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Discover everything you need to know about Network Security Policy Management (NSPM) solutions, including their benefits, features, and how they streamline security operations. Everything you need to know about NSPM solutions | AlgoSec Overview In this IT Central Station Peer Paper, learn the key factors driving selection of Network Security Policy Management solutions based on actual user feedback. Schedule a Demo Abstract Network Security Policy Management (NSPM) solution selection factors need to align with business needs. Security shouldn’t be a barrier to the business, but frequently, security needs are shortchanged to ensure business agility. Ideally, this tradeoff should not exist. Network and security managers thus look for NSPM solutions that can make the business run better by efficiently automating network security policy management, improving visibility in network traffic and rules, and facilitating compliance. This paper offers insights and feedback from real users, who discuss what went into their NSPM selection process. Schedule a Demo Introduction What constitutes a good Network Security Policy Management (NSPM) solution? Selection criteria relate to Information Technology (IT) and security, but both tie into the business. The technical qualities of an NSPM solution should support existing business processes and help the business move forward. Security should not get in the way of business agility. Indeed, business and IT stakeholders are increasingly recognizing that security risks have a clear financial impact on your business – from reputational damage, to lost business and lower corporate valuations. Breaches are costly and time-consuming to remediate. The loss from a data breach or outage is real. The right NSPM solution enables the business to achieve its strategic and operational goals while cost-effectively mitigating risk. In this paper, enterprise IT professionals discuss how the right NSPM solution addresses such challenges through greater visibility into the network, policy automation and compliance. Their insights come from reviews of the AlgoSec NSPM solution, published on IT Central Station. Schedule a Demo The continuing evolution of NSPM Network security managers face pressure on multiple fronts. They’re dealing with increased network complexity. There are growing global compliance requirements and rules to track. The network itself now spans on-premises, public clouds, private clouds and everything in between. At the same time, the business wants to accelerate time-to-market, increase agility, produce more innovative applications and on and on—all without suffering a data breach or outage. Aligning security with businesses requirements in NSPM requires automation. Old, manual processes that rely on Visio and Excel are unable to keep up with the pace of business changes. The new generation of NSPM solutions gives network security managers and network administrators the tools they need to deliver what the business wants—without overspending or stretching network operations teams beyond reason. They do this by unifying visibility, policy automation, and compliance. All of this is happening in a complex environment. To stay secure and agile, the business needs its NSPM solution to automate the policy change process, conduct continuous network analysis, and monitor the network across the cloud and on-premises data center. Figure 1 depicts some of the elements the NSPM solution must interact with to realize such functions. Figure 1: NSPM solutions must provide visibility and automation for a wide range of network hardware, software and functional areas—on top of physical networks, private clouds frequently running software-defined networks (SDNs), and public cloud infrastructure. Schedule a Demo Challenges inherent in selecting an NSPM solution There is no NSPM solution that satisfies all needs. Every organization has different technical and business requirements and security cultures. Solutions have to fit the network, business strategies, and existing business processes. However, when evaluating an NSPM solution, there are four critical issues: Dealing with misconfigurations – Manual processes frequently lead to misconfigurations. According to industry data, nearly all firewall breaches are caused by misconfigurations, not flaws. Automating previously-manual processes results in fewer mistakes and misconfigurations. Automation as a strategy – Network policy automation is not an end unto itself. Rather, it supports the business strategy like maintaining security, ensuring SLAs, increasing cooperation and reducing friction between departments. It improves competitive differentiation through better customer engagement, e.g., by moving applications to the cloud. Network policy automation aids regulatory compliance, and frees IT time from housekeeping so it can be applied to digital transformation and supporting strategic initiatives. Understanding visibility requirements – Powerful NSPM tools give network admins and security managers new depths of visibility into both network devices and business applications. By understanding their traffic flows across multi-vendor and hybrid devices, they can plug security holes, troubleshoot more easily, and discover applications and services. Compliance requirements – Meeting an audit requirement often consumes all the IT department’s resources as they focus on auditing. Organizations need to determine their regulatory compliance requirements, decide how much time they want to spend preparing for audits, and figure out how important continuous compliance is to them. They need to make sure that new changes do not violate internal or regulatory compliance requirements. Schedule a Demo NSPM solution selection factors Members of IT Central Station, an industry site that features candid discussions and peer-to-peer user reviews from enterprise technology professionals, weighed numerous factors in their processes of selecting an NSPM solution. As they described in reviews of AlgoSec, a key consideration was the alignment of network security with business objectives. Their assessments touched on a wide variety of issues. These included the solution’s ability to reduce misconfigurations during the process of digital transformation when assets move some of their data to the cloud and organizations embrace hybrid networks. NSPM user reviews also discussed the efficiency of network management operations and team performance. Visibility and automation were significant factors affecting selection of an NSPM solution. Users want visibility into the network, traffic, and applications. They want to see what is happening with rules and applications while also monitoring policy changes. Regarding automation, what mattered to users was the ability to automate rules management, as well as configuration and change management. “Zero-touch” automation was considered useful, as was the ability to automate a multi-vendor environment. Compliance is the other main driver of NSPM selection. Users rely on their solutions to facilitate compliance, including reporting. These needs include ensuring a state of continuous compliance as well as ensuring and demonstrating audit-ready regulatory compliance for major regulations such as PCI DSS, GDPR, and SOX. Users also have to ensure and demonstrate audit readiness for internal compliance requirements. Get a Demo Schedule a Demo Network security policy as a business issue Policies governing the network are inherently business-facing. Even when they address entirely technical matters, a business objective is ultimately driving the policy process. For example, an IP network expert at a comms service provider with more than 200 employees described the value of AlgoSec by commenting, “It provides faster go to market with fewer resources. In one system, users can request access through the firewall for business services, which can be approved by the appropriate team and can be implemented automatically by the system itself.” IT Central Station members spoke to the need to align network security with business objectives. An AlgoSec user at an energy/utilities company with over 10,000 employees remarked, “With AlgoSec, we can show a view of firewall compliance that is clean and easy to read and present. This also helps our business units ensure their policies are clean. With that data, we can show management that the firewalls connected to our network, but owned by other business units, meet our standards.” A network engineer at a tech services company with over 10,000 employees, shared that AlgoSec “helps us deploy new business applications quickly and securely. It ties cyber threats directly to critical business processes.” Enabling digital transformation and cloud migrations As network managers and security teams grapple with digital transformation and cloud initiatives, they want an NSPM solution that will facilitate the process. As an AlgoSec user put it, “We see the value… for organizations involved in digital transformation projects migrating to public/ private/hybrid cloud models.” A director of information security operations at a consumer products company with over 1,000 employees, similarly shared that AlgoSec helped him with cloud support , spanning both native and hybrid environments. Optimizing team performance Network operations and security managers are keenly aware of team performance and its impact on the broader business. Budget-cutting pressure is relentless, while skills shortages potentially hamper effective operations. SLAs are a constant pressure. At the same time, the faster the team, the more agile the business. For these reasons, users view team performance optimization as a selection factor for an NSPM solution. For instance, an IT technical consultant at a manufacturing company with over 10,000 employees said that AlgoSec FireFlow “increases business efficiency and helps avoid bottlenecks in our NOC [Network Operations Center] team.” A security engineer at a financial services firm with more than 500 employees had a similar experience. He said, “Since we deployed AlgoSec, we have been able to assign more of our time to what really matters . It now takes less than half of the time it took before we had this tool to deploy the flows requested by the business.” Previously, this had been a “very painful job,” as he put it. “Now,” he added, “We just put the source and destination into the AlgoSec Firewall Analyzer and most of the job for the flows is done.” Another AlgoSec user found that the solution let him “increase the effectiveness of the team, allowing them to prioritize more complex and business-critical tasks in a faster manner.” Schedule a Demo Visibility Being able to align network security with business priorities depends on seeing what’s happening across the network as well as within its policies and rules. A manager of network service delivery at a financial services firm with over 10,000 employees summed up the issue when he said, “It is worth spending the cost for visibility on security .” A security engineer at a manufacturing company with over 1,000 employees, echoed this sentiment, commenting, “I think we have a great ROI due to the improved visibility and management that the solution now provides us.” Visibility into network and traffic The network itself is the starting point of business-oriented NSPM. Network managers must see how traffic and network policies affect the network and their applications. Without the right tooling, however, much of the network can remain hidden. To this point, an AlgoSec user at a company with over 10,000 employees said, “I use this solution to have full visibility of the network , to simulate traffic queries, and to generate security reports according to the security policies of my company. The most valuable features are the network map, which provides the full visibility of the network, and the security reports.” Another AlgoSec user spoke about the benefits of the network map, saying, it was “a very good thing to get a clear view of every single region in your network.” A lead security infrastructure consultant at a financial services firm with over 10,000 employees, added: “We also use AlgoSec to get better visibility into our traffic flows , to optimize our firewalls rules, and to analyze risks.” An AlgoSec user at a company with over 10,000 employees noted, “This solution provides visibility and comprehension of the network in our organization. It assists us in network security reviews and audits. In the end, a lot of time, we add context and build a security matrix matching our own standards.” A senior technical and integration designer at a retailer with over 10,000 employees further remarked that “AlgoSec provided a much easier way to process FCRs [Firewall Change Requests] and get visibility into traffic .” He contrasted this capability with his experience with previous vendors, a situation where, as he said, “we had to guess what was going on with our traffic and we were not able to act accordingly.” Get a Demo Visibility into applications Network managers need to understand the impact of policy changes on business-critical