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One of the market’s most comprehensive annual vendor-agnostic studies found that rapid cloud expansion, distributed workloads, and AI-driven traffic patterns are driving increased demand for unified policy control and end-to-end transparency AlgoSec’s 2026 State of Network Security Report Reveals Rising Demand for Consolidation and Control One of the market’s most comprehensive annual vendor-agnostic studies found that rapid cloud expansion, distributed workloads, and AI-driven traffic patterns are driving increased demand for unified policy control and end-to-end transparency February 4, 2026 Speak to one of our experts RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ, February 4, 2026 – Global cybersecurity leader AlgoSec has released its annual State of Network Security Report, providing a comprehensive vendor-agnostic analysis of today’s network security landscape. The report identifies a decisive shift in how organizations are responding to network evolution and hybrid architecture sprawl, with the focus shifting back towards consolidation; defined by unification, automation and control as businesses look to manage visibility of risk and resilience posture. Based on comparative year-on-year findings, AlgoSec’s research includes over 500 responses from security, network and cloud professionals across 28 countries and evaluates market leaders including AWS, Cisco, Microsoft Azure, GCP, Check Point, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet and more. Key findings from the report include: AI-powered threats and defences go mainstream – Artificial intelligence has become both the newest threat vector and the next frontier of defence. For the first time, AlgoSec’s research asked how organizations are adjusting to the rise of AI-powered attacks. The majority (65%) have already adapted their strategies, with 23.6% making major structural changes and 40.9% implementing moderate adjustments. Cloud firewall strategies prioritize consolidation - The move toward cloud-based firewalls continues, but with a change in tone. Nearly a quarter (24%) of respondents plan to move primarily to cloud firewalls over the next two years, confirming that cloud-native controls are no longer a consideration, but a baseline expectation. Security becomes the deciding factor in cloud platform selection – The rise of AI-driven workloads, compliance requirements and cross-platform orchestration has made security the critical benchmark for platform selection, with 54.7% of organizations stating that security capabilities carry the most weight when selecting a cloud platform. SD-WAN further cements its role – As organizations expand their hybrid environments and distributed workforces, the demand for secure, high-performance connectivity has solidified SD-WAN’s role. Fortinet (31%) has become the most widely used SD-WAN solution while Cisco (30.7%) remains a close second. SASE moves from exploration to standardization – For the third year running, the share of organizations without a SASE solution has declined, down to 27.5% from 40% in 2024. This consistent decrease signals that SASE adoption is no longer exploratory, but a planned progression for most enterprises. “Compared to last year, we are now seeing a transition from experimentation to optimization,” said Eran Shiff, Chief Product Officer at AlgoSec. “After several years of rapid expansion across multi-cloud environments, AI-powered operations and hybrid architectures, organizations are entering a new phase of consolidation and control. Our survey reveals a collective recalibration, with organizations moving away from tool proliferation toward unified management, shared visibility and measurable automation.” The full report can be accessed here . About AlgoSec AlgoSec, a global cybersecurity leader, empowers organizations to securely accelerate application delivery up to 10 times faster by automating application connectivity and security policy across the hybrid network environment. With two decades of expertise securing hybrid networks, over 2200 of the world's most complex organizations trust AlgoSec to help secure their most critical workloads. AlgoSec Horizon platform utilizes advanced AI capabilities, enabling users to automatically discover and identify their business applications across multi-clouds, and remediate risks more effectively. It serves as a single source for visibility into security and compliance issues across the hybrid network environment, to ensure ongoing adherence to internet security standards, industry, and internal regulations. Additionally, organizations can leverage intelligent change automation to streamline security change processes, thus improving security and agility. Learn how AlgoSec enables application owners, information security experts, SecOps and cloud security teams to deploy business applications faster while maintaining security at www.algosec.com . MEDIA CONTACT: Megan Davis Alloy, on behalf of AlgoSec [email protected]

Learn about how CSPM tools secure clouds, fix misconfigurations, and ensure compliance. CSPM Tools Select a size Which network Can AlgoSec be used for continuous compliance monitoring? Yes, AlgoSec supports continuous compliance monitoring. As organizations adapt their security policies to meet emerging threats and address new vulnerabilities, they must constantly verify these changes against the compliance frameworks they subscribe to. AlgoSec can generate risk assessment reports and conduct internal audits on-demand, allowing compliance officers to monitor compliance performance in real-time. Security professionals can also use AlgoSec to preview and simulate proposed changes to the organization’s security policies. This gives compliance officers a valuable degree of lead-time before planned changes impact regulatory guidelines and allows for continuous real-time monitoring. Cloud security posture management (CSPM) explained Cloud adoption is peaking. Firmly mission-critical, the cloud is every enterprise’s go-to for robust IT operations. However, with every passing year, cloud environments become increasingly ephemeral, dynamic, and maze-like. Today’s federated multi- and hybrid cloud architectures may serve as a business engine, but they’re stacked with novel security and compliance risks that can potentially undermine their benefits. Since these architectures are so intertwined and interconnected, the smallest of cloud misconfigurations can lead to exploitable vulnerabilities, visibility gaps, and noncompliance incidents. Furthermore, in multi-vendor setups, shared responsibility models can be hard to decipher, complicating remediation. Mitigating cloud misconfigurations demands a dedicated security solution for c loud security posture management (CSPM). Integrating CSPM tools into your broader multi-cloud security stack can reinforce security and help maximize cloud adoption and investments. What is cloud security posture management (CSPM)? Cloud security posture management involves the use of cloud security solutions purpose-built to detect and remediate cloud misconfigurations and vulnerabilities. As cloud architectures proliferate and shapeshift, CSPM tools: Provide complete and continuous visibility across critical assets and resources Support consistent policy enforcement Detect configuration errors and drift CSPM tools have become essential to maintaining a robust security and compliance posture. This is reflected in the global CSPM tools market , projected to hit $8.6 billion by 2027, a CAGR of more than 15%. The best CSPM tools do more than catch cloud misconfigurations after incidents occur. Instead, they proactively scour cloud environments and pinpoint potential threats via contextualized risk analysis. They ensure your cloud is always secure and resilient—not just in the aftermath of security events. How do CSPM tools work? CSPM tools continuously assess cloud environments for risks. By identifying and remediating cloud misconfigurations in real time, they are a key weapon in the multi-cloud security arsenal. Leading CSPM tools can perform the following security functions: Identify every single cloud asset and build a consolidated cloud asset inventory across disparate services and vendors Cross-analyze every item in a cloud asset inventory against configuration benchmarks and baselines to validate policy enforcement Proactively monitor cloud environments to identify and curb configuration drift Identify hybrid and multi-cloud security risks, misconfigurations, and vulnerabilities Employ contextualized risk analysis and cross-cloud correlation to ensure accurate risk prioritization and triage Offer automated remediation capabilities to mitigate cloud misconfigurations Provide continuous regulatory checks, compliance automation, and report generation for audits Below, we’ll discuss why these features are required in modern cloud ecosystems. Why CSPM tools are crucial for hybrid cloud and multi-cloud security Beyond knowing their core capabilities and how they operate, it’s important to understand why cloud security posture management solutions are non-negotiables in modern hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Complex cloud infrastructure Today, enterprise cloud setups are labyrinths, continuously increasing in complexity. According to Gartner , 9 out of 10 companies will have hybrid cloud architectures by 2027. The more complex cloud architectures are, the harder it becomes to achieve visibility, enforce policies, and prioritize risks. Generalist tools and legacy solutions will struggle to connect to these proliferating environments, making CSPM tools a pressing need. Proliferation of cloud misconfigurations With the proliferation of cloud environments comes the proliferation of cloud misconfigurations. Cloud misconfigurations include overprivileged identities, assets with weak credentials, and exposed storage buckets. Any of these exploitable cloud misconfigurations could result in major hybrid and multi-cloud security events. CSPM tools proactively address cloud misconfigurations, pruning the attack surface before incidents occur. Alert fatigue Handling security in dynamic cloud environments can be overwhelming. Security teams often suffer from alert fatigue, receiving alerts for hundreds of cloud misconfigurations without any way of knowing which ones are critical. Through contextualized risk analysis and accurate risk prioritization, CSPM tools surface the concerns that matter most. This context-based triage ensures that teams only receive alerts for high-risk cloud misconfigurations. Evolving regulatory requirements With new technologies like AI becoming business-critical, cloud regulations are evolving at unprecedented rates. Policy enforcement in accordance with criss-crossing compliance obligations becomes challenging, and reactive compliance strategies simply fail. CSPM tools, via automated compliance and stringent policy enforcement, help companies stay on top of today’s complicated regulatory landscape. Supply chain vulnerabilities Third-party risks are a major hybrid and multi-cloud security hurdle. The addition of numerous dependencies, APIs, and third-party components makes cloud environments susceptible to a wider range of cloud misconfigurations. Top CSPM tools shine a light on these serpentine supply chains, handing you the visibility needed to surface critical cloud misconfigurations, along with automated remediation and guidance to mitigate them. Recap: The benefits of robust CSPM tools Let’s review the advantages of commissioning a leading CSPM solution. Complete visibility: Unified, full-stack view of cloud resources, configurations, security controls, and policies Streamlined risk management: Proactive cloud evaluations, contextualized risk analysis, and automated remediation to diminish critical risks Stronger identity and access management: Continuous right-sizing of permissions across cloud identities, ensuring alignment with zero trust principles like least privilege Issue triage: Intelligent risk prioritization to escalate and mitigate only those cloud misconfigurations that are business-critical Fewer security incidents: Sustained mitigation of cloud misconfigurations, reducing exploitability and preventing escalation into data breaches and other major events Stronger compliance posture: Compliance automation to ensure that cloud configurations always align with regulatory baselines Business resilience and continuity: Accelerated remediation of critical cloud misconfigurations for stable IT operations Must-have features in CSPM tools When evaluating CSPM solutions, be on the lookout for the following non-negotiables. Feature Description Multi-cloud coverage Seamless interoperability and centralized policy enforcement, plus a unified view across AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure assets, data, firewall rules, and security groups Cloud asset inventory Comprehensive discovery and classification of every single resource across multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments, including applications, networks, connectivity flows, data, serverless functions, and containerized workloads Cloud misconfiguration detection Continuous measurement of cloud settings against baselines and best practices to detect misconfigured assets, security vulnerabilities, and noncompliant resources Automated policy enforcement Intelligent automation to design, validate, and enforce cloud security policies without adding complexity or interrupting existing processes, tools, and workflows. Contextualized risk analysis + risk prioritization Intricate correlation to map cloud misconfigurations and network risks to business applications, enabling security teams to address risks based on asset criticality and actual threat exposure Automated remediation Automatic corrective mechanisms to fix cloud misconfigurations and remediation guidance for complex issues that require human intervention Compliance Automation Automated reporting and remediation to align policies, data practices, and cloud resources with regulations like GDPR, PCI DSS, and HIPAA, and prove adherence. DevSecOps and CI/CD integration Integrations with CI/CD pipelines and DevSecOps workflows to reinforce shift left strategies and prevent cloud misconfigurations from seeping into production The future of CSPM As hybrid and multi-cloud security needs increase in scope and scale, market and technology trends suggest that CSPM tools will evolve alongside or even ahead of cloud security complexities. For starters, we are already seeing CSPM innovations involving the integration of more advanced AI and ML capabilities. AI-driven CSPM tools will not only match the dynamism of contemporary cloud environments, but also feature higher levels of accuracy in detecting and triaging cloud misconfigurations. What does this mean? Security will become inherently predictive, with advanced ML algorithms improving contextualized risk analysis and risk prioritization by deriving insights faster and from a broader spectrum of telemetry. Lastly, the best CSPM tools will transcend silos and integrate with broader cloud network and application security platforms. In summary, the future of CSPM is set to bring even more advanced hybrid and multi-cloud security capabilities. The priority for companies should be making sure they commission a CSPM tool from a reputable provider at the forefront of these future trends. Prevasio: AlgoSec’s ultimate AI-powered CSPM Companies today require a CSPM tool with comprehensive and cutting-edge coverage. Cloud security posture management involves many moving parts. AlgoSec covers them all. AlgoSec’s AI-driven Prevasio platform features a robust CSPM component, complemented by a CNAPP, Kubernetes security, and IaC scanning. Like all of AlgoSec’s security offerings, Prevasio also has an application-centric edge, which is crucial considering applications constitute the majority of business-critical cloud assets. Prevasio CSPM’s standout attributes include: Complete multi-cloud coverage Zero blind spots Risk prioritization based on CIS benchmarks Continuous and customizable compliance monitoring Augmenting Prevasio’s CSPM capabilities are the AlgoSec Security Management Suite (ASMS) , with its flagship Firewall Analyzer , FireFlow , and AppViz , plus AlgoSec Cloud Enterprise (ACE), a network security solution built for today’s multi-cloud networks. How do ASMS and ACE further support CSPM? By providing: Automated policy enforcement and management Application-centric visibility and security Advanced network security coverage Contextualized risk analysis and mapping Comprehensive compliance management Together, AlgoSec’s ASMS, ACE, and Prevasio are all that an enterprise needs to tackle multi-cloud security challenges and reinforce cloud operations. How Prevasio elevates CSPM Businesses are rapidly scaling their cloud operations to remain competitive and boost their bottom line. However, the cloud is both an engine and a security vulnerability. Failure to address cloud misconfigurations can cancel out every one of the radical benefits it brings. Dialing in the CSPM component of multi-cloud security paves the path for robust cloud performance, both now and in the future. AlgoSec’s ASMS and ACE strengthen cloud application and network security, but Prevasio takes CSPM to the next level. From comprehensive cloud asset inventorying and automated remediation to compliance automation and CI/CD integration, Prevasio covers all CSPM bases. Want to see how Prevasio CSPM can boost your multi-cloud security program? Schedule a demo today. Get the latest insights from the experts Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

AlgoSec extends Cisco ACI’s policy-based automation to security devices in the Data Center AlgoSec’s Network Security Management Solution Now on Cisco’s Global Price List AlgoSec extends Cisco ACI’s policy-based automation to security devices in the Data Center November 26, 2019 Speak to one of our experts Ridgefield Park, NJ, USA (November 26, 2019) – AlgoSec, a leading provider of business-driven network security management solutions, today announced the availability of its integrated solution for Cisco ACI and security devices on Cisco’s Global Price List. This enables Cisco’s direct and channel sales network to offer AlgoSec’s solutions to customers through Cisco’s SolutionsPlus program. Cisco ACI, the industry’s leading software-defined networking solution, facilitates application agility and Data Center automation. ACI enables scalable multi-cloud networks with a consistent policy model and provides the flexibility to move applications seamlessly to any location or any cloud while maintaining security and high availability. AlgoSec integrates with Cisco ACI to extend ACI’s policy-based automation to multi-vendor security devices across the Data Center, on its edges and in the cloud. AlgoSec Security Management Solution for ACI enables customers to better ensure continuous compliance and automates the provisioning of security policies across ACI fabric and multi-vendor security devices connected to the ACI fabric, helping customers build more secure Data Centers. “AlgoSec and Cisco ACI share an application-centric approach to network security management, allowing customers to realize the full potential of intent-based Data Centers. We are delighted to be a part of Cisco’s Solutions Plus program and get listed on Global Price List,” said Avishai Wool, CTO and co-founder at AlgoSec. “Extending Cisco ACI’s policy driven automation to security devices, closely aligns with AlgoSec’s strategies and will deliver powerful benefits to our mutual customers. It enables customers to build truly automated IT environments that are flexible, secure and responsive to their business needs,” added Bruno Weinberger, VP, Strategic Alliances at AlgoSec. “Networking teams are increasingly adopting application-centric, policy-driven approach to meet rapidly changing requirements from IT teams and application owners,” said Ranga Rao, Senior Director of Product Management and Solutions, Cisco Data Center Networking. “AlgoSec security management solution extends ACI’s policy model and automation capabilities to security devices, allowing customers and partners to build agile and more secure data centers.” Cisco and AlgoSec’s channel partners share an equal level of enthusiasm about this initiative. “This collaboration between Cisco and AlgoSec is a great news for Conscia. As a Cisco Gold Partner and AlgoSec’s strategic partner, we hope to enable customers to realize the potential of application driven security automation, help ensure continuous compliance and reduce the attack surface in their Data Centers” said Henrik Skovfoged, System Engineering Director, Conscia A/S. About Cisco DevNet SolutionsPlus Program DevNet Solutions Plus 2.0 places a select set of “Cisco Compatible” products on the Cisco Systems price list, making it faster for customers to order non-Cisco products from Cisco sales teams and channel partners. Products in Cisco DevNet Solutions Plus 2.0 complement and augment Cisco’s advanced technology products. Cisco DevNet Solutions Plus 2.0 vendors are also part of the Cisco® Solution Partner Program. About AlgoSec The leading provider of business-driven network security management solutions, AlgoSec helps the world’s largest organizations align security with their mission-critical business processes. With AlgoSec, users can discover, map and migrate business application connectivity, proactively analyze risk from the business perspective, tie cyber-attacks to business processes and intelligently automate network security changes with zero touch – across their cloud, SDN and on-premise networks. Over 1,800 enterprises , including 20 of the Fortune 50, have utilized AlgoSec’s solutions to make their organizations more agile, more secure and more compliant – all the time. Since 2005, AlgoSec has shown its commitment to customer satisfaction with the industry’s only money-back guarantee .All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners. Media Contacts: Tsippi [email protected] Craig CowardContext Public [email protected] +44 (0)1625 511 966

Six levels of intelligent automation WhitePaper Download PDF Download PDF Add a Title Add a Title Add a Title 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 Talk to a Skybox transition expert. 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 AlgoSec and Check Point Download PDF Download PDF Add a Title Add a Title Add a Title 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 Talk to a Skybox transition expert. Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

DevOps security connectivity management allows for better cooperation between security DevOps Use AlgoSec to ensure secure, compliant development environments Click here for more! Optimizing DevOps: Enhanced release quality and faster time-to-market Select a size Which network Can AlgoSec be used for continuous compliance monitoring? Yes, AlgoSec supports continuous compliance monitoring. As organizations adapt their security policies to meet emerging threats and address new vulnerabilities, they must constantly verify these changes against the compliance frameworks they subscribe to. AlgoSec can generate risk assessment reports and conduct internal audits on-demand, allowing compliance officers to monitor compliance performance in real-time. Security professionals can also use AlgoSec to preview and simulate proposed changes to the organization’s security policies. This gives compliance officers a valuable degree of lead-time before planned changes impact regulatory guidelines and allows for continuous real-time monitoring. What is DevOps security management? Key pain points in securing your CI/CD pipeline Streamlined security, compliance, and faster deployments Speeds up application delivery without compromising security Empower your DevOps workflow with seamless connectivity integration Lock down container security with smart threat management Key benefits of using AlgoSec Get the latest insights from the experts DevOpsifying Network Security Watch video Integrate Security Into DevOps for Faster, Safer Application Delivery Into Production Read document Best Practices for Incorporating Security Automation into the DevOps Lifecycle Watch video 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

Overcome hybrid and multi-cloud security challenges with strategies to enhance visibility, enforce policies, and protect data across diverse cloud environments. Hybrid & multi-cloud Security challenges ---- ------- Schedule a Demo Select a size ----- Get the latest insights from the experts Choose a better way to manage your network

Partner solution brief Manage secure application connectivity within ServiceNow Download PDF Download PDF Add a Title Add a Title Add a Title 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 Talk to a Skybox transition expert. Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

Discover how AlgoSec s automated application analyzer can simplify and accelerate connectivity management, while ensuring enterprise wide security and compliance Application discovery tool & connectivity management Select a size Which network Can AlgoSec be used for continuous compliance monitoring? Yes, AlgoSec supports continuous compliance monitoring. As organizations adapt their security policies to meet emerging threats and address new vulnerabilities, they must constantly verify these changes against the compliance frameworks they subscribe to. AlgoSec can generate risk assessment reports and conduct internal audits on-demand, allowing compliance officers to monitor compliance performance in real-time. Security professionals can also use AlgoSec to preview and simulate proposed changes to the organization’s security policies. This gives compliance officers a valuable degree of lead-time before planned changes impact regulatory guidelines and allows for continuous real-time monitoring. Introduction What is application connectivity management? Common challenges in application connectivity management The benefits of using intelligent automation in application connectivity management Application connectivity management vs. Network Security Policy Management (NSPM) Manage application connectivity security with AlgoSec 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 Solution overview See how this customer improved compliance readiness and risk Case study Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

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

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