maintain it The first step toward becoming PCI-compliant is installing and maintaining a firewall. Proper firewall configuration will effectively block all untrusted networks attempting to penetrate your system to steal data. Businesses must configure their firewalls, routers, and other network security devices through industry standard rules to ensure they filter inbound and outbound traffic effectively. Inbound traffic is traffic originating from outside your network and attempting to penetrate it, while outbound traffic comes from within your network and goes out. It’s crucial to have standard inbound and outbound firewall rules to protect the network against malicious incoming traffic, such as malware, denial-of-service (DoS) attacks, etc. With firewalls, routers, and other components properly configured, your first line of defense is optimized for card data protection. 2. Initiate strong password protections Third-party components in your IT infrastructure, such as servers, network devices, point of sale (PoS) systems, applications, access points, etc., must be protected with strong passwords. Avoid using vendor-supplied defaults or generic passwords because they are simple and can be guessed easily. In fact, many of them are published online, hence why changing them to stronger passwords is a requirement. You must also have a list of the devices and software that require a password or any other security feature in your network. Plus, you should document your company’s configuration procedures from the time you obtain the third-party product until it enters your IT network. Doing this helps in vulnerability management so that you will take all required security measures each time you introduce a new component to your IT infrastructure. 3. Protect the data of cardholders The essence of becoming PCI-compliant is to protect cardholder data, and that’s why this third requirement is the most important of all. Companies must know the type of data they want to store, its location, and the retention period. Knowing the type of data you want to store helps in determining the most secure way to protect it. Encryption can protect all data through industry-accepted algorithms, truncation, or tokenization. Typically, two-layer protection is considered the best, such as using both encryption and tokenization. You must conduct regular maintenance and scanning to detect any unencrypted primary account numbers (PAN) and ensure that your PCI DSS encryption key management process is strong. As part of the third requirement, businesses should follow standard security controls when displaying primary account numbers. Ideally, only the first six and last four digits can be displayed. 4. Encrypt data that gets transmitted When data is transmitted across open, public networks like the Internet, WiFi, and Bluetooth, it must be encrypted. Failure to encrypt data puts it at great risk, as cybercriminals can often access such data. However, with proper encryption, you can maintain top security for your data at rest and in transit. Also, you should know the destination and source of card data to avoid sending or receiving data from untrusted networks. 5. Install and maintain anti-virus software Companies must install and maintain anti-virus software to protect against malware that can impact system performance. All systems and devices (e.g., laptops, desktops, mobile devices, workstations, etc.) providing local and remote IT network access should have anti-virus programs installed on them. These devices are commonly affected by malware which disrupts system functionality and allows unauthorized access to your network. Nonetheless, with an active and up-to-date anti-virus or anti-malware program, you can detect known malware, protect your system from malicious actors, and have more access control. 6. Update your systems and software The next layer of requirement is the update and maintenance of systems and applications. You should define and implement a process that identifies security risks from anti-virus programs to firewalls. This process should deploy a reliable third-party source to classify these security risks and send notifications for any newly discovered vulnerabilities in the PCI DSS environment. To ensure effective vulnerability management, you should patch (update) all systems, especially those that store or interact with the cardholder data. Examples of other systems that should be patched regularly include routers, application software, switches, databases, and POS terminals. Timely patching helps you resolve any vulnerabilities or bugs (errors) in your system before bad actors take advantage of them. 7. Restrict access to data Access control is a huge criterion when it comes to achieving PCI compliance. Employees should only have access to the data required to fulfill their roles and meet business needs. In other words, access to card data and systems should strictly be on a need-to-know basis. All staff who do not need cardholder data to execute their roles should be restricted from accessing it to prevent unnecessary exposure of sensitive data. Also, you must have a comprehensive list of all staff who need card data and their roles. Other details to document include: role definition current privilege level expected privilege level data resources required by each user to execute operations on card data. 8. Establish unique IDs for those with access After determining users who need access to cardholder data, you’re required to establish unique IDs for each of them. Some organizations use shared/group passwords for staff, which makes it challenging to track certain activities. Such organizations must switch to having unique IDs for each authorized user to fulfill the eighth requirement for PCI DSS compliance. A two-layer authentication must be implemented for every non-console administrative access (remote access). Establishing a complex and unique ID for each person with access to card data allows you to trace any unusual activity to their respective users. Thus, every user can take responsibility for their actions and be summoned for accountability or even face the necessary disciplinary actions for their security errors. If there’s a security threat, unique IDs enable swift response before serious damage is done. 9. Physical access needs to be limited Physical access to systems with cardholder data must be restricted to prevent data theft, manipulation, or destruction. The systems must be locked in a secure location (in a room, drawer, or cabinet). You should monitor the entry and exit doors of physical locations like data centers using surveillance cameras or electronic access controls. All physical access to systems with cardholder data must be kept in a log and retained for at least 90 days. Companies should allow only authorized visitors in the area and keep a document of their activities. Whenever an employee is switching roles or during resignation, all company-related systems with cardholder data or access to your internal network should be retrieved. Finally, on the restriction of physical access, you must destroy any media or device that’s no longer needed in your system. 10. Establish and maintain access logs One very common non-compliance challenge is the establishment and maintenance of access logs. Organizations must have a proper record-keeping and documentation process for all activities across their network, including data flow and access frequency. The collected information about access logs and other activities should be reviewed daily to detect and address any irregular actions. This requirement mandates that the collected information must meet the standard and be taken in real-time to enhance the audit phase. 11. Scan and perform tests to identify vulnerabilities Hackers understand that every system has a degree of vulnerability, and that’s why they tirelessly try new methods to help them penetrate networks and steal data. However, with frequent vulnerability scans and penetration testing, you can stay on top of cyber threats and keep users’ payment card details safe at all times. Vulnerability scans can help you discover any possible error in software programs and your entire security system. With penetration testing, you can discover your IT infrastructure’s weaknesses using the same tools and techniques as hackers. As a result, you will be able to block any loopholes in your physical and wireless networks before cybercriminals detect them. 12. Document your policies The last requirement for PCI DSS compliance relates to the documentation of information security policies. The policies must be reviewed annually and forwarded to the right persons (such as employees, vendors, etc.) to tackle evolving cyber threats effectively. Some important information to include during documentation includes your inventory of equipment, the process of information flow and storage, software, employees with access to sensitive data, etc. As part of fulfilling the last requirement, you must: Perform a formal risk assessment to determine critical assets, threats, and vulnerabilities. Conduct user awareness training Run employee background checks Perform incident management Schedule a Demo How AlgoSec helps with PCI DSS compliance Achieving PCI DSS compliance is one big step toward success for any business storing, processing, accepting, or transmitting payment card information. The process is often daunting and time-consuming as companies must meet the twelve compliance requirements to get their certification. Firewall configuration alone, which is the first requirement, requires keeping thousands of rules in mind. It’s one of the most challenging requirements on the path to PCI DSS Compliance, especially since the rule bases frequently change. Also, even after receiving compliance certification, businesses must show that their security systems continuously align with the industry’s regulations and standards through consistent auditing. All this work can be quite tedious for companies, making it challenging to achieve or maintain PCI DSS compliance. Now, that’s where AlgoSec comes in. AlgoSec helps you with PCI DSS compliance by preparing your firewalls with the proper configuration that’ll help you be compliant and fulfill the first requirement easily. From installation to maintenance, we’d assist you in setting up a compliant firewall that provides formidable security for the cardholder data environment. At AlgoSec, we understand the PCI DSS firewall requirements to achieve a compliant firewall and have the right tools and solutions to configure your firewall. Furthermore, we’d help you consistently stay compliant by identifying gaps in compliance and enabling you to remediate them. By leveraging our intelligent automation solution, you can avoid costly errors caused by manual work, thus helping you stay compliant and secure when adding, removing, or changing policy rules. We know the challenges most companies face when attaining PCI DSS compliance. That’s why we have created an effective solution that enables flawless data collection and auditing, thus helping you establish and maintain access logs as well as document your policies effortlessly. Lastly, we help your business stay continuously compliant by simplifying firewall audits. This allows you to quickly detect any loopholes and regularly update your firewall rules to avoid violating any policy. Schedule a Demo Select a size What is a firewall PCI DSS compliance? What are the benefits of a PCI-compliant firewall? How does PCI compliance affect my business? How should the PCI DSS firewall configuration be? Twelve requirements to become PCI-compliant? How AlgoSec helps with PCI DSS compliance Get the latest insights from the experts Use these six best practices to simplify compliance and risk mitigation with the AlgoSec platform White paper Learn how AlgoSec can help you pass PCI-DSS Audits and ensure Solution overview See how this customer improved compliance readiness and risk Case study Choose a better way to manage your network

Ensure your network security is up to par with a comprehensive firewall audit checklist. Review and optimize security policy rules to prevent vulnerabilities. Firewall audit checklist for security policy rules review Ensuring continuous compliance More regulations and standards relating to information security, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and ISO 27001, have forced enterprises to put more emphasis—in terms of time and money—on compliance and the regular and ad hoc auditing of security policies and controls. While regulatory and internal audits cover a broad range of security checks, the firewall is featured prominently since it is the first and main line of defense between the public and the corporate network. The number of enterprises that are not affected by regulations is shrinking. But even if you do not have to comply with specific government or industrial regulations and security standards, it is now commonplace to conduct regular, thorough audits of your firewalls. Not only do these audits ensure that your firewall configurations and rules meet the proper requirements of external regulations or internal security policy, but these audits can also play a critical role in reducing risk and actually improve firewall performance by optimizing the firewall rule base. In today’s complex, multi-vendor network environments, typically including tens or hundreds of firewalls running thousands of rules, completed a manual security audit now borders on the impossible. Conducting the audit process manually, firewall administrators must rely on their own experience and expertise—which can vary greatly across organizations—to determine if a given firewall rule should or should not be included in the configuration file. Furthermore, documentation of current rules and their evolution of changes is usually lacking. The time and resources required to find, organize and pour through all of the firewall rules to determine the level of compliance significantly impacts IT staff. As networks grow in complexity, auditing becomes more cumbersome. Manual processes cannot keep up. Automating the firewall audit process is crucial as compliance must be continuous, not simply at a point in time. The firewall audit process is arduous. Each new rule must pre-analyzed and simulated before it can be implemented. A full and accurate audit log of each change must be maintained. Today’s security staffs now find that being audit-ready without automation is impractical if not virtually impossible. It’s time to look to automation along with the establishment of auditing best practices to maintain continuous compliance. Below, we share a proven checklist of six best practices for a firewall audits based on AlgoSec’s extensive experience in consulting with some of the largest global organizations and auditors who deal with firewall audit, optimization and change management processes and procedures. While this is not an exhaustive list that every organization must follow, it provides guidance on some critical areas to cover when conducting a firewall audit. FIGURE 1: Overview of the Recommended Firewall Audit Process Get a Demo Schedule a Demo Gather key information prior to starting the audit An audit has little chance of success without visibility into the network, including software, hardware, policies and risks. The following are examples of the key information required to plan the audit work: Copies of relevant security policies Access to firewall logs that can be analyzed against the firewall rule base to understand which rules are actually being used An accurate diagram of the current network and firewall topologies Reports and documents from previous audits, including firewall rules, objects and policy revisions Identification of all Internet Service Providers (ISP) and Virtual Private Networks (VPN) All relevant firewall vendor information including OS version, latest patches and default configuration Understanding all the key servers and information repositories in the network and the value of each Once you have gathered this information, how are you going to aggregate it and storing it? Trying to track compliance on spreadsheets is a surefire way to make the audit process painful, tedious and time-consuming. Instead of spreadsheets, the auditor needs to document, store and consolidate this vital information in a way that enables collaboration with IT counterparts. With this convenience access, auditors you can start reviewing policies and procedures and tracking their effectiveness in terms of compliance, operational efficiency and risk mitigation. Schedule a Demo Review the change management process A good change management process is essential to ensure proper execution and traceability of firewall changes as well as for sustainability over time to ensure compliance continuously. Poor documentation of changes, including why each change is needed, who authorized the change, etc. and poor validation of the impact on the network of each change are two of the most common problems when it comes to change control. Review the procedures for rule-base change management. Just a few key questions to review include:Are requested changes going through proper approvals? Are changes being implemented by authorized personnel? Are changes being tested? Are changes being documented per regulatory and/ or internal policy requirements? Each rule should have a comment that includes the change ID of the request and the name/initials of the person who implemented the change. Is there an expiration date for the change? Determine if there is a formal and controlled process in place to request, review, approve and implement firewall changes. This process should include at least the following:Business purpose for a change request Duration (time period) for new/modified rule Assessment of the potential risks associated with the new/modified rule Formal approvals for new/modified rule Assignment to proper administrator for implementation Verification that change has been tested and implemented correctly Determine whether all of the changes have been authorized and flag unauthorized rule changes for further investigation. Determine if real-time monitoring of changes to a firewall are enabled and if access to rul Schedule a Demo Audit the firewall’s physical and OS security It is important to be certain as to each firewall’s physical and software security to protect against the most fundamental types of cyberattack. Ensure that firewall and management servers are physically secured with controlled access. Ensure that there is a current list of authorized personnel permitted to access the firewall server rooms. Verify that all appropriate vendor patches and updates have been applied. Ensure that the operating system passes common hardening checklists. Review the procedures used for device administration. Schedule a Demo Cleanup and optimize the rule base Removing firewall clutter and optimizing the rule base can greatly improve IT productivity and firewall performance. Additionally, optimizing firewall rules can significantly reduce a lot of unnecessary overhead in the audit process. Delete covered rules that are effectively useless. Delete or disable expired and unused rules and objects. Identify disabled, time-inactive and unused rules that are candidates for removal. Evaluate the order of firewall rules for effectiveness and performance. Remove unused connections, including source/ destination/service routes, that are not in use. Detect similar rules that can be consolidated into a single rule. Identify overly permissive rules by analyzing the actual policy usage against firewall logs. Tune these rules as appropriate for policy and actual use scenarios. Analyze VPN parameters to identify unused users, unattached users, expired users, users about to expire, unused groups, unattached groups and expired groups. Enforce object-naming conventions. Document rules, objects and policy revisions for future reference. Schedule a Demo Conduct a risk assessment and remediate issues Essential for any firewall audit, a comprehensive risk assessment will identify risky rules and ensure that rules are compliant with internal policies and relevant standards and regulations. Identify any and all potentially “risky” rules, based on industry standards and best practices, and prioritize them by severity. What is “risky” can be different for each organization depending on the network and the level of acceptable risk, but there are many frameworks and standards you can leverage that provide a good reference point. A few things to look for and validate include: Are there firewall rules that violate your corporate security policy? Are there any firewall rules with “ANY” in the source, destination, service/protocol, application or user fields, and with a permissive action? Are there rules that allow risky services from your DMZ to your internal network? Are there rules that allow risky services inbound from the Internet? Are there rules that allow risky services outbound to the Internet? Are there rules that allow direct traffic from the Internet to the internal network (not the DMZ)? Are there any rules that allow traffic from the Internet to sensitive servers, networks, devices or databases? Analyze firewall rules and configurations against relevant regulatory and/or industry standards such as PCI-DSS, SOX, ISO 27001, NERC CIP, Basel-II, FISMA and J-SOX, as well as corporate policies that define baseline hardware and software configurations to which devices must adhere (See Figure 4 on page 9). Document and assign an action plan for remediation of risks and compliance exceptions found in risk analysis. Verify that remediation efforts and any rule changes have been completed correctly. Track and document that remediation efforts are completed. Schedule a Demo Ongoing audits Upon successful firewall and security device auditing, verifying secure configuration, proper steps must be put in place to ensure continuous compliance. Ensure that a process is established for continuous auditing of firewalls. Consider replacing error-prone manual tasks with automated analysis and reporting. Ensure that all audit procedures are properly documented, providing a complete audit trail of all firewall management activities. Make sure that a robust firewall-change workflow is in place to sustain compliance over time.This repeats Audit Checklist item #2 because is necessary to ensure continuous compliance, i.e., compliance might be achieved now, but in a month, the organization might once again be out of compliance. Ensure that there is an alerting system in place for significant events or activities, such as changes in certain rules or the discovery of a new, high severity risk in the policy. Schedule a Demo Automating firewall compliance audits with AlgoSec When it comes to compliance, the firewall policy management solution must have the breadth and depth to automatically generate detailed reports for multiple regulations and standards. It also must support multiple firewalls and related security devices. By combining this firewall audit checklist with the AlgoSec Security Management Solution, organizations can significantly improve their security posture and reduce the pain of ensuring compliance with regulations, industry standards and corporate policies. Furthermore, they can ensure compliance continuously without spending significant resources wasting time and effort on complex security policies on a regular basis. Let’s go back through the checklist and look at a few examples of how AlgoSec can help. Gain visibility of network policies and their changes AlgoSec enables you to gather the key information needed to start the audit process. By generating a dynamic, interactive network map AlgoSec visualizes and helps you analyze complex networks. (See Figure 2.) You can view routing tables and effectively detect interfaces, subnets and zones. Additionally, AlgoSec provides you with visibility of all changes to your network security policies in real-time and creates detailed firewall audit reports to help approvers make informed decisions about changes that affect risk or compliance levels. Lastly, AlgoSec discovers all the business applications that run on your network and each of their associated connectivity flows. FIGURE 2: AlgoSec provides network topology awareness with a map that provides visibility of all firewalls and routers including all relevant interfaces, subnets and zones, and the ability to drill down to specific information about each device. Understand the firewall changes in your network and automate the process AlgoSec intelligently automates the security-policy change workflow, dramatically cutting the time required to process firewall changes, increasing accuracy and accountability, enforcing compliance and mitigating risk. In addition, AlgoSec provides flexible workflows and templates to help you manage change requests and tailor processes to your business needs. Clean up and optimize your rule base AlgoSec enables you to optimize and clean up cluttered policies with actionable recommendations to: Consolidate similar rules. Discover and remove unused rules and objects (See Figure 3). Identify and remove shadowed, duplicate, and expired rules. Reorder rules for optimal firewall performance while retaining policy logic. Tighten overly permissive rules based on actual usage patterns. Not only does this help you improve the performance and extend the life of your firewalls, it also saves time when it comes to troubleshooting issues and IT audits. Plus, it creates a time savings during rule recertification, as each application is associated with multiple connectivity needs requiring multiple firewall rules. FIGURE 3: Unused rules that AlgoSec has identified for removal. Conduct a risk assessment and remediate issues AlgoSec enables you to instantly discover and prioritize all risks and potentially risky rules in the firewall policy, leveraging the largest risk knowledgebase available. The knowledgebase includes industry regulations, best practices and customizable corporate security policies. AlgoSec assigns and tracks a security rating for each device and group of devices to help you to quickly pinpoint devices that require attention and to measure the effectiveness of a security policy over time. FIGURE 4: AlgoSec identifies and prioritizes risky rules based on industry standards and frameworks and provides detailed information of source, destination, service, as well as user and application when analyzing next-generation firewalls. Out-of-the-box compliance reports AlgoSec ensures continuous compliance and instantly provides you with a view of your firewall compliance status by automatically generating reports for industry regulations, including Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), GDPR, Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (J-SOX, also known as Japan-SOX), North American Electric Reliability Corporation Critical Infrastructure Protection (NERC CIP), and International Organization for Standardization (ISO 20071). If the network security policy doesn’t adhere to regulatory or corporate standards, the reports identify the exact rules and devices that cause gaps in compliance. A single report provides visibility into risk and compliance associated with a group of devices. FIGURE 5: PCI DSS firewall compliance report automatically generated by AlgoSec. Schedule a Demo Conclusion Ensuring and proving compliance typically require significant organizational resources and budget. With the growing litany of regulations, the cost and time involved in the audit process is increasing rapidly. Armed with the firewall audit checklist and with the AlgoSec security policy management solution you can: Reduce the time required for an audit — Manual reviews can take a significant amount of time to produce a report for each firewall in the network. AlgoSec aggregates data across a defined group of firewalls and devices for a unified compliance view, doing away with running reports for each device, thereby saving a tremendous amount of time and effort that is wasted on collating individual device reports. AlgoSec enables you to produce a report in minutes, reducing time and effort by as much as 80%. Improve compliance while reducing costs — As the auditor’s time to gather pertinent information and analyze the network security status is reduced, the total cost of the audit decreases substantially. AlgoSec facilitates the remediation of non-compliant items by providing actionable information that further reduces the time to re- establish a compliant state. Schedule a Demo Select a size Ensuring continuous compliance Gather key information prior to starting the audit Review the change management process Audit the firewall’s physical and OS security Cleanup and optimize the rule base Conduct a risk assessment and remediate issues Ongoing audits Automating firewall compliance audits with AlgoSec Conclusion Get the latest insights from the experts Choose a better way to manage your network

Explore best practices for security and compliance in financial institutions, ensuring robust protection and adherence to regulations amid digital transformation. Financial Institutions: Best Practices for Security & Compliance in the Era of Digital Transformation ---- ------- Schedule a Demo Select a size ----- Get the latest insights from the experts Choose a better way to manage your network

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AlgoSec Cloud Enterprise (ACE) is the comprehensive cloud network security suite for the modern cloud enterprise. Gain visibility, enforce consistent policies, and automate change management across cloud and on-premises environments. AlgoSec Cloud Enterprise: Transform your cloud network security with AlgoSec Empower your organization to secure application connectivity across multi-cloud environments with the industry's leading platform Schedule a demo Watch a video Watch a video Securing the cloud enterprise:
 Navigating the complexities of cloud network security In today's digital landscape, securing application connectivity is more critical than ever. Organizations face complex challenges in managing security across hybrid environments, leading to potential vulnerabilities and compliance risks. AlgoSec offers a comprehensive solution that provides deep visibility, automates security changes, and ensures continuous compliance. Our platform integrates seamlessly with your existing infrastructure, enabling you to: Streamline Security Policies Reduce manual interventions and accelerate application delivery. Enhance Visibility Gain a unified view of your network's security posture. Ensure Compliance Stay ahead of regulatory requirements with automated compliance checks. The comprehensive cloud network security suite Unifying security across your applications Application context to cloud network risk mapping Unmatched network security posture Compliance management Application visibility Unified security across hybrid environments Application visibility Application context Unified security policy management Automate security & compliance Streamlined change management ACE’s application first approach simplifies cloud network security with: Deep visibility Map and secure your cloud applications. Gain deep visibility into your cloud network and address over 150 cloud-specific risks including vulnerabilities in security groups, cloud firewalls, and container configurations. Consistent enforcement Apply unified security policies across your cloud and on-premises environments, ensuring consistent protection for all your applications. Automated change management Streamline updates and reduce errors with automated workflows for security policy changes and configuration updates. ACE is the comprehensive cloud network security platform you need to protect your organization. Elevate your cloud network security with ACE ACE provides a comprehensive suite of capabilities to help you secure your cloud network security, including: Unified security & compliance across hybrid environments Seamlessly extend security policy visibility, compliance and change automation across cloud and on-premises infrastructures. Application 
visibility Automatically discover application dependencies and traffic flows across multi-cloud environments. Compliance management across the hybrid environment Monitor your compliance posture across your entire hybrid environment, ensuring adherence to industry standards and regulations. Unmatched network security posture Over 150+ network security policy risks checks plus customize risks enabling unique segmentation or zero trust policy enforcement. Application context to cloud network risk mapping Map cloud network security risks to applications. By using ACE, you can significantly improve the network security of your applications and reduce the risk of a data breach. Ready to secure your applications? Trusted by over 2,200 organizations worldwide, including 20 of the Fortune 50, AlgoSec is the preferred choice for enterprises seeking robust network security solutions. How much will ACE cost and how much will it save your company? Check the ACE ROI calculator for more information. Take the next step: AlgoSec Cloud Enterprise Cloud connectivity without compromise Learn more 6 best practices to stay secure in the hybrid cloud   Read eBook AlgoSec cloud product demo Watch it now Schedule a demo today and experience the future of network security. Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

Integrate Security Into DevOps for Faster, Safer Application Delivery Into Production 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

Application Segmentation with Cisco Secure Workload and 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

Partner solution brief Enforcing micro-segmentation with Akamai and 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

AlgoSec - Case for Convergence 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

Increase Cisco ACI adoption 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

Challenges in Managing Security in Native, Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Environments 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