network applications. Security policies affect application migrations as well as initiatives to establish network segmentation. In this sense, visibility into applications on the network is essential for aligning network security policy with business objectives. The network engineer addressed the issue by stating, “It [AlgoSec] automatically discovers applications and their connectivity flows, then associates connectivity with their underlying firewall rules.” For a system architect at a school with more than 500 employees, the benefit came from the solution’s traffic simulation query. In his case, this “helps to understand which rules match or don’t match for a specific traffic pattern, helping troubleshoot application issues .” “I have found the firewall optimization feature to be very valuable because most developers don’t know the ports or services their applications are running ,” said an AlgoSec user. He then added, “After running the rules on any services for a short while, AlgoSec helps get the right service ports and IP addresses.” A network manager at a financial services firm with over 1,000 employees felt that AlgoSec has enabled his team to analyze rules to check access for an application or user. He related, “Breaking down a rule to specify used objects within groups and protocols used has proved invaluable for us to narrow exposure to potential threats.” Visibility into rules NSPM users want visibility into rules. According to an AlgoSec user, the solution “provides great visibility into your firewall rules , thereby allowing you to eliminate redundant or overlapping rules.” In particular, visibility into rules saved time by allowing his administrators to test network traffic and pinpoint which rules were being triggered for a particular traffic flow. A technical presales engineer at a tech services company with more than 500 employees, described the value of AlgoSec’s policy tightening feature, which gave him visibility into ‘any to any’ rules. The tool could tell him which sources and destinations were used as well as the actual traffic from overly permissive rules . From this, he said, “We are able to tighten the policy of the firewall.” Visibility into changes Policy changes are a potential source of risk exposure, especially in a large organization where team members may not be aware of others’ actions. IT Central Station members highlighted this capability in their assessments of NSPM solutions. “Now, we can easily track the changes in policies,” said a network security engineer at a financial services firm with over 10,000 employees. “With every change, AlgoSec automatically sends an email to the IT audit team. It increases our visibility of changes in every policy.” “The compliance module provides full visibility of the risk required in firewall change requests ,” said the manager of network service delivery. An AlgoSec user at a company with over 10,000 employees felt that “AlgoSec also allows us to have a history of changes .” He believed the history was especially useful in the event of an outage or an unwanted change. For another AlgoSec user, “Policy optimization, visibility, and a faster change management process has reduced unnecessary times required for manually changing processes. The resources are now utilized more effectively for other areas.” Schedule a Demo Automation IT Central Station members stressed the importance of automation capabilities in selecting an NSPM solution. Reliance on manual processes is unsustainable. Experience shows that manual policy management leads to mistakes, misconfigurations, and missed SLAs. As the IT technical consultant pointed out, with AlgoSec, “we have eliminated any human mistakes that we have dealt with in the past and now we want to avoid as we are moving toward a completely automated network.” Manual processes negatively affect agility as well. The issue is particularly salient today, as companies expect network operations to be as lean as possible. Automated rules management AlgoSec users are putting the solution to work in automating rules management. A network and security engineer said, “We are also using AlgoSec to automate machine provisioning (creation of new rules associated with that machine) and machine decommissioning (removal of rules associated with that machine).” This capability is viewed as a positive attribute in an NSPM solution. According to an AlgoSec user, “We are currently in a rule base performance improvement process and AlgoSec is an invaluable tool to accomplish this. Furthermore, we are starting rule creation automation , which will also provide some relief on our workload.” Other notable comments about rule management automation include: “My organization has used Firewall Analyzer for many years to simplify and automate rule set management across an estate of hundreds of Check Point firewalls. Key functionality provided covers compliance reporting and identification of duplicate and unused, as well as risky rules.” – Security consultant at a financial services firm with over 1,000 employees “We recently moved our data center to a new location, and we migrated our firewalls from one vendor to a different vendor. AlgoSec helped us tremendously to clean up shadow rules , unused objects even before moving to a new vendor.” – AlgoSec user at a healthcare company with over 1,000 employees “Our primary use case is to clean up firewall rules of migration from Cisco ASA to another firewall vendor. We try to get rid of old rules and get these converted into new rules which apply better to our environment.” – AlgoSec User Automated configuration and change management Being able to automate configuration and change management saves time. As a result, it’s a driver of preference for NSPM solutions. “Automated change notification is a must and is critical in maintaining a safe environment and compliance,” said an AlgoSec user. An information security specialist at a company with over 10,000 employees also spoke to this benefit of AlgoSec when he said, “The best feature for us is the ability to automate the change requests that come through our service desk, which is done via the tool’s intelligence to analyze the conditional rules.” In his case, as he put it, “This used to be a big time sink for the guys which is now less of an issue. This means that the company can claim back valuable man-hours for other means (also showing a labor cost saving to the board).” Zero-touch automation To achieve the productivity gains desired by network security and operations managers, an NSPM solution should enable automation with as few hours as possible. The network engineer acknowledged AlgoSec in this regard, saying, “AlgoSec delivers a rich set of change management workflows and enables zero-touch change processes if no risks are identified.” A global network security engineer similarly noted, “Initial deployment was straightforward . The FireFlow workflow can be configured to match the existing flow – customizing this to match any workflow permutations takes the most time.” Automating the multi-vendor environment Network security and operations environments are often multi-vendor in nature. They invariably have to support firewalls from Check Point, Fortinet, and Palo Alto as well as a host of other technologies, as shown in Figure 2. For this reason, users prefer NSPM solutions that work well with more than one vendor platform. An IT Security Engineer III at a software company with over 10,000 employees, shared how he had previously spent time manually looking through rule bases trying to find risk rules. “Now we see it via AlgoSec,” he said, adding, “It also helps because we see those risks across multiple vendors .” This reduced the potential for error, in his view. A senior consultant at a consultancy said, “We use this solution for the management of firewalls on a client with a multi-vendor landscape .” An AlgoSec user at an energy/utilities company with over 1,000 employees valued AlgoSec’s “ability to manage multiple vendor firewall policies and traditional firewalls with an intelligent way to prevent cyberattacks and reduce outages.” The AlgoSec user at the energy/utilities company further noted, “We are moving towards an automated environment so the ability to work with Ansible, ServiceNow, and Palo Alto gives us the ability to automate our firewall policy creation. And it does so in a manner where we do not have to worry about a policy being created that may put our organization at risk.” Figure 2: Some of the platforms and technologies with which an NSPM solution should integrate Schedule a Demo Compliance An NSPM solution must make it easier to enforce the network-level policies required for compliance with government regulations, such as Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) and PCI DSS, than is possible without the solution. NSPM should also make it simpler to bring the network into compliance with internal-facing security policies and rules, e.g., “Routers may not be set to factory defaults.” These expectations are increasingly relevant as organizations adopt continuous compliance—no longer treating audits as a point-in-time exercise but rather working to adhere to policies and controls and continually maintaining compliance, even during frequent and extensive network changes. For example, a security consultant in a financial services firm with over 1,000 employees said, “Compliance and risk reporting are the most valuable features of the product.” A Global Network Solution Architect at AXA, an insurance company with over 10,000 employees, used AlgoSec for firewall rules compliance with global security policies. He relied on the solution “to ensure global policies are applied to all regional firewalls, provide auditing and compliance.” Firewall compliance Network managers need to demonstrate that their firewalls comply with policies established to meet the audit requirements of regulations like SOX and HIPAA. This is a familiar aspect of network management and security, but one that gets revisited regularly as users try to make the process more efficient. In this context, the Prudential manager of network service delivery stated, “The compliance module is one of the best features which can help anyone to perform security review with predefined security matrix configurations. The compliance module can save a lot of time for security reviews and provide full visibility of the risk required in firewall change requests.” The security engineer said, “It’s a great tool when preparing for audits and ensuring your firewalls are in compliance .” Regulatory compliance Companies that are obligated to comply with government regulations benefit from automated policy management. The network engineer, for example, found that using an NSPM solution reduced his audit preparation efforts and costs drastically while enabling his team to maintain continuous compliance. An AlgoSec user also felt the solution helped in maintaining and providing regulatory compliance metrics and optimizing the overall security of the organization. The PCI DSS compliance standard, required for companies that process credit card transactions, emerged as a frequent use case for NSPM: “The baseline of in-built policies such as PCI DSS helps us maintain good security ratings in compliance with regulatory standards.” – Security operations manager at a financial services firm with more than 200 employees “I work at a multi-vendor firewall environment. AlgoSec is primarily used to see what firewall policies are in place, as well as PCI compliance ” – Senior firewall engineer at a tech consulting company with over 1,000 employees “It is very useful for PCI DSS compliance .” – Presales manager at a small company Internal Compliance IT Central Station members discussed their internal compliance needs as well. The network manager placed this issue into context by saying, “The risk and compliance area is key to ensuring we conform to company regulations . Having a number of compliance options to baseline ensures that we get the basics right before looking at advanced risks and remediation.” Addressing this point, the security engineer said, “We also need the audit report and risk assessment features to send to our InfoSec team so that they can use it in our audit documentation . This is also very important because it significantly reduces our workload and makes it very easy to have the documentation ready to show to our auditors.” The network and security engineer was pleased that AlgoSec enabled his team to provide reports to auditors “without losing a single day from the network support department.” He said, “We simply provide AlgoSec reports and analysis.” Another AlgoSec user acknowledged AlgoSec’s ability to help him prepare for the audit in a short time and assist with continuous compliance . The network manager added, “The risk and compliance area is key to ensuring we conform to company regulations .” A network administrator at a government agency with over 10,000 employees, simply stated, “For us, it is a great management and audit tool .” Schedule a Demo Conclusion Many factors come into play in the selection of a network security policy management solution. In a business environment, where companies want to be agile, users want solutions that offer visibility into traffic and applications. For IT Central Station members, a good solution automates rules management along with configuration and change management. The best solution will also facilitate compliance, both internal and regulatory. With these qualities, an NSPM will be able to align security with business and make sure that your network adheres to your stated security policies. Schedule a Demo About IT Central Station User reviews, candid discussions, and more for enterprise technology professionals. The Internet has completely changed the way we make buying decisions. We now use ratings and review sites to see what other real users think before we buy electronics, book a hotel, visit a doctor or choose a restaurant. But in the world of enterprise technology, most of the information online and in your inbox comes from vendors. What you really want is objective information from other users. IT Central Station provides technology professionals with a community platform to share information about enterprise solutions. IT Central Station is committed to offering user-contributed information that is valuable, objective, and relevant. We validate all reviewers with a triple authentication process, and protect your privacy by providing an environment where you can post anonymously and freely express your views. As a result, the community becomes a valuable resource, ensuring you get access to the right information and connect to the right people, whenever you need it. www.itcentralstation.com IT Central Station does not endorse or recommend any products or services. The views and opinions of reviewers quoted in this document, IT Central Station websites, and IT Central Station materials do not reflect the opinions of IT Central Station. Schedule a Demo About AlgoSec AlgoSec enables the world’s largest organizations to align business and security strategies, and manage their network security based on what matters most — the applications that power their businesses. Through a single pane of glass, the AlgoSec Security Management Solution provides holistic, business-level visibility across the entire network security infrastructure, including business applications and their connectivity flows — in the cloud and across SDN and on-premise networks. With AlgoSec users can auto-discover and migrate application connectivity, proactively analyze risk from the business perspective, tie cyber-attacks to business processes and intelligently automate time-consuming security changes— all zero-touch, and seamlessly orchestrated across any heterogeneous environment. Over 1,800 leading organizations, including 20 Fortune 50 companies, have relied on AlgoSec to drive business agility, security and compliance. AlgoSec has provided the industry’s only money-back guarantee since 2005. Let's start your journey to our business-centric network security. Schedule a Demo Select a size Overview Abstract Introduction The continuing evolution of NSPM Challenges inherent in selecting an NSPM solution NSPM solution selection factors Network security policy as a business issue Visibility Automation Compliance Conclusion About IT Central Station About AlgoSec Get the latest insights from the experts Choose a better way to manage your network

Learn how firewall rules secure your network from cyber threats. Explore types, best practices, and management strategies to optimize your firewall security. Firewall rules & requirements (inbound vs. outbound) How to secure your network from threats? The cybersecurity landscape is increasingly volatile, with a massive rise in cyberattacks. Malicious cyber actors are relentlessly scouring the internet for vulnerable networks. Any company that wants to keep its network secure must implement a network security solution – a firewall. Cyber attackers keep evolving and finding ways to compromise security systems. As a result, companies need to implement and maintain security best practices. Installing a firewall is not enough; you have to take a step further to ensure the firewall rules are up-to-date and properly managed. If you want to learn how firewall rules work and secure your network from threats, keep reading! This article covers everything you need to know, including types of firewall rules, examples of firewall rules, and firewall rule best practices. Schedule a Demo What are firewall rules? Firewall rules are the major components of firewall policies that determine which types of traffic your firewall allows in and out of your network, and which are blocked. They are access control mechanisms that firewalls use to protect your network from being infiltrated by malicious or unauthorized traffic. Firewall rules examine the control information in individual packets, and either block or allow them based on a set of rules or predetermined criteria. These predetermined criteria or rule components include a source IP address, a destination IP address, ports, protocol type (TCP, UDP, or ICMP), and services. Firewall rules control how the firewalls prevent malicious programs and unauthorized traffic from compromising your network. So properly managing your firewall rules across your infrastructures is instrumental to securing your network from threats. Schedule a Demo How do firewall rules work? A firewall examines each incoming and outgoing data packet and matches it against the firewall rules. A packet is allowed to go through to its destination if it matches one of the rules that allow traffic. If a packet matches none of the rulesor hit a rule with deny, it is rejected. The rejection or mismatch is reported if the firewall is configured to do so. Firewalls are programmed to work with access control lists (ACLs). ACLs contain lists of permissions that determine network traffic that is allowed or blocked. An access control list details the conditions a data packet must meet before the ACL action (allow, deny, or reject) can be executed. To help you understand how firewall rules work, here’s a practical example: if a firewall rule states that traffic to destination N should be allowed only if it is from IP address M, the firewall will check the packet source and destination of incoming packets, and allow packets that meet the M & N rule to go through. If its packet’s destination is N but its source is unidentified or different from M, it is blocked. Packets are checked against firewall rules from top to bottom, and the first rule that matches the packet overrides the other rules below. The last rule is Deny Rest. This means that all packets not expressly permitted by the rules are blocked. You can create a firewall rule in pfSense. pfSense is an open-source firewall and router with unified threat management, load balancing, multi-WAN, a DNS Resolver, and a VPN. It supports a wide range of network technologies, including IPv4 & IPv6 addresses and pfBlockerNG. Other firewalls you can use to create firewall rules include Zenarmor, Windows Defender, and iptables. Schedule a Demo Why are firewall rules important? Firewall rules help network administrators to regulate access to networks. With firewall rules, you can determine what is allowed in and out of your network. For example, they prevent dangerous files like worms and viruses from accessing your network and consuming bandwidth. When it comes to protecting devices that operate within your network, firewall rules establish an essential line of defense. Firewalls (and other security measures like endpoint protection and security certifications) prevent malicious actors from accessing and compromising devices connected to your network or operating inside your network’s environment. Firewall rules help you comply with regulatory standards. Depending on your industry, relevant regulatory agencies expect your company to maintain a certain level of security. For example, if your business is located in the EU region or collects personal data of EU citizens, it is mandated to comply with GDPR. Schedule a Demo What are the main types of firewall rules? There are various types of firewall rules. They are categorized based on the type of security architecture under consideration. That being said, here are some of the major types of firewall rules: 1. Access rule As the name implies, this firewall rule blocks or grants access to inbound and outbound traffic based on certain conditions. The source address, destination address, port number, and protocol are key information that the access rule evaluates to determine whether access should be given or denied. 2. Network address translation (NAT) rule NAT helps you hide the original IP address of a private network – enabling you to protect your network. It makes traffic routing easier and smoothens the inflow & outflow of traffic to and from your network. 3. Application level gateways This type of firewall rule enables network administrators to implement policies that protect your internal network. Application-level gateways function as shields or gatekeepers between your internal network and the public internet. Administrators use them to regulate access to public networks, block some sites, limit access to certain content, and regulate devices allowed to access your network. 4. Stateful packet filtering This rule evaluates data packets and filters them against preset conditions. The traffic is denied access if it fails to meet the requirements outlined by the predetermined security criteria. 5. Circle-level gateways Circle-level gateways do not filter individual packets but rather monitor TCP handshakes to determine whether a session is legitimate and the remote system is considered trusted. Consequently, these gateways provide anonymity to your internal network. Schedule a Demo What is an example of a firewall rule? Firewall rules frequently consist of a source address, source port, destination address, destination port, and an action that determines whether to Allow or Deny the packet. In the following firewall ruleset example, the firewall is never directly accessed from the public network. This is because hackers who can directly access the firewall, can modify or delete rules and allow unwanted travel. Source addressSource portDestination addressDestination portAction AnyAny10.10.10.1AnyDenyAnyAny10.10.10.2AnyDeny10.10.10.1AnyAnyAnyDeny10.10.10.2AnyAnyAnyDeny In the following firewall ruleset example, all traffic from the trusted network is allowed out. This ruleset should be placed below the ruleset above. Since firewall rules are checked from top to bottom, specific rules should be placed before rules that are more general. Source addressSource portDestination addressDestination portAction 10.10.10.0AnyAnyAnyAllow Schedule a Demo What are the best ways to manage firewall rules? Effective management of firewall rules is necessary to avoid conflicting configurations and ensure your security infrastructure is powerful enough to ward off malicious attacks. To manage firewall rules better, do the following: ● Maintain proper documentation Properly document policies, rules, and workflows. It’s difficult for your network administrators to stay organized and manage firewall rules without proper documentation. Implement a strict documentation policy that mandates administrators to document policies and configuration changes. This improves visibility and ensures seamless continuity even if a key network operator leaves the company. ● Assign tasks with caution Ensure that only well-trained network operators have the privilege to assign and alter firewall rules. Allowing everyone on your security team to assign and change firewall rules increases the chances of misconfiguration. Giving such a privilege to a select few does the opposite and makes containing mismanagement easier. ● Use a standardized naming convention It’s easy to get confused about which configuration does what. This is more likely to happen where there is no naming convention. To avoid conflicting configurations, name each rule to clarify its purpose. By clearly defining the rules, conflicts can be easily resolved. ● Flag temporary rules Some rules are created to function just for a while – temporary rules. To keep things simple and ‘neat,’ flag temporary rules so they can be eliminated when they are no longer required. ● Order your rules Order rules in a specific pattern. For example, begin with global rules and narrow down to user-specific rules. ● Use a firewall management solution Many administrators use a firewall management and orchestration solution to streamline the firewall rule management process. The solution integrates with your firewall and uses built-in automation for managing firewall settings and configurations from a single dashboard. A firewall management tool helps you automate activities, gain visibility on all firewall rules, optimize firewall rules, remove rule anomalies, generate reports, etc. Schedule a Demo What are the best practices for firewall rules? To ensure your firewall works properly and offers the best security possible, there are some key best practices you have to follow when configuring and managing firewall rules: Review the firewall rules regularly The cyber threat landscape is always changing. Therefore, you must regularly review the firewall rules to ensure they provide optimal security against threats. Reviewing firewall rules helps you to be several steps ahead of malicious cyber actors, remove rule anomalies, and maintain compliance. Cyber attackers are relentlessly devising new ways to compromise security systems, infiltrate networks & subnets, and wreak havoc. You need to update the firewall rules regularly to counter new attacks. Obsolete rules can be maneuvered and the firewall compromised. You have to keep evolving the rules to stay ahead of malicious actors. Remove ineffective, redundant firewall rules. Are there rules that are no longer needed? Are there overlapping rules that are taking up space and confusing your network administrators? Look out for unnecessary configurations and remove them to free up the system and avoid confusion. In addition to helping you keep your network safe, reviewing firewall rules regularly also allows you to maintain compliance with regulatory standards such as HIPAA and GDPR. Keep tabs on firewall logs Keeping an eye on the firewall log helps administrators to monitor traffic flow, identify suspicious activities, and proactively fix challenges. Monitoring firewall logs gives you visibility into your infrastructure, enabling you to get to know your network users and the nature of their activities. Reduce complexity by categorizing firewall rules Make firewall rule structure simple and easy to manage by grouping rules with similar characteristics. This approach reduces configuration complexity, improves ease of administration, and optimizes firewall performance. Implement least-privileged access Do not grant users more privileges than necessary to perform their tasks. This ensures that only an authorized user can create a new rule, change a security policy, or gain access to specific resources. Block high-risk ports Blocking some ports can significantly decrease the risk of a network breach. The following table outlines the ports you should block as recommended by the SANS Institute . The table features services, TCP port, UDP port, port number, and port range. ServicePortPort number NetBIOS in Windows NTTCP and UDP135NetBIOS in Windows NTUDP137 and 138TFTP daemonUDP69HTTP (except to external web services)TCP80SSL (except to external web servers)TCP443Lockd (Linux DoS vulnerability)TCP & UDP4045Common high-order HTTP portsTCP8000, 8080, 8888LDAPTCP & UDP389IMAPTCP143SOCKSTCP1080SNMPUDP161 & 162SyslogUDP514Cisco AUX port (binary)TCP6001NFSTCP & UDP2049X WindowsTCP & UDP6000 – 6255 Schedule a Demo How can AlgoSec help you manage your firewall rules better? Managing firewall rules manually can be overwhelming and time-consuming – especially when dealing with multiple firewall solutions. With the help of a firewall management solution, you easily configure firewall rules and manage configurations from a single dashboard. This is where AlgoSec comes in! AlgoSec’s powerful firewall management solution integrates with your firewalls to deliver unified firewall policy management from a single location, thus streamlining the entire process. With AlgoSec, you can maintain clear visibility of your firewall ruleset, automate the management process, assess risk & optimize rulesets, streamline audit preparation & ensure compliance, and use APIs to access many features through web services. Schedule a Demo Select a size How to secure your network from threats? What are firewall rules? How do firewall rules work? Why are firewall rules important? What are the main types of firewall rules? What is an example of a firewall rule? What are the best ways to manage firewall rules? What are the best practices for firewall rules? How can AlgoSec help you manage your firewall rules better? 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 continuous compliance Solution overview See how this customer improved compliance readiness and risk management with AlgoSec Case study Choose a better way to manage your network

Learn how to move applications to the cloud seamlessly. Explore best practices for cloud migration, minimizing downtime, and optimizing your cloud environment Cloud migration: How to move applications to the cloud Introduction Responsiveness to the ever-growing demand coming from the business is redefining IT processes and technologies. One way IT can improve responsiveness and business agility is by moving business applications to the cloud. In the cloud, businesses increase their agility while reducing costs. But in the process of migrating applications to the cloud, network security is often neglected. When this happens, applications are deployed in the cloud with inadequate security and compliance measures, or, conversely, the security team steps in and halts the migration process. This puts the company at risk. On the one hand, inadequate security makes it easier for hackers to access the network and mount an attack against the company – exposing the company to financial losses and legal repercussions. On the other hand, if the business is unable to respond to market demands in a timely fashion, there are clear financial implications. In this paper, we take a deep dive into the process that enterprise organizations take when approaching a migration project. We look at the challenges associated with migration projects and discuss a systematic process that organizations should embrace when approaching these types of projects. Schedule a Demo Advantages and security challenges of the cloud There are multiple advantages to adopting a cloud architecture and migrating applications to it, but there are also security concerns that need to be taken into consideration. Below are the top four advantages and the security challenge that accompanies each. Security and data protection When adopting public cloud computing, data itself is much more accessible, no matter where it is located. Users can access the data they need from any location and device. An additional benefit relates to disaster recovery processes that include out-of-the-box backup and restore functionality. In the cloud, there is a need to maintain additional servers in a remote location. However, these advantages do not come without a cost. Once the data is no longer kept on-premises, security must be tightened. The closed garden we had when data resided on servers protected by firewalls in our facilities, is gone. Additional security controls must be employed. Special consideration should be given to upholding regulatory requirements regarding the data itself. There are best practices to uphold, as well as financial penalties if organizations do not comply with them. Business agility Spinning up a server in the cloud is a matter of minutes. Cloud computing is considered an enabler for digital transformation, as businesses work to be more agile and accommodating to their customers’ needs. All you need is a credit card. No hardware is required to be purchased, shipped or connected to your data center. The ease of spinning up a new cloud server makes shadow IT possible. But this is also a security problem. It is hard to control the security aspect of each cloud server if you are unaware of it. Therefore, visibility and strong prefrail security measures such as identity management and cloud firewalls that protect access from the internet, are needed. For each cloud server, you need to set an allowed connectivity baseline and incorporate it into the sever creation process. Financial benefits The cloud offers zero maintenance costs and zero capital costs. Additional financial gains should be taken into consideration such as the reduction in IT support costs and the flexibility offered by cloud server usage of paying only for what you consume. This means you don’t have to purchase expensive hardware needed during peak times only. Of course, there are also hidden costs when migrating to the cloud. Usage needs to be monitored and optimized and your cloud assets need to be monitored and maintained. Additional security measures need to be put in place. This includes purchasing additional software as well as hiring additional personnel proficient in securing a cloud architecture. Faster time to market The cloud, coupled with DevOps practices and tools, delivers a flexible framework that enables companies to deliver innovations faster to market. However, there are lingering questions about the impact on security. With multiple functional teams collaborating on development, and so many moving parts in the process, security is often not incorporated into the release process. Rather it’s tacked on at the end. And this is where you need a security policy automation that supports the DevOps methodology. The solution needs to be able to automatically copy the firewall rules and then make the necessary modifications to map rules to the new objects – for each new environment in the DevOps lifecycle. With the right automation solution, security can be baked into the release process. Get a Demo Schedule a Demo The shared responsibility model Public cloud security is the responsibility of both the cloud vendor and cloud customers. This joint ownership of security is often called the shared responsibility model. On one side you have security of the cloud infrastructure itself. Security OF the cloud The cloud vendor is responsible for securing the infrastructure that runs all the services offered in the cloud. This includes both software-related services such as compute, storage, database, and networking as well as hardware services. The cloud vendor is also responsible for securing the physical facilities themselves. On the other side, you have security within the cloud accounts. Security IN the cloud Cloud customers are responsible for the security of the services they consume. For example, when using Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2) the customer needs to perform all the necessary security configuration and management tasks. Any software or utility that the customer installs should be followed by configuring all relevant security controls, including security groups, third-party firewalls and other necessary security configurations. Cloud customers are responsible for managing and securing the data that resides in the consumed cloud service. Figure 1: Shared responsibility model Schedule a Demo Cloud network security controls Data center network security is already quite complex. Customers generally utilize multiple vendors to manage their network security, including SDNs, such as Cisco ACI and VMWare NSX. Adding cloud network security controls to the mix raises the complexity up several notches. Cloud network security consists of multi-layered security controls. You have the cloud vendor infrastructure controls spanning across asset types, such as instances, databases, storage, and accounts; and across configuration types, such as deployment location, security groups, and more. You also have cloud providers’ security products, such as Azure Firewall and AWS WAF. And on top all of that, third-party vendors have not left the cloud network security controls ring and are providing dedicated firewalls for the cloud, such as CloudGuard by Check Point, V-Series by Palo Alto Networks and more. When migrating an application to the cloud it is important to determine how you are going to guard your cloud assets. What mix of security controls are you going to utilize to secure your data? Schedule a Demo Visibility into what you have is key for cloud migration Gain visibility into which applications your organization has Obtaining an inventory of applications is the foundation of your security and essential for your cloud migration. The process of discovering all the applications used by your business is not a trivial task. Most businesses have two types of applications – enterprise and departmental. Enterprise applications, which are the more complex applications in your data center, usually serve many business units and can span multiple geographies and even company subsidiaries. In most cases, the IT team is well-aware of them. While documentation of these applications and their connectivity requirements may not be perfect, that is a good starting point for the migration process. Note that there may still be a need to update the documentation. Many departments or business units purchase their department applications such as Business Intelligence solutions or project management tools. Some of these applications may be SaaS while others are installed on corporate servers. For these types of applications, it is likely that documentation never existed. Fortunately, in most cases, their architecture isn’t complex. It should be relatively easy to obtain the necessary connectivity information needed to migrate them to the cloud. The key here is to know that these applications exist. There are two ways to generate a list of applications. The first requires using consultants to conduct thorough interviews with the various stakeholders in each department and each geography. A second, more cost-effective and efficient way, is to use visibility and automation solutions such as AlgoSec’s AppViz and AppChange. Tools like AlgoSec’s AppViz help discover, identify, and map business applications on your network. Once the list of applications – the foundation – is in place, you can move onto the next stage in the process of closing the security gap as you migrate to the cloud: understanding each application’s attributes, such as the number of servers, the associated business processes and the network connectivity requirements. These attributes help determine the complexity involved in migrating applications. Gain visibility into your current network and its security elements Several attributes can affect the complexity of migrating an application to the cloud, including the application’s network connectivity requirements and the firewall rules that allow/deny that connectivity. A mapping of the network connectivity yields a deeper understanding of network traffic complexity which, in turn, provides insight into the flows you will need to migrate and maintain with the application in the cloud (see Figure 2). Additionally, this information will tell you how many applications are dependent on a specific server. The more applications a server serves, the harder it is to migrate one of them. It may be necessary to migrate the server itself or to migrate multiple applications at the same time. Mapping the firewall rules provides insight into the security measures you will need to put in place once the application has been migrated to the cloud. As a rule of thumb, the more firewall rules are required, the greater the complexity. A mapping of the firewall rules enables you to identify and decommission firewall rules that are no longer necessary post-migration. How do you generate documentation of application connectivity? The obvious choice is to employ a solution that automatically maps the various network traffic flows, servers and firewall rules for each application. If you do not have access to such an automation solution, then manual documenting, however tedious, will provide the necessary information. Schedule a Demo Which applications should I move first? Applications that store data about personal information When an application holds sensitive data such as personal information it is worth thinking twice before moving it to the cloud. In most cases, data privacy laws mandate where personal data should be stored, and when the information can be collected, processed, or communicated. Over 80 countries and territories have adopted comprehensive data protection laws. Most of Europe has already adopted comprehensive data protection laws such as GDPR. Many Latin American, Asian, and African countries have done so as well. Many US states also have data protection regulations such as the California Consumer Privacy Act and the New York SHIELD Act. It is worthwhile checking what is legally allowed before moving such an application to a cloud, as well as considering the cloud’s geographical location. Highly-regulated applications An additional issue to look out for is whether the application is subject to regulatory requirements such as HIPPA or requires PCI DSS compliance. If the answer is yes, you must find out the security compliance status of that application and whether moving it to the cloud would violate that status. HIPPA, for example, requires accountability practices on all LANs, WANs, and for users accessing the network remotely through a Virtual Private Network (VPN). PCI compliance requires, for example, a firewall at each internet connection and between any DMZ and the internal network zone. Applications subject to these and similar regulations are not the best candidates, to say the least, for migration to the cloud. Applications already exposed to the internet On the other hand, if an application has elements that are already exposed to the internet, such as the web server in Figure 2 below, that’s a good indication that maybe some of it, if not all, can be moved to the cloud for the elasticity and cost savings gain. For these applications, you have most probably already implemented strong security inside the application server, backed with strong security limitations in front of and behind the web-facing interface. Adopting these strong limitations also when moving the workload to the cloud will ensure the security of the server and of the internal network behind it. Using network segmentation as a guide Finally, if you manage your network segmentation correctly, the servers and applications that reside in the less isolated zones are the best candidates for moving to the more open cloud. For example, applications and servers in a zone with only one firewall that acts as a barrier between the zone and the internet are good candidates for migration. Whereas entities in protected zones such as server group 1 in Figure 2, which reside behind several firewalls, should remain in your on-premise data center. Figure 2: Network segmentation Schedule a Demo Migration is only the beginning Whether you move all your applications to the cloud or just a few of them, and whether you use one or multiple cloud vendors, you now need to manage and maintain security and compliance in the cloud just as you did in your on-premise network over which you have complete control. Establishing a route from a server in the cloud to a server on the on-premise network requires an intimate understanding of both the cloud security controls and the on-premise security devices. If there are separate cloud and on-premise network security teams, as is the norm in many businesses, collaboration between the teams is needed which, of course, adds its own complexity. Once applications are deployed in the cloud, you will likely want to be able to move between cloud providers ‘at the speed of the cloud’ to avoid vendor lock-in and to minimize costs. While you might be led to believe that this is a simple requirement, in reality each cloud provider has its own unique network security controls with which you need to familiarize yourself. There are several ways to manage security across the hybrid cloud environment. You can manage the environment manually, which is slow, time-consuming, and error-prone. You can use the cloud provider’s native controls to manage the cloud network security in addition to the existing tools and methodology you currently use for your on-premise environment. However, bear in mind that cloud security controls do not provide a holistic view of security across your entire estate and their limited capabilities may not sufficiently support your business’s security posture. Alternatively, there are third party automated network security policy management solutions that span the entire hybrid environment, which can assist in managing your entire network security. Schedule a Demo Migrate with AlgoSec The AlgoSec platform makes it easy to support your cloud migration journey, ensuring that migration does not block critical business services while meeting compliance requirements. AlgoSec’s powerful Application Discovery capabilities help you understand the network flows in your organization. You can effectively connect the recognized traffic flows to the business applications that use them. AlgoSec manages the network security policy across your hybrid network estate and proactively checks every proposed firewall rule change request against your network security strategy to ensure that the change doesn’t introduce risk or violate compliance requirements. Schedule a Demo About AlgoSec AlgoSec, a global cybersecurity leader, empowers organizations to secure application connectivity and cloud-native applications throughout their multi-cloud and hybrid network. Trusted by more than 1,800 of the world’s leading organizations, AlgoSec’s application-centric approach enables to securely accelerate business application deployment by centrally managing application connectivity and security policies across the public clouds, private clouds, containers, and on-premises networks. Using its unique vendor-agnostic deep algorithm for intelligent change management automation, AlgoSec enables acceleration of digital transformation projects, helps prevent business application downtime and substantially reduces manual work and exposure to security risks. AlgoSec’s policy management and CNAPP platforms provide a single source for visibility into security and compliance issues within cloud-native applications as well as across the hybrid network environment, to ensure ongoing adherence to internet security standards, industry, and internal regulations. Learn how AlgoSec enables application owners, information security experts, DevSecOps and cloud security teams to deploy business applications up to 10 times faster while maintaining security at www.algosec.com . Let's start your journey to our business-centric network security. Schedule a Demo Select a size Introduction Advantages and security challenges of the cloud The shared responsibility model Cloud network security controls Visibility into what you have is key for cloud migration Which applications should I move first? Migration is only the beginning Migrate with AlgoSec About AlgoSec Get the latest insights from the experts Choose a better way to manage your network

Learn why network security policy management is crucial for insurance companies to safeguard sensitive data, ensure compliance, and mitigate cyber risks effectively. Why Insurance Companies Need Network Security Policy Management Opening Insurance institutions face two major network security related challenges while working to serve their customers: the constant demand to improve in order to successfully compete in the market, and regulatory compliance. Yet, when it comes to security, the InfoSec team often uses slow, manual (and error prone) processes to make the necessary network security changes – thereby delaying the release of a new competitive application or feature to market. To overcome these challenges, insurance institutions must implement a network security policy management solution Schedule a Demo Introduction In order to maintain a competitive advantage, information security teams at insurance companies must be able to support business transformation initiatives and deploy new applications or updated functionality to market quickly and securely. Most IT departments use automation tools to assist them with many aspects of their work – including managing software changes or provisioning storage. Automation allows them to support the fast pace required, ensure quality and maintain compliance with industry regulations. However, when it comes to security, oftentimes the InfoSec team still makes the necessary network security changes using manual processes. This is mostly due to the perceived complexity of the segmented network infrastructure; the large number of firewalls and network security devices (from multiple vendors) that are typically deployed across an insurance company’s network, as well as the extensive compliance requirements to which insurance companies are subjected. As a result, the InfoSec team is often perceived as a bottleneck to progress – holding back the release of a new competitive application or feature to market. This white paper discusses the challenges facing InfoSec teams today. It then explains how a network security management solution delivers critical automation that help transform the InfoSec team from a business inhibitor to a business enabler. Schedule a Demo Network security challenges for insurance companies Insurance companies face two key network security related challenges in their mission to serve their customers: regulatory compliance and a continual demand for changes in order to compete in the market. The number of regulations that insurance companies are required to uphold has significantly increased over the years. They include GLBA, GDPR, BASEL II, SOX, Dodd-Frank, PCI-DSS and many others. While these regulations aim to provide best practices that help both the insurance company and their customers, they require considerable effort to maintain, particularly with regards to network security. The second challenge that impacts network security, is the constant demand for changes. In recent years, the demand for innovation coupled with competition from agile and disruptive insurtech companies is putting considerable pressure on insurance companies. As a result, insurance companies are constantly seeking ways to improve the way they interact with their customers while becoming more efficient. This means that there is now an ever-present need for change in a typically conservative industry which has previously been slow and reluctant to embrace change! Managing network security changes efficiently and effectively across today’s complex network environments requires automation. Yet, while IT teams have embraced automation to handle many of their tasks, the InfoSec team has not. In the following section, we discuss ways to utilize automation to manage security changes and manage the ever-increasing demands of industry regulations. Schedule a Demo Automated network security policy management To tackle these challenges the InfoSec team need automation to effectively manage the demands of regulatory compliance as well as keep up with the volume of network security policy changes. Managing compliance with industry regulations As part of compliance requirements most regulations require full visibility into the security posture, regular audits, and documentation of any changes. Visibility of the security posture: The first step to achieving visibility is to identify all the applications that support customer transactions and manage customer information. The next step is to classify them based on the relevant regulations, such as PCI for applications that manage cardholder information. There are tools that can handle this process automatically, including the discovery process, which saves considerable time. Moreover, automation tools can help with documenting the entire environment, including the network security device configurations and security policies – which is a key part of regulatory compliance. In addition to supporting compliance requirements, this visibility and transparency exposes any gaps and risks in your network security, and thus helps to make your network secure. Streamlined audits: Whether internal or external, audits eat up considerable resources. The InfoSec team currently needs to spend significant time and effort generating reports that document their security posture and prove compliance with every regulation – time that could be better spent focusing on securing the network or responding to business requests. Automation can handle all these processes, and generate self-documenting, audit-ready reports out of the box. Documenting compliance: Most network security management solutions review all changes during design and deployment to ensure that they comply with the industry regulations. As part of this process they document and provide a full audit trail of the change, thereby automating the requirement for change documentation. Get a Demo Managing the constant barrage of change requests An automation solution is paramount for tackling the frequent change requests that are typically required in the insurance industry. An automation solution enables the InfoSec team to focus on the impact and risk of the change as well as ensure that all changes are necessary (typically around 30% of change requests are unnecessary). An automation solution must: Ensure that the network security policy change request will not breach the compliance posture Automatically map the network route for any planned changes and identify the firewall, routers and switches along that route that need to be changed Assess all the risks of a security change. These include regulatory compliance risks as well as internal risks Understand the details of each firewall rule change request and determine whether a change is really needed, whether a change to an existing rule will be sufficient or if there is a need to create a new rule as part of the change request. This process reduces the overall number of rules and helps optimize the security ruleset Be able to automatically deploy changes directly in firewalls Schedule a Demo Summary Insurance companies are constantly seeking to better serve their customers and maintain a competitive edge through new technology innovations. Yet they often fall behind on delivering these new innovations into production. Their network and security operations team are hampered by manual and error-prone security change management processes coupled with the ever-increasing demands of industry regulations, which impact time-to-market. Automated network security management solutions help streamline the auditing process and ensure continuous compliance as well as significantly simplify and speed up the process of managing network security changes. Additional resources Network Security Policy Management Lifecycle PCI DSS: Automate Audits and Ensure Continuous Compliance Schedule a Demo About AlgoSec The leading provider of business-driven security management solutions, AlgoSec helps the world’s largest organizations align security with their 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 1,500 enterprises, including 20 Fortune 50 companies, utilize AlgoSec’s solutions to make their organizations more agile, more secure and more compliant – all the time. Since its inception, AlgoSec has provided the industry’s only money-back guarantee. Request a demo Let's start your journey to our business-centric network security. Schedule a Demo Select a size Opening Introduction Network security challenges for insurance companies Automated network security policy management Summary About AlgoSec Get the latest insights from the experts Choose a better way to manage your network

Efficiently manage network security policies with AlgoSec’s solution to ensure compliance, reduce risks, and streamline operations across your hybrid IT environment. Network security policy management software (NSPM) What is network security policy management? Network security policy management is the process of creating, implementing and maintaining policies and procedures to protect an organization’s network and data against unauthorized access, use, disclosure and disruption, modification or destruction. Specific activities include identifying and mitigating security risks, testing and deploying changes to connectivity and security rules, ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations and more. AlgoSec provides the leading solution for simplifying and automating network security policy management across on-premise firewalls, SDNs and in the public clouds. Its centralized management enables sweeping visibility, effective risk detection and intelligent automation. These capabilities come together to drive stronger security, sustained compliance, reduced risk and faster application delivery – all while cutting manual work, costs, and compliance efforts. Schedule a Demo Why do you need firewall and network security management? Centralized firewall and network security management is essential for preserving a secure, compliant environment – across the devices and workflows in your IT ecosystem. It’s also fundamental for solving a range of connected issues that generate security risks and non-compliance concerns: Technical debt Shadow IT Inconsistent, redundant and obsolete rules Visibility blind spots Growing network complexity IT personnel changes Emerging security vulnerabilities. A firewall and network security management solution helps you achieve IT security and compliance goals – at scale – through extensive integration options, full-scale visibility and intelligent automation. It keeps your hybrid network safe by providing clear processes for aspects ranging from change management to compliance reporting, and monitors if these processes remain effective as your requirements evolve. Schedule a Demo Network security management FAQ Frequently asked questions about network security management and AlgoSec’s network security policy management platform. How does firewall security management differ from network security management? Firewall security management is one of the specialized components of network security management – the practice of ensuring the overall safety of the entire network and its devices. Specifically, firewall management involves configuring rules to allow or block specific types of traffic based on factors such as IP address, port and protocol. Network security management covers a wider range of tasks, but both processes are essential for reducing the organization’s attack surface and for effective risk management. What key role does firewall configuration management play in network security? The security and exposure of web, email, VPN and database servers, routers, workstations and other devices depend on effective firewall configuration management. That’s because firewalls are responsible for blocking unwanted or malicious traffic (e.g. malware, ransomware, denial-of-service attacks, etc.) and allowing legitimate traffic to pass through. Besides creating traffic filtering rules, managing firewall configurations also involves securing access, keeping the firewall up to date. And since most regulatory authorities expect organizations to have firewalls as part of their security controls, the effectiveness of firewall configuration management cascades across compliance requirements as well. How does network security management help with risk management? Network security management activities help identify the sources of IT security risk, apply mitigating measures and monitor the effectiveness of this cycle as the business environment evolves. Specific processes include: Identifying potential vulnerabilities (e.g. application connectivity flows, weak credentials, unpatched software, open ports, etc.) through security assessments and penetration testing. Prioritizing risks and keeping security teams aligned on which high-impact security threats need fast resolution to avoid breaches and situations of non-compliance. Implementing security controls (e.g. firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, encryption, etc.) that strengthen the organization’s security posture. Pushing firewall rules to devices so they don’t open security holes and increase exposure to cyberattacks. Continuously monitoring the network for evidence of security breaches, (e.g. unusual activity, unauthorized access etc.). Applying cybersecurity incident response plans in the event of a successful attack (e.g. isolating affected systems) to avoid or minimize downtime and ensure business continuity. How can I proactively assess and manage security threats? Information security offers a range of options to proactively determine and manage security threats across people, processes and technology: Regular security assessments that scrutinize networks, systems and applications to identify vulnerabilities and exposure to cyberattacks. Examples include penetration testing, vulnerability management and threat modeling. Multi-layered security through tools such as firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems and antivirus software. Policy and procedures reviews and updates that ensure they remain compliant and effective against bad actors’ evolving tactics. Network monitoring with real-time notifications to identify signs of compromise such as unusual login and account activity, suspicious or unknown files, and evidence of device tampering. Network log management that documents activity across cloud environments, web applications, endpoints and other systems, creating a trail of examinable evidence. Threat hunting searches for indicators of compromise from bad actors who may have evaded detection and maintained a covert presence in the network. Patch management that pinpoints outdated devices and software, delivering necessary upgrades to close security holes and fix known issues. Security awareness initiatives such as training employees and establishing a communication channel they can use to report potential security issues. The right technology reduces the complexity of managing multiple security layers and makes the entire process feasible and efficient. For instance, the AlgoSec Network Security Policy Management platform proactively evaluates the impact of proposed policy changes to minimize risk, prevent outages and maintain compliance. Because it also integrates with leading vulnerability scanners, AlgoSec maps security vulnerabilities to their business applications, so you can effectively assess and prioritize risks based on reliable context data. Can AlgoSec unify visibility and management across cloud, SDN and on-premise enterprise networks? IT and security managers who choose AlgoSec to simplify their network environments mention easy integration and comprehensive network insight as their main ROI drivers. That’s because the AlgoSec Network Security Policy Management platform provides full visibility across firewalls and security controls deployed on public and private clouds, as well as SDNs such as Cisco ACI and VMware NSX. The consolidation it enables makes it easy to: Have an up-to-date map of all the devices on the network Understand the information flow between firewalls Extract information about specific firewall rules Trim the firewall ruleset – by as much as 90% Reduce rule project reviews – from 1 month to 1 day according to our customers. Make firewall rule changes in minutes instead of days. Can I stay compliant using network security policy management solutions? Network security policy management solutions are indispensable to technical and business teams that need to coordinate across complex compliance tasks. They provide tangible benefits throughout the security policy management lifecycle: Automated discovery and visualization Real-time network topology updates Ongoing clean-up and optimization Automatic security rules documentation Continuous compliance checks Ready-to-use reports. An example of this is AlgoSec’s Network Security Policy Management platform, which generates pre-filled, audit-ready compliance reports for industry regulations (e.g. PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOX, ISO 27001, etc.). The AlgoSec solution also enables you to create customized corporate policies, which reduces audit preparation efforts by as much as 80% according to customers. I want to migrate my applications securely. Can AlgoSec’s Network Security Policy Management platform help me achieve this? Absolutely! AlgoSec’s Network Security Policy Management platform simplifies the entire process of migrating applications to the cloud or another data center. Its easy-to-use, customizable workflows help you automatically bring documentation up to date, clean up firewall rules, generate and push security policy changes to devices and lots more. It also keeps network access and the security policy’s integrity and compliance intact throughout the process. Customers mention effective orchestration of all migrations tasks as a core driver for ROI and report reducing rule migration time by 80%. What is the typical pricing range for network security policy management solutions? The cost of network security policy management solutions depends on: Pricing model – per license, per user, per endpoint or device or per usage (e.g. gigabytes processed). Contract duration – one-time fee or subscription (yearly, monthly). Add-ons and modifiers – pricing per integration, per update, per deployment hour. This results in a broad pricing range with large discrepancies between low-end and high-end network security policy management solutions. Yearly costs for complex environments with hundreds of users and multiple providers typically start at a few thousand US dollars and go up to six figures. If you’re interested in AlgoSec, you can request a quote, contact sales or locate a partner near you. We’d love to help! Schedule a Demo Additional network security policy management features AlgoSec’s Network Security Policy Management platform supports the following use cases Auditing and Compliance Avoid costly non-compliance with automatic checks and context-specific advice on proposed rule changes. Generate quick, audit-ready reports for regulations like PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOX, NERC and many more. Change Management Save 80% of the time spent on network security changes with automatic tracking and validation. Stay on top of things with real-time notifications, even when using a managed security service provider. Micro-segmentation Combine security modeling capabilities with deep knowledge of firewall information and application connectivity flows to ensure proper isolation. Automated micro-segmentation rules reduce your attack surface and monitor efficiency over time. Firewall & Network Security Risk Management Reduce risk across hybrid cloud environments by implementing a lean set of standardized firewall rules. Prevent errors and misconfigurations with automatic checks and quick remediation and clean-up. Digital Transformation Use out-of-the-box workflows to discover, map and migrate application connectivity with full compliance and no downtime. Reduce rule migration time by 80%, deploy necessary policy changes as you go, and increase your security posture and business agility. DevOps Improve application deployment speed and security with real-time policy visibility and fast troubleshooting. Simplify your DevOps workflow with smart automation and free your team up for other important tasks. Schedule a Demo Select a size What is network security policy management? Why do you need firewall and network security management? Network security management FAQ Additional network security policy management features 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 continuous compliance Solution overview See how this customer improved compliance readiness and risk management with AlgoSec Case study Choose a better way to manage your network

Learn from expert-crafted firewall ruleset examples and best practices. Optimize your security posture with actionable guidance and improve your firewall configurations. Firewall ruleset examples & policy best practices Securing your network: guide to firewall rules examples Cyberattacks continue to rise globally as malicious actors tirelessly develop sophisticated tools and techniques to break through networks and security systems. With the digitalization of operations today and the increasing adoption of remote working, crucial business activities such as communication, data storage, and data transmission are now primarily done digitally. While this brings numerous advantages – allowing easy usability and scalability, enhancing collaboration, and reducing the risks of data loss – businesses have to deal with various security risks, such as data breaches and cyberattacks from hackers. Organizations must provide adequate network security to keep sensitive data safe and ensure their network is usable, trustworthy, and optimized for maximum productivity across all channels. Schedule a Demo Firewalls and your network Your network and systems (software and hardware) comprise the IT infrastructure through which you operate and manage your enterprise’s IT services. Every IT system regularly receives and transmits internet traffic, and businesses must ensure that only trusted and authorized traffic penetrates their network to maintain security. All unwanted traffic must be prevented from accessing your operating system as it poses a huge risk to network security. Malicious actors attempting to penetrate your system often send virus-carrying inbound traffic to your network. However, with an effective firewall, you can filter all traffic and block unwanted and harmful traffic from penetrating your network. A firewall serves as a barrier between computers, networks, and other systems in your IT landscape, preventing unauthorized traffic from penetrating. Schedule a Demo What are firewall rules? The firewall is your first line of defense in network security against hackers, malware, and other threats. Firewall rules refer to access control mechanisms that stipulate how a firewall device should handle incoming and outgoing traffic in your network. They are instructions given to firewalls to help them know when to block or allow communication in your network. These instructions include destination or source IP addresses, protocols, port numbers, and services. A firewall ruleset is formed from a set of rules and it defines a unit of execution and sharing for the rules. Firewall rulesets typically include: A source address A source port A destination address A destination port A decision on whether to block or permit network traffic meeting those address and port criteria Schedule a Demo What are the most common firewall ruleset examples? There are thousands of rulesets that can be used to control how a firewall deals with network traffic. Some firewall rules are more common than others, as they tend to be fundamental when building a secure network. Here are some examples of firewall rules for common use cases: Enable internet access for only one computer in the local network and block access for all others This rule gives only one computer in the local network access to the internet, and blocks all others from accessing the internet. This example requires obtaining the IP address of the computer being granted access (i.e., source IP address) and the TCP protocol type. Two rules will be created: a Permit rule and a Deny rule. The permit rule allows the chosen computer the required access, while the deny rule blocks all other computers in the local network from internet access. Prevent direct access from the public network to the firewall This rule blocks access to your firewall from any public network, to protect it from hackers who can modify or delete your rules if they access your firewall directly. Once hackers manipulate your rules, unwanted traffic will penetrate your network, leading to data breaches or an interruption in operation. A Deny rule for any attempt to access the firewall from public networks will be created and enabled. Block internet access for only one computer in the local network This rule comes in handy if you do not want a specific computer in the local network to access the internet. You will need to create a Deny rule in which you set the IP address of the computer you wish to block from the internet, and the TCP protocol type. Block access to a specific website from a local network In this scenario we want to configure our firewall to deny access to a particular website from a local network. We first obtain the IP address or addresses of the website we wish to deny access to, and then create a Deny rule. One way to obtain a website’s IP address is by running the special command ‘nslookup ’ in your operating system’s command line (Windows, Linux, or others). Since websites can run on HTTP and HTTPS, we must create a Deny rule for each protocol type and indicate the destination IP address(es). Thus, the local network will be unable to access both the HTTP and HTTPS versions of the website. Allow a particular LAN computer to access only one specific website This example gives a local computer access to only one specified website. We obtain the IP address of the destination website and the source IP address (of the local computer). We create a Permit rule for the source IP address and the destination website, and a Deny rule for the source IP address and other websites, taking the TCP protocol types into account. Allow internet access to and from the local network using specific protocols (services) only This example allows your LAN computer to access the internet using specific protocols, such as SMTP, FTP, IPv6, SSH, IPv4, POP3, DNS, and IMAP; and blocks all other traffic Here we first create an “Allow” rule for the “Home segment,” where we use the value “Any” for the Source and Destination IP addresses. In the Protocol field provided, we choose the protocols through which our local computer can access the internet. Lastly, we create Deny rules where we enter the value “Any” for the Source and Destination IP addresses. In the Protocol field, we set the values TCP and UDP, thus blocking internet access for unspecified protocols. Allow remote control of your router This rule enables you to access, view, or change your Router Settings remotely (over the internet). Typically, access to routers from the internet is blocked by default. To set this rule, you need specific data such as your router username, WAN IP address, and password. It is crucial to note that this setting is unsafe for individuals who use public IP addresses. A similar use case is a rule enabling users to check a device’s availability on their network by allowing ICMP ping requests. Block access from a defined internet subnet or an external network You can set a rule that blocks access to your network from a defined internet subnet or an external network. This rule is especially important if you observed repeated attempts to access your router from unknown IP addresses within the same subnet. In this case, set a Deny rule for IP addresses of the subnet attempting to access your WAN port. Schedule a Demo What are examples of best practices for setting up firewall rules? It is expedient to follow best practices during firewall configuration to protect your network from intruders and hackers. Deploying industry-standard rules when setting up firewalls can improve the security of your network and system components. Below are examples of the best practices for setting up firewall rules. Document firewall rules across multiple devices Documenting all firewall rule configurations and updating them frequently across various devices is one of the best practices for staying ahead of attacks. New rules should be included based on security needs, and irrelevant rules should be deactivated to reduce the possibility of a loophole in your network. With documentation, administrators can review the rules frequently and make any required changes whenever a vulnerability is detected. Configure your firewall to block traffic by default Using a block or deny-by-default policy is the safest way to deal with suspicious traffic. Enterprises must be sure that all types of traffic entering their network are identified and trusted to avoid security threats. In addition, whenever a vulnerability arises in the system, blocking by default helps prevent hackers from taking advantage of loopholes before administrators can respond. Monitor firewall logs Monitoring firewall logs on a regular basis helps maintain network security. Administrators can quickly and easily track traffic flow across your network, identify suspicious activity, and implement effective solutions in a timely manner. Organizations with highly sophisticated infrastructure can aggregate logs from routers, servers, switches, and other components to a centralized platform for monitoring. Group firewall rules to minimize complexity and enhance performance Depending on the complexity of your network, you may need thousands of rules to achieve effective network security. This complicates your firewall rules and can be a huge challenge for administrators. However, by grouping rules based on similar characteristics like protocols, TCP ports, IP addresses, etc., you simplify them and boost overall performance. Implement least-privileged access In any organization, employees have various roles and may require different data to execute their tasks efficiently. As part of network security practices, it’s important to ensure each employee’s access to the network is restricted to the minimum privileges needed to execute their tasks. Only users who require access to a particular service or resource should have it, thus preventing unnecessary exposure of data. This practice significantly minimizes the risk of intentional and accidental unauthorized access to sensitive data. Schedule a Demo How do firewall policies differ from a network security policy? A network security policy outlines the overall rules, principles, and procedures for maintaining security on a computer network. The policy sets out the basic architecture of an organization’s network security environment, including details of how the security policies are implemented. The overall objective of network security policy is to protect a computer network against internal and external threats. Firewall policies are a sub-group of network security policies, and refer to policies that relate specifically to firewalls. Firewall policies have to do with rules for how firewalls should handle inbound and outbound traffic to ensure that malicious actors do not penetrate the network. A firewall policy determines the types of traffic that should flow through your network based on your organization’s network and information security policies. Schedule a Demo How can AlgoSec help with managing your firewall rules? Proper firewall configuration with effective rules and practices is crucial to building a formidable network security policy. Organizations must follow industry standards in configuring firewall rules and protecting their IT landscape from intruders and malicious actors. Firewall rules require regular review and update to maintain maximum protection against evolving threats and changing security demands. For many organizations, keeping up with these fast-paced security demands can be challenging, and that’s where AlgoSec comes in. AlgoSec helps with managing your firewall rules to ensure your network enjoys round-the-clock protection against internal and external security threats. From installation to maintenance, we assist you in setting up a resilient firewall that operates on the safest rulesets to keep your network safe against harmful traffic. We have dedicated tools that take away the burden of aggregating and analyzing logs from the components in your network, including computers, routers, web servers, switches, etc. We determine which new rules are needed for effective firewall network security policy management based on data from your firewall devices and security trends. AlgoSec will ensure your firewall stays compliant with best practices by applying our automated auditing solution, which identifies gaps in your firewall rules and enables you to remediate them before hackers take advantage of such loopholes. Schedule a Demo Select a size Securing your network: guide to firewall rules examples Firewalls and your network What are firewall rules? What are the most common firewall ruleset examples? What are examples of best practices for setting up firewall rules? How do firewall policies differ from a network security policy? How can AlgoSec help with managing your firewall rules? Get the latest insights from the experts Use these six best practices to simplify compliance and risk 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

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

Accelerate security with Algosec Jumpstart. Pre-configured packages for rapid deployment of firewalls, VPNs, and more. Streamline security operations now. Algosec Jumpstart: Quick Deployment Packages Overview Select one of the new JumpStart packages from AlgoSec to generate value and utilize a business- driven solution for your organization in a weeks’ time. Regardless of which package you choose, the AlgoSec delivery department will deploy the solution quickly and cost-effectively within your environment. Prerequisites for all JumpStart packages: AlgoSec hardware or virtual appliance onsite ready for Successful completion of AlgoSec Admin Training for AlgoSec Firewall Analyzer and AlgoSec Secure remote connectivity and security device credentials of all deployed devices for remote From project kick off, assuming all prerequisites have been fulfilled. Service is performed remotely. AlgoSec will use its best endeavors to complete the deliverables within the target time frame. ADD-ON ALGOSEC – PROFESSIONAL SERVICES OFFERINGS In addition to the JumpStart packages, we offer a variety of à la carte Professional Services to help you quickly benefit from your AlgoSec investment. Schedule a Demo Integration with Existing Change Management Systems (CMS) AlgoSec enables a quick and smooth integration of your existing ServiceNow CMS with AlgoSec FireFlow in a unique jumpstart package, ALG-SNOW. Additionally, AlgoSec can seamlessly integrate with other existing CMS, including Remedy, ServiceDesk and others. The integration between your CMS system and AlgoSec can be set up via a Web Services call, and historical change requests can be imported into AlgoSec. Schedule a Demo Solution Deployment This service includes installing your AlgoSec appliances with the most recent build of the AlgoSec Security Management Suite including AlgoSec Firewall Analyzer and/or AlgoSec FireFlow and/or AlgoSec BusinessFlow, then verifying connectivity and defining devices. We will also verify that the reporting functionality works properly for each deployed device, and will provide sufficient knowledge transfer to enable you to perform basic operations in your AlgoSec environment. Schedule a Demo Advanced Configuration Suitable for complex, enterprise environments, this service includes verifying requirements and designing the appropriate topology for: High-Availability or Disaster-Recovery modes Load Distribution mode Geographical Distribution or Central-Manager / Remote-Agent mode Schedule a Demo Develop Custom Reports We can create custom risk profiles and baseline configuration reports to meet your unique needs. Schedule a Demo Develop Custom Change Workflows While AlgoSec includes several out-of-the-box workflows, we can develop custom workflows to meet your unique needs. Customization options include creating the different steps in a change process, managing the ticket lifecycle based on your processes, dynamically routing tickets to required approvers and changing request form fields and appearance. Schedule a Demo Project Management and Customer Success Management We can provide on-going project management to support your AlgoSec implementation. We provide regular status updates and meetings to ensure that the project is on schedule and meets your requirements. Schedule a Demo Select a size Overview Integration with Existing Change Management Systems (CMS) Solution Deployment Advanced Configuration Develop Custom Reports Develop Custom Change Workflows Project Management and Customer Success Management Get the latest insights from the experts Choose a better way to manage your network

A network security policy is a critical part of your IT cyber policy It helps determine what traffic is allowed on your network, keeping critical assets secure Network security policy examples & procedures Introduction A network security policy delineates guidelines for computer network access, determines policy enforcement, and lays out the architecture of the organization’s network security environment and defines how the security policies are implemented throughout the network architecture. Network security policies describes an organization’s security controls. It aims to keep malicious users out while also mitigating risky users within your organization. The initial stage to generate a policy is to understand what information and services are available, and to whom, what the potential is for damage, and what protections are already in place. The security policy should define the policies that will be enforced – this is done by dictating a hierarchy of access permissions – granting users access to only what they need to do their work. These policies need to be implemented in your organization written security policies and also in your IT infrastructure – your firewall and network controls’ security policies. Schedule a Demo What is network security policy management? Network security policy management refers to how your security policy is designed and enforced. It refers to how firewalls and other devices are managed. Schedule a Demo Cyber Security Policies as Part of IT Security Policy A good IT security policy contains the following essentials: Purpose Audience Information security objective Authority and access control policy – This includes your physical security policy Data classification Data support and operations Security awareness and behavior Responsibility, rights, and duties A cyber security policy is part of your overall IT security. A cybersecurity policy defines acceptable cybersecurity procedures. Cybersecurity procedures explain the rules for how anyone with potential network access can access your corporate resources, whether they are in your physical offices, work remotely, or work in another company’s offices (for example, customers and suppliers), send data over networks. They also determine how organization’s manage security patches as part of their patch management policy. A good cybersecurity policy includes the systems that your business is using to protect your critical information and are already in place, including firewalls. It should align with your network segmentation and micro-segmentation initiatives. Schedule a Demo How AlgoSec helps you manage your network security policy? Network policy management tools and solutions, such as the AlgoSec Security Management Solution , are available. Organizations use them to automate tasks, improving accuracy and saving time. The AlgoSec Security Management Solution simplifies and automates network security policy management to make your enterprise more agile, more secure and more compliant – all the time. AlgoSec is unique because it manages the entire lifecycle to ensure ongoing, secure connectivity for your business applications. It automatically builds a network map of your entire hybrid network and can map and intelligently understand your network security policy across your hybrid and multi-vendor network estate. You can auto-discover application connectivity requirements, proactively analyze risk, rapidly plan and execute network security changes and securely decommission firewall rules – all with zero-touch and seamlessly orchestrated across your heterogeneous public or private cloud, and on-premise network environment. Schedule a Demo Select a size Introduction What is network security policy management? Cyber Security Policies as Part of IT Security Policy How AlgoSec helps you manage your network security policy? Get the latest insights from the experts Application-aware network security! Securing the business applications on your network Keep Reading Avoiding the Security/Agility Tradeoff with Network Security Policy Automation Keep Reading Examining the Security Policy Management Maturity Model Keep Reading Choose a better way to manage your network

Understand HIPAA network compliance requirements. Learn how to safeguard patient data with robust network security measures and ensure compliance with HIPAA regulations. HIPAA network compliance & security requirements explained What are HIPAA network compliance requirements, rules, and violations? The advancement in data management technology has revolutionized how healthcare providers offer their services. Digital or electronic solutions are integrated into healthcare processes to improve productivity, enhance efficiency, and meet patients’ demands. Before digital transformation swept across the healthcare industry, healthcare providers at all levels relied upon manual methods and traditional data processing to carry out their day-to-day activities. Today, modern solutions, like computerized physician order entry (CPOE) and electronic health records (EHR), have replaced them, streamlining repetitive tasks, encouraging collaboration, and improving data sharing. Even though using computerized systems and other medical record management systems is very helpful, the security of confidential healthcare information has been a major challenge. To ensure that the privacy and security of patients’ information are maintained, the government created a law to enforce compliance (by organizations) with security best practices. This is where HIPAA comes in! Schedule a Demo What is HIPAA compliance? This refers to compliance with regulatory standards that outline what organizations that handle protected health information (PHI) must do to ensure the privacy and security of patients’ data. The U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires healthcare providers and their business associates to implement physical, network, and process security measures to ensure the security of PHI. HIPAA regulations set clear standards that health organizations must meet when managing patients’ sensitive data, like patient medical records, