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Learn the basics of managing multiple workloads in the cloud and how to create a successful enterprise level security management program Webinars Merging the Cloud with Application Connectivity Discover the hottest trends and best practices for application-based security management As more companies make the leap into distributed architecture, the smallest gaps in network security can quickly become targets for attack. While an application-based security strategy can help you protect your hybrid cloud estate better, this shift in focus comes with its own challenges. In this webinar, we discuss: How securing application connectivity plays a key role in hybrid cloud risk management Why application orchestration is critical to managing your network within the hybrid cloud environment How to achieve effective cloud security solutions and best practices To learn more, go to https://www.algosec.com/resources/hub/hybrid_cloud/ September 27, 2022 Hillary Baron Cloud Security Alliance Oren Amiram Director Product Management, Algosec Relevant resources Firewall Rule Recertification with Application Connectivity Keep Reading What is cloud network security? Keep Reading Cloud migration: How to move applications to the cloud 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

Application outages caused by human error can be a nightmare for businesses, leading to financial losses, customer dissatisfaction, and... Cyber Attacks & Incident Response Resolving human error in application outages: strategies for success Malynnda Littky-Porath 2 min read Malynnda Littky-Porath 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 Application outages caused by human error can be a nightmare for businesses, leading to financial losses, customer dissatisfaction, and reputational damage. While human error is inevitable, organizations can implement effective strategies to minimize its impact and resolve outages promptly. In this blog post, we will explore proven solutions for addressing human error in application outages, empowering businesses to enhance their operational resilience and deliver uninterrupted services to their customers. Organizations must emphasize training and education One of the most crucial steps in resolving human error in application outages is investing in comprehensive training and education for IT staff. By ensuring that employees have the necessary skills, knowledge, and understanding of the application environment, organizations can reduce the likelihood of errors occurring. Training should cover proper configuration management, system monitoring, troubleshooting techniques, and incident response protocols. Additionally, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement is essential. Encourage employees to stay up to date with the latest technologies, best practices, and industry trends through workshops, conferences, and online courses. Regular knowledge sharing sessions and cross-team collaborations can also help mitigate human errors by fostering a culture of accountability and knowledge transfer. It’s time to implement robust change management processes Implementing rigorous change management processes is vital for preventing human errors that lead to application outages. Establishing a standardized change management framework ensures that all modifications to the application environment go through a well-defined process, reducing the risk of inadvertent errors. The change management process should include proper documentation of proposed changes, a thorough impact analysis, and rigorous testing in non-production environments before deploying changes to the production environment. Additionally, maintaining a change log and conducting post-implementation reviews can provide valuable insights for identifying and rectifying any potential errors. Why automate and orchestrate operational tasks Human errors often occur due to repetitive, mundane tasks that are prone to oversight or mistakes. Automating and orchestrating operational tasks can significantly reduce human error in application outages. Organizations should leverage automation tools to streamline routine tasks such as provisioning, configuration management, and deployment processes. By removing the manual element, the risk of human error decreases, and the consistency and accuracy of these tasks improve. Furthermore, implementing orchestration tools allows for the coordination and synchronization of complex workflows involving multiple teams and systems. This reduces the likelihood of miscommunication and enhances collaboration, minimizing errors caused by lack of coordination. Establish effective monitoring and alerting mechanisms Proactive monitoring and timely alerts are crucial for identifying potential issues and resolving them before they escalate into outages. Implementing robust monitoring systems that capture key performance indicators, system metrics, and application logs enables IT teams to quickly identify anomalies and take corrective action. Additionally, setting up alerts and notifications for critical events ensures that the appropriate personnel are notified promptly, allowing for rapid response and resolution. Leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities can enhance monitoring by detecting patterns and anomalies that human operators might miss. Human errors will always be a factor in application outages, but by implementing effective strategies, organizations can minimize their impact and resolve incidents promptly. Investing in comprehensive training, robust change management processes, automation and orchestration, and proactive monitoring can significantly reduce the likelihood of human error-related outages. By prioritizing these solutions and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, businesses can enhance their operational resilience, protect their reputation, and deliver uninterrupted services to their customers. Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

Knowing how to select and position security capabilities in different cloud deployment models is critical to comprehensive security... Cloud Security Understanding Security Considerations in IaaS/PaaS/SaaS Deployments Rony Moshkovich 2 min read Rony Moshkovich Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 11/24/22 Published Knowing how to select and position security capabilities in different cloud deployment models is critical to comprehensive security across your organization. Implementing the right pattern allows you to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of cloud data assets. It can also improve incident response to security threats. Additionally, security teams and cloud security architects no longer have to rely on pre-set security templates or approaches built for on-premises environments. Instead, they must adapt to the specific security demands of the cloud and integrate them with the overall cloud strategy. This can be accomplished by re-evaluating defense mechanisms and combining cloud-native security and vendor tools. Here, we’ll break down the security requirements and best practices for cloud service models like IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. Do you have cloud security architects on board? We’ll also cover their roles and the importance of leveraging native security tools specific to each model. Managing Separation of Responsibilities with the Cloud Service Provider Secure cloud deployments start with understanding responsibilities. Where do you stand, and what is expected of you? There are certain security responsibilities the cloud security provider takes care of and those that the customer handles. This division of responsibilities means adjusting focus and using different measures to ensure security is necessary. Therefore, organizations must consider implementing compensating controls and alternative security measures to make up for any limitations in the cloud service provider’s security offerings. Security Considerations for SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) Deployments The specific security requirements in SaaS deployments may vary between services. However, it’s important to consider the following areas: Data protection During cloud deployments, protecting data assets is a tough nut to crack for many organizations. As a SaaS provider, ensuring data protection is crucial because you handle and store sensitive customer data. Encryption must be implemented for data in transit and at rest. Protecting data at rest is the cloud provider’s responsibility, whereas you are responsible for data in transit. The cloud provider implements security measures like encryption, access controls, and physical security to protect the data stored in their infrastructure. On the other hand, it’s your responsibility to implement secure communication protocols like encryption, ensuring data remains protected when it moves between your SaaS application. Additionally, best practice solutions may offer you the option of managing your encryption keys so that cloud operations staff cannot decrypt customer data. Interfacing with the Cloud Service There are a number of security considerations to keep in mind when interacting with a SaaS deployment. These include validating data inputs, implementing secure APIs, and securing communication channels. It’s crucial to use secure protocols like HTTPS and to ensure that the necessary authentication and authorization mechanisms are in place. You may also want to review and monitor access logs frequently to spot and address any suspicious activity. Application Security in SaaS During SaaS deployments, it’s essential to ensure application security. For instance, secure coding practices, continuous vulnerability assessments, and comprehensive application testing all contribute to effective SaaS application security. Cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection are some of the common web application cyber-attacks today. You can improve the application’s security posture by implementing the right input validation, regular security patches from the SaaS provider, and web application firewalls (WAFs). Cloud Identity and Access Controls Here, you must define how cloud services will integrate and federate with existing enterprise identity and access management (IAM) systems. This ensures a consistent and secure access control framework. Implementing strong authentication mechanisms like multifactor authentication (MFA) and enforcing proper access controls based on roles and responsibilities are necessary security requirements. You should also consider using Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) tools to provide adaptive and risk-based access controls. Regulatory Compliance Using a cloud service doesn’t exempt one from regulatory compliance, and cloud architects must design the SaaS architecture to align with these requirements. But why are these stringent requirements there in the first place? The purpose of these regulations is to protect consumer privacy by enforcing confidentiality, integrity, availability, and accountability. So, achieving compliance means you meet these regulations. It demonstrates that your applications and tech stack maintain secure privacy levels. Failure to comply could cost money in the form of fines, legal action, and a damaged reputation. You don’t want that. Security Considerations for PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) Deployments PaaS security considerations during deployments will address all the SaaS areas. But as a PaaS customer, there are slight differences you should know. For example, more options exist to configure how data is protected and who can do what with it. As such, the responsibility of user permissions may be given to you. On the other hand, some PaaS providers may have built-in tools and mechanisms for managing user permissions. So, what are the other key areas you want to address to ensure a secure environment for PaaS deployments? We’ll start with the application security. Application Security The customer is responsible for securing the applications they build and deploy on the PaaS platform. Securing application platforms is necessary, and cloud architects must ensure this from the design and development stage. So, what do you do to ensure application security? It all starts from the onset. From secure coding practices, addressing application vulnerabilities, and conducting regular security testing. You’ll often find that most security vulnerabilities are introduced from the early stages of software development. If you can identify and fix potential flaws using penetration testing and threat modeling practices, you’re on your way to successful deployment. Data Security PaaS cloud security deployments offer more flexibility and allow customers control over their data and user entitlements. What this means is you can build and deploy your own applications on the platform. You can configure security measures and controls within your applications by defining who has access to applications, what they can do, and how data is protected. Here, cloud security architects and security teams can ensure data classification and access controls, determining appropriate encryption keys management practices, secure data integration and APIs, and data governance. Ultimately, configuring data protection mechanisms and user permissions provides customers with greater customization and control. Platform Security The platform itself, including the operating system, underlying infrastructure, data centers, and middleware, need to be protected. This is the responsibility of the PaaS provider. They must ensure that the components that keep the platform up are functional at all times. Network Security In PaaS environments, identity and roles are primarily used for network security to determine access to resources and data in the PaaS platform. As such, the most important factor to consider in this case is verifying the user identity and managing access based on their roles and permissions. Rather than relying on traditional network security measures like perimeter controls, IDS/IPS, and traffic monitoring, there is a shift to user-centric access controls. Security Considerations for IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service) Cloud Deployments When it comes to application and software security, IaaS security during cloud deployment is similar. If you’re an IaaS customer, there are slight differences in how IaaS cloud deployment is handled. For example, while the cloud provider handles the hypervisor or virtualized layer, everything else is the customers’ responsibility. So, you must secure the cloud deployment by implementing appropriate security measures to safeguard their applications and data. Due to different deployment patterns, some security tools that work well for SaaS may not be suitable for IaaS. For example, we discussed how CASB could be excellent for cloud identity, data, and access controls in SaaS applications. However, this may not be effective in IaaS environments. Your cloud architects and security teams must understand these differences when deploying IaaS. They should consider alternative or additional security measures in certain areas to ensure more robust security during cloud deployments. These areas are: Access Management IaaS deployment requires you to consider several identity and access management (IAM) dimensions. For example, cloud architects must consider access to the operating system, including applications and middleware installed on them. Additionally, they must also consider privileged access, such as root or administrative access at the OS level. Keep in mind that IaaS has additional access layers. These consist of access to the IaaS console and other cloud provider features that may offer insights about or impact the operation of cloud resources. For example, key management and auditing and resource configuration and hardening. It’s important to clarify who has access to these areas and what they can do. Regular Patching There are more responsibilities for you. The IaaS customer is responsible for keeping workloads updated and maintained. This typically includes the OS itself and any additional software installed on the virtual machines. Therefore, cloud architects must apply the same vigilance to cloud workloads as they would to on-premises servers regarding patching and maintenance. This ensures proactive, consistent, and timely updates that ensure the security and stability of cloud workloads. Network Security IaaS customers must configure and manage security mechanisms within their virtual networks. This includes setting firewalls, using intrusion detection and intrusion prevention systems (IDS/IPS), establishing secure connections (VPN), and network monitoring. On the other hand, the cloud provider ensures network security for the underlying network infrastructure, like routers and switches. They also ensure physical security by protecting network infrastructure from unauthorized access. Data Protection While IaaS providers ensure the physical security of data centers, IaaS customers must secure their own data in the IaaS environment. They need to protect data stored in databases, virtual machines (VMs), and any other storage system provisioned by the IaaS provider. Some IaaS providers, especially large ones, offer encryption capabilities for the VMs created on their platform. This feature is typically free or low-priced. It’s up to you to decide whether managing your own encryption keys is more effective or to choose the provider’s offerings. If you decide to go for this feature, it’s important to clarify how encrypting data at rest may affect other services from the IaaS provider, such as backup and recovery. Leveraging Native Cloud Security Tools Just like the encryption feature, some cloud service providers offer a range of native tools to help customers enforce effective security. These tools are available for IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS cloud services. While customers may decide not to use them, the low financial and operational impact of native cloud security tools on businesses makes them a smart decision. It allows you to address several security requirements quickly and easily due to seamless control integration. However, it’s still important to decide which controls are useful and where they are needed. Conclusion Cloud security architecture is always evolving. And this continuous change makes cloud environments more complex and dynamic. From misconfigurations to data loss, many challenges can make secure cloud deployments for IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS services more challenging. Prevasio, an AlgoSec company, is your trusted cloud security partner that helps your organization streamline cloud deployments. Our cloud-native application provides increased risk visibility and control over security and compliance requirements. Contact us now to learn more about how you can expedite your cloud security operations. Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

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Firewalls are one of the most important cybersecurity solutions in the enterprise tech stack. They can also be the most demanding.... Firewall Change Management 20 Firewall Management Best Practices for 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 10/29/23 Published Firewalls are one of the most important cybersecurity solutions in the enterprise tech stack. They can also be the most demanding. Firewall management is one of the most time-consuming tasks that security teams and network administrators regularly perform. The more complex and time-consuming a task is, the easier it is for mistakes to creep in. Few organizations have established secure network workflows that include comprehensive firewall change management plans and standardized firewall best practices. This makes implementing policy changes and optimizing firewall performance riskier than it needs to be. According to the 2023 Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report, security misconfigurations are responsible for one out of every ten data breaches. ( * ) This includes everything from undetected exceptions in the firewall rule base to outright policy violations by IT security teams. It includes bad firewall configuration changes, routing issues, and non-compliance with access control policies. Security management leaders need to pay close attention to the way their teams update firewall rules, manipulate firewall logs, and establish audit trails. Organizations that clean up their firewall management policies will be better equipped to automate policy enforcement, troubleshooting, and firewall migration. 20 Firewall Management Best Practices Right Now 1. Understand how you arrived at your current firewall policies: Most security leaders inherit someone else’s cybersecurity tech stack the moment they accept the job. One of the first challenges is discovering the network and cataloging connected assets. Instead of simply mapping network architecture and cataloging assets, go deeper. Try to understand the reasoning behind the current rule set. What cyber threats and vulnerabilities was the organization’s previous security leader preparing for? What has changed since then? 2. Implement multiple firewall layers: Layer your defenses by using multiple types of firewalls to create a robust security posture. Configure firewalls to address specific malware risks and cyberattacks according to the risk profile of individual private networks and subnetworks in your environment. This might require adding new firewall solutions, or adding new rules to existing ones. You may need to deploy and manage perimeter, internal, and application-level firewalls separately, and centralize control over them using a firewall management tool. 3. Regularly update firewall rules: Review and update firewall rules regularly to ensure they align with your organization’s needs. Remove outdated or unnecessary rules to reduce potential attack surfaces. Pay special attention to areas where firewall rules may overlap. Certain apps and interfaces may be protected by multiple firewalls with conflicting rules. At best, this reduces the efficiency of your firewall fleet. At worst, it can introduce security vulnerabilities that enable attackers to bypass firewall rules. 4. Apply the principle of least privilege: Apply the principle of least privilege when creating firewall rules . Only grant access to resources that are necessary for specific roles or functions. Remember to remove access from users who no longer need it. This is difficult to achieve with simple firewall tools. You may need policies that can follow users and network assets even as their IP addresses change. Next-generation firewalls are capable of enforcing identity-based policies like this. If your organization’s firewall configuration is managed by an outside firm, that doesn’t mean it automatically applies this principle correctly. Take time to review your policies and ensure no users have unjustified access to critical network resources. . 5. Use network segmentation to build a multi-layered defense: Use network segmentation to isolate different parts of your network. This will make it easier to build and enforce policies that apply the principle of least privilege. If attackers compromise one segment of the network, you can easily isolate that segment and keep the rest secure. Pay close attention to the inbound and outbound traffic flows. Some network segments need to accept flows going in both directions, but many do not. Properly segmented networks deny network traffic traveling along unnecessary routes. You may even decide to build two entirely separate networks – one for normal operations and one for management purposes. If the networks are served by different ISPs, an attack against one may not lead to an attack against the other. Administrators may be able to use the other network to thwart an active cyberattack. 6. Log and monitor firewall activity: Enable firewall logging and regularly review logs for suspicious activities. Implement automated alerts for critical events. Make sure you store firewall logs in an accessible low-cost storage space while still retaining easy access to them when needed. You should be able to pull records like source IP addresses on an as-needed basis. Consider implementing a more comprehensive security information and event management (SIEM) platform. This allows you to capture and analyze log data from throughout your organization in a single place. Analysts can detect and respond to threats more effectively in a SIEM-enabled environment. Consider enabling logging on all permit/deny rules. This will provide you with evidence of network intrusion and help with troubleshooting. It also allows you to use automated tools to optimize firewall configuration based on historical traffic. 7. Regularly test and audit firewall performance: Conduct regular security assessments and penetration tests to identify vulnerabilities. Perform security audits to ensure firewall configurations are in compliance with your organization’s policies. Make sure to preview the results of any changes you plan on making to your organization’s firewall rules. This can be a very complex and time-consuming task. Growing organizations will quickly run out of time and resources to effectively test firewall configuration changes over time. Consider using a firewall change management platform to automate the process. 8. Patch and update firewall software frequently: Keep firewall firmware and software up to date with security patches. Vulnerabilities in outdated software can be exploited, and many hackers actively read update changelogs looking for new exploits. Even a few days’ delay can be enough for enterprising cybercriminals to launch an attack. Like most software updates, firewall updates may cause compatibility issues. Consider implementing a firewall management tool that allows you to preview changes and proactively troubleshoot compatibility issues before downloading updates. 9. Make sure you have a reliable backup configuration: Regularly backup firewall configurations. This ensures you can quickly restore settings in case of a failure or compromise. If attackers exploit a vulnerability that allows them to disable your firewall system, restoring an earlier version may be the fastest way to remediate the attack. When scheduling backups, pay special attention to Recovery Point Objectives (RPO) and Recovery Time Objectives (RTO). RPO is the amount of time you can afford to let pass between backups. RTO is the amount of time it takes to fully restore the compromised system. 10. Deploy a structured change management process: Implement a rigorous change management process for firewall rule modifications. Instead of allowing network administrators and IT security teams to enact ad-hoc changes, establish a proper approval process that includes documenting all changes implemented. This can slow down the process of implementing firewall policy changes and enforcing new rules. However, it makes it much easier to analyze firewall performance over time and generate audit trails after attacks occur. Organizations that automate the process can enjoy both well-documented changes and rapid implementation. 11. Implement intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS): Use IDPS in conjunction with firewalls to detect and prevent suspicious or malicious traffic. IDPS works in conjunction with properly configured firewalls to improve enterprise-wide security and enable security teams to detect malicious behavior. Some NGFW solutions include built-in intrusion and detection features as part of their advanced firewall technology. This gives security leaders the ability to leverage both prevention and detection-based security from a single device. 12. Invest in user training and awareness: Train employees on safe browsing habits and educate them about the importance of firewall security. Make sure they understand the cyber threats that firewalls are designed to keep out, and how firewall rules contribute to their own security and safety. Most firewalls can’t prevent attacks that exploit employee negligence. Use firewall training to cultivate a security-oriented office culture that keeps employees vigilant against identity theft , phishing attacks, social engineering, and other cyberattack vectors. Encourage employees to report unusual behavior to IT security team members even if they don’t suspect an attack is underway. 13. Configure firewalls for redundancy and high availability: Design your network with redundancy and failover mechanisms to ensure continuous protection in case of hardware or software failures. Multiple firewalls can work together to seamlessly take over when one goes offline, making it much harder for attackers to capitalize on firewall downtime. Designate high availability firewalls – or firewall clusters – to handle high volume traffic subject to a wide range of security threats. Public-facing servers handling high amounts of inbound traffic typically need extra protection compared to internal assets. Rule-based traffic counters can provide valuable insight into which rules activate the most often. This can help prioritize the most important rules in high-volume usage scenarios. 14. Develop a comprehensive incident response plan: Develop and regularly update an incident response plan that includes firewall-specific procedures for handling security incidents. Plan for multiple different scenarios and run drills to make sure your team is prepared to respond to the real thing when it comes. Consider using security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR) solutions to create and run automatic incident response playbooks. These playbooks can execute with a single click, instantly engaging additional protections in response to security threats when detected. Be ready for employees and leaders to scrutinize firewall deployments when incidents occur. It’s not always clear whether the source of the issue was the firewall or not. Get ahead of the problem by using a packet analyzer to find out if firewall misconfiguration led to the incident or not early on. 15. Stay ahead of compliance and security regulations: Stay compliant with relevant industry regulations and standards, such as GDPR , HIPAA, or PCI DSS , which may have specific firewall requirements. Be aware of changes and updates to regulatory compliance needs. In an acquisition-oriented enterprise environment, managing compliance can be very difficult. Consider implementing a firewall management platform that provides a centralized view of your entire network environment so you can quickly identify underprotected networks. 16. Don’t forget about documentation: Maintain detailed documentation of firewall configurations, network diagrams, and security policies for reference and auditing purposes. Keep these documents up-to-date so that new and existing team members can use them for reference whenever they need to interact with the organization’s firewall solutions. Network administrators and IT security team members aren’t always the most conscientious documentation creators. Consider automating the process and designating a special role for maintaining and updating firewall documentation throughout the organization. 17. Regularly review and improve firewall performance: Continuously evaluate and improve your firewall management practices based on evolving threats and changing business needs. Formalize an approach to reviewing, updating, and enforcing new rules using data gathered by your current deployment. This process requires the ability to preview policy changes and create complex “what-if” scenarios. Without a powerful firewall change management platform in place, manually conducting this research may be very difficult. Consider using automation to optimize firewall performance over time. 18. Deploy comprehensive backup connectivity: In case of a network failure, ensure there’s a backup connectivity plan in place to maintain essential services. Make sure the plan includes business continuity solutions for mission-critical services as well as security controls that maintain compliance. Consider multiple disaster scenarios that could impact business continuity. Security professionals typically focus on cyberattacks, but power outages, floods, earthquakes, and other natural phenomena can just as easily lead to data loss. Opportunistic hackers may take advantage of these events to strike when they think the organization’s guard is down. 19. Make sure secure remote access is guaranteed: If remote access to your network is required, use secure methods like VPNs and multi-factor authentication (MFA) for added protection. Make sure your firewall policies reflect the organization’s remote-enabled capabilities, and provide a secure environment for remote users to operate in. Consider implementing NGFW solutions that can reliably identify and manage inbound VPN connections without triggering false positives. Be especially wary of firewall rules that automatically deny connections without conducting deeper analysis to find out whether it was for legitimate user access. 20. Use group objects to simplify firewall rules: Your firewall analyzer allows you to create general rules and apply them to group objects, applying the rule to any asset in the group. This allows you to use the same rule set for similar policies impacting different network segments. You can even create a global policy that applies to the whole network and then refine that policy further as you go through each subnetwork. Be careful about nesting object groups inside one another. This might look like clean firewall management, but it can also create problems when the organization grows, and it can complicate change management. You may end up enforcing contradictory rules if your documentation practices can’t keep up. Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

Explore top-rated alternatives to Skybox Security for comprehensive security posture management. Find the best fit for your needs and budget in 2024. 7 Best Skybox Security Alternatives & Competitors for 2024 7 Best Skybox Security Alternatives & Competitors for 2024 Skybox Security Suite bundles multiple cybersecurity solutions into a single package. The product is designed to mitigate cyber risk, reduce downtime, and leverage automation to improve operational security workflows. However, the product also comes with a few drawbacks . Its high pricing and complex implementation requirements can become obstacles to leveraging its security posture management platform effectively. Security leaders may be concerned with dedicating application security, endpoint security, and firewall management to Skybox. Fortunately the market offers many high quality Skybox alternatives worth considering. We’ve gone ahead and listed the 7 most competitive security solutions available to network administrators right now. Schedule a Demo Is SkyBox Security Suite the right network security management platform for you? SkyBox Security Suite is not one product, but a collection of security tools designed for different purposes. It includes two separate tools for vulnerability control and security policy management . Both these solutions are designed to work together in a variety of environments, from on-premises workstations running Microsoft Windows to multi-cloud environments with a variety of third-party software-as-a-service (SaaS) integrations enabled. Key features: The product helps security teams prioritize policy changes and risk management around the organization’s most valuable assets. It includes a complete patch management feature that proactively addresses known vulnerabilities, reducing the organization’s attack surface. Real-time analytics allow security professionals to conduct vulnerability assessment tasks with up-to-date data without performing time-consuming manual queries. Pros: SkyBox is compatible with a wide range of security tools and applications. It features built-in API connectivity for many of the tools enterprise customers are already using. Change request tracking makes it easy for security administrators to manage network security policy in response to detected vulnerabilities and conduct remediation tasks. It includes a comprehensive solution for managing firewall rules and comparing observed data with industry and compliance benchmarks. The platform integrates threat intelligence feeds directly, allowing security teams to detect emerging threats in real time. Cons: The cost of implementing SkyBox can be quite high compared to many other options. This is especially true for smaller organizations. SkyBox implementation can be difficult and time-consuming. Some organizations will need to onboard specialist talent to complete the project. SkyBox does not conduct accurate inventory and asset discovery on its own. Instead, it relies on organizations to feed this data to it. If this data is inaccurate, SkyBox performance will suffer. Schedule a Demo 7 Best Skybox Security competitors on the market right now: AlgoSec Tufin FireMon Oracle Audit Vault and Database Firewall RedSeal Cisco Defense Orchestrator Tenable Vulnerability Management Schedule a Demo 1. AlgoSec AlgoSec provides organizations with an end-to-end solution for monitoring, analyzing, and enforcing network security policies. It supports on-premises, hybrid, and cloud security architectures, making it a versatile and powerful choice for many organizations. The product’s core workflow revolves around effective change management for security policies , giving security teams clear information on how well their fleet of firewalls and other security tools perform over time. Key features: AlgoSec Firewall Analyzer maps out business applications and assets throughout the network. It provides a comprehensive inventory of network assets and provides detailed reports on their security status. AlgoSec FireFlow brings automation to security policy management . Security leaders can use the platform to gain visibility into network traffic and make automatic changes in response to detected risks in real-time. AlgoSec CloudFlow enables network administrators to provision, configure, and manage cloud infrastructure efficiently. It provides a coherent policy management platform for enhancing cloud security . Pros: Comprehensive network mapping gives AlgoSec a significant advantage over SkyBox, taking the guesswork out of building reliable asset inventories. The product supports query simulation, which allows security teams to simulate security configurations and “what-if” scenarios before committing them to production environments. The security platform supports firewall policy auditing and reporting according to compliance goals, including regulatory frameworks like ISO 27001, NIST 800-53, and others. Cons: The platform’s dashboards do not support extensive customization. Some users will find it difficult to create compelling visualizations and communicate results to key stakeholders. Some user reviews indicate slower rollout times for security patches and hotfixes. Schedule a Demo 2. Tufin Tufin Orchestration Suite is a network security management software that aims to simplify and automate the complex tasks of firewall, router, and VPN policy management. It also provides compliance checks and reporting capabilities through its API. Tufin Orchestration Suite integrates with various network devices and security platforms, such as Cisco, Check Point, Palo Alto Networks, and more. Key features: It enables users to visualize and analyze the network topology, traffic flows, and security risks across the hybrid environment. It allows users to manage firewall, router, and VPN policies in a centralized and consistent manner, using a graphical interface or the API. It supports change management workflows, audit trails, and approval processes to ensure compliance with internal and external regulations and standards. It generates comprehensive and customizable reports on network security posture, policy changes, compliance status, and violations. Pros: Tufin Orchestration Suite offers a comprehensive and holistic solution for network security management, covering both on-premise and cloud environments. It reduces the manual effort and human errors involved in policy management and improves the efficiency and accuracy of network operations. It enhances visibility and control over network security tools and helps users identify and remediate potential vulnerabilities and threats. It facilitates compliance with various frameworks and regulations, such as PCI DSS, NIST, ISO, and more. Cons: Tufin Orchestration Suite has a steep learning curve and requires a lot of training and expertise to use effectively. It has a slow and outdated user interface, which can be frustrating and confusing for users. It lacks customization and flexibility options. Tufin does not support some advanced features and functions that other competitors offer. Schedule a Demo 3. FireMon FireMon is a security policy management platform that aims to simplify and automate the process of creating, enforcing, and auditing security policies across diverse and distributed networks. The product is a comprehensive solution that covers the entire lifecycle of security policy management , from design and implementation to monitoring and optimization. Key features: Distributed alarm and response helps users respond quickly and proactively to potential threats and to enforce security policies consistently across the network. FireMon’s multi-vendor approach helps organizations avoid vendor lock-in. The solution supports integration with a wide variety of firewalls, routers, switches, as well as cloud services and web applications. Security teams can use FireMon to provision and manage security policies for cloud environments. The platform automatically discovers and maps cloud resources, enabling administrators to create and enforce security policies accordingly. Pros: FireMon provides real-time reporting tools that allow users to monitor and audit their firewall policies across multiple vendors and platforms. It supports cloud provisioning and automation, enabling users to manage security policies in hybrid environments with ease and efficiency. It offers comprehensive multi-vendor support, covering most of the market’s recognizable firewall, router, and switch manufacturers. Cons: FireMon‘s risk detection algorithm is not very accurate and may produce false positives or overlook critical vulnerabilities It has a complex and cumbersome report customization process, which requires a lot of manual work and technical knowledge. It is an expensive product, compared to other alternatives in the market, and does not include some features that are expected at its price range. Schedule a Demo 4. Oracle Audit Vault and Database Firewall Oracle Audit Vault and Database Firewall (AVDF) is a security solution that monitors and protects networks from unauthorized access and cyberattacks . It includes a network-based firewall designed specifically for protecting databases along with a comprehensive auditing and policy control solution. It provides enterprise-level security and automation to security leaders who need Key features: Oracle AVDF enables detailed security and vulnerability assessments designed to identify and prioritize database vulnerabilities. Oracle’s full-featured assessment capabilities include complete asset discovery, compliance mappings, and risk level categories. Full enterprise support ensures Oracle customers can integrate Oracle AVDF with most operating systems and enterprise tech stacks. It supports Microsoft Active Directory and OpenLDAP for centralized user management, and generates log data suitable for SIEM analysis. Pros: Intuitive interface and detailed error messages help users understand exactly what is happening on their network at all times. Extensive and customizable audit support tools designed to meet regulatory standards for internal and external audit requirements. Flexible suite of security products and compatibility. Oracle provides a wide range of network security resources to customers. Cons: This is an expensive product that does not always scale well. Organizations that need to cover multiple targets may end up paying much more than they would with a competing solution. Setting up and implementing Oracle AVDF is a complex process. Professional guidance from an experienced specialist is highly recommended. Schedule a Demo 5. RedSeal RedSeal provides security risk management solutions to its customers. Its solution collects data from endpoints and network devices and examines that data in real-time. This lets network administrators do vulnerability assessments and endpoint security audits when they need to, helping security service providers stay ahead of evolving threats. Key features: RedSeal’s security platform focuses on analytics and visualization. It enables network administrators to easily assess the organization’s overall risk level and identify weak points before attackers can take advantage of them. RedSeal’s data visualization features let security leaders determine where future security spending should go. The platform is built to simplify risk prioritization while allowing key stakeholders to convey cyber risk effectively. Pros: RedSeal caters to enterprise users who want to see their networks clearly with little technical setup. As a high-level reporting tool, it enables API integration with various third-party services without overwhelming users with irrelevant details. The product collects data about how your network is set up, including the devices that control your traffic flow, such as firewalls, switches, routers, and load balancers. Cons: RedSeal‘s subscription fee depends on how many layer 3 and layer 2 devices are on the network, which can lead to high implementation costs. Unlike other solutions that have strong communities around open source security solutions, RedSeal has very little community presence. Beyond technical documentation and support, the company offers very little to new customers. The platform is primarily a mapping and analytics tool. It does feature enhanced security policy management capabilities. Schedule a Demo 6. Cisco Defense Orchestrator Cisco Defense Orchestrator is a cloud-based service that helps security teams manage firewall rules and policies across multiple cloud networks. It offers complete asset discovery and visibility for cloud infrastructure, and network administrators can use it to control security settings and evaluate their exposure to security risks. However, it only works with Cisco products and hardware. Key features: Cisco Defense Orchestrator offers a single unified view for managing and setting up Cisco security devices throughout the network. The cloud-delivered product is fast and easy to deploy. It uses a cloud-based SaaS format to enable scalability, making it a good choice for growing organizations. The solution enables security teams to implement policies on Cisco security devices and demonstrate that those policies align with widely-used compliance frameworks like NIST, PCI-DSS, and others. Pros: Administrators can conveniently control the organization’s security devices and other network assets from one place. Cisco’s cloud-based delivery model is cost-effective and adaptable, while still being feature-rich enough to improve security for enterprise-level organizations and smaller businesses alike. Visibility is integral to the software package. It gives security teams the ability to discover network assets and detect vulnerabilities before they become critical threats. Cons: Implementing Cisco Defense Orchestrator may be too expensive for some organizations. This network security management tool only works with Cisco products. If your organization has to replace its current devices with firewalls, switches, and routers from Cisco, it will increase the cost of using this solution significantly. Schedule a Demo 7. Tenable Vulnerability Management Tenable Vulnerability Management is a software suite that offers ongoing vulnerability evaluation and risk management services to organizations. It uses Tenable Nessus, the company’s main vulnerability assessment solution, to help organizations discover and fix security weaknesses in their environment and protect cloud infrastructure from cyberattacks. Key features: Tenable provides built-in prioritization and threat intelligence for discovered vulnerabilities. The solution gives real-time feedback on the organization’s risk exposure. Unlike Nessus, Tenable Vulnerability Management uses a web application format, making it accessible to network security professionals without requiring additional configuration or setup. Pros: Tenable finds and evaluates assets based on their risk level in real-time. Network administrators can monitor threats as they evolve over time, even in complicated networks that use cloud services and have hybrid workers. The product helps security teams create and enforce security policies that address current threats. It includes wide-ranging coverage of emerging indicators of compromise and ranks them according to their severity. Cons: Implementing and configuring Tenable can require the involvement of several key stakeholders, and any problems can slow down the process. Tenable’s support often takes a lot of time to provide expert help, which leaves their customers vulnerable to potential risks while they wait. Schedule a Demo Select a size 7 Best Skybox Security Alternatives & Competitors for 2024 Is SkyBox Security Suite the right network security management platform for you? 7 Best Skybox Security competitors on the market right now: 1. AlgoSec 2. Tufin 3. FireMon 4. Oracle Audit Vault and Database Firewall 5. RedSeal 6. Cisco Defense Orchestrator 7. Tenable Vulnerability Management Get the latest insights from the experts Use these six best practices to simplify compliance and risk mitigation with the AlgoSec White paper Learn how AlgoSec can help you pass PCI-DSS Audits and ensure continuous compliance Solution overview See how this customer improved compliance readiness and risk Case study Choose a better way to manage your network

With the rapid proliferation of cloud computing, lean deployment methods, such as containers, have become common practice. According to... Cloud Security Intro to Kubernetes Security Best Practices Rony Moshkovich 2 min read Rony Moshkovich Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 11/27/20 Published With the rapid proliferation of cloud computing, lean deployment methods, such as containers, have become common practice. According to CIO.com, 70% of global companies are expected to be running multiple apps simultaneously using a containerized framework, like Kubernetes in the next few years. But as Kubernetes’ use becomes more widespread, so do the vulnerabilities inherent to containerization. According to a 2019 Forbes article , Kubernetes had at least 7,000 identified vulnerabilities at the beginning of 2019 alone. Couple that with the fact that cyber-attacks involving containerization have increased a whopping 240% since 2018, and you’ll understand the value of security should your company use a solution like Kubernetes to handle its container orchestration. What Causes Kubernetes Security Blindspots? To understand how to best optimize your Kubernetes experience, it’s worthwhile to understand the basic ways security issues arise in a containerized framework. Images are the core building blocks of containerization; they are the executable process at the centre of your container. As a result, anything that exposes an image to a broader audience puts the container at risk of being hijacked. One of the primary ways this occurs is by using out-of-date software. Using old software gives malicious actors a small incongruence that they can exploit within the code. Another problem is poorly defined user access roles. If sensible changes aren’t made to an orchestration tool’s default settings, inappropriate parties may have access to alter the container’s core executable. Containerization gives you a way to manage a large number of processes easily and with increased adaptability. As a result, automation makes it impossible to keep your eyes on everything at once. Here are some best practices that can help you counter the wide range of vulnerabilities inherent to containerization and Kubernetes in general. Kubernetes Security Best Practices Given the architecture of the Kubernetes framework, security risks are a constant and evolving threat. Luckily, Google made Kubernetes an open-source application under the auspices of the Cloud Native Computing Foundation where solutions to new security issues are actively crowdsourced by the community. Regardless, there are a number of things that you can do during the build, deployment, and runtime phases to make your Kubernetes implementation more secure. Take care of your images Images are the heart of every container. Executable functions are essential, so images must be well-maintained and in good working order. Only use up-to-date images, scanning them regularly for security issues. As a rule of thumb, you should also avoid including unnecessary tools and functions in your image coding as they can inadvertently give hackers an access route. Ensure that your secrets remain secret The term “secrets” refers to any private information such as login credentials, tokens, or other sensitive data. While it’s not customary to keep sensitive data stored adjacent to the container’s image, the scenario has come up before. Keep secret data as far from the image as possible in order to increase security. Keep up-to-date with scans and security patches The community does a good job of patching Kubernetes when issues arise. If you don’t take the time to update both your OS and Kubernetes’ security, you give malware additional avenues of attack. Updates should be performed at least every nine months, if not more often. Due to the nature of how Kubernetes works, if you are using an outdated version, you could actively be spreading issues when the container is deployed elsewhere. Take advantage of customization to define user roles and access A container orchestration tool like Kubernetes is a complex web running thousands of processes across numerous machines. That means hundreds of end-users involved with the application. Take advantage of Kubernetes administrative functions to clearly define user roles, limiting full access for those who don’t need it. As they say, too many cooks spoil the broth. Keeping Kubernetes Simple and Safe Containers are an agile, lightweight framework for cloud computing, but manually deploying the correct containers to their destinations can quickly become overwhelming. An orchestration tool like Kubernetes is the perfect solution to managing your containerization, but the security risks inherent to this model can be restrictive. By keeping a few key practices in mind when implementing Kubernetes into your workflow, you can help to promote safety while streamlining your processes. To Sum It All Up Kubernetes has become the centrepiece of the cloud Native landscape and a notable advantage for organizations to rapidly manage and deploy their containerized business logic. But certain security best practices must be followed such as working with reliable docker images, properly defined resource quotas, network policies, work with namespaces for access control and authentication\authorization, and more. To learn more about Prevasio integration and security for K8s containers, contact us today. Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

Security Policy Management with Professor Wool Managing Business Application Connectivity Managing Business Application Connectivity is a whiteboard-style series of lessons that examine the challenges of and provide technical tips for provisioning and decommissioning application connectivity across enterprise networks and data centers. Lesson 1 In this lesson, Professor Wool examines the challenges of managing data center applications and their connectivity requirements. Professor Wool also offers tips for bridging the gap between application owners and network and security teams - to ensure faster, more secure deployment, maintenance and decommissioning of critical applications. Examining the Need for Application-Centric Security Policy Management Watch Lesson 2 In this lesson, Professor Wool discusses how to look at and prioritize network security vulnerabilities in a new way - from the perspective of the business applications in your data center. How to Prioritize Risk from the Business Perspective Watch Lesson 3 In this lesson, Professor Wool examines how to leverage firewall rules for discovering the connectivity requirements of data center applications. Tips to Discover Business Application Connectivity Requirements Watch Lesson 4 In this lesson, Professor Wool examines the challenges of decommissioning business applications and offers recommendations for improving security without impacting network operations by removing firewall rules that are no longer in use. Tips for Secure Decommissioning of Business Applications Watch Lesson 5 How to Automatically Identify Business Application Connectivity Needs from Network Traffic Watch Lesson 6 The Different Data Sources for Application Connectivity Discovery Watch Lesson 7 How to Aggregate Network Flows Into Application Flows Watch Lesson 8 The Benefits of Mapping Firewall Rules to Business Applications Watch Have a Question for Professor Wool? Ask him now Choose a better way to manage your network Choose a better way to manage your network Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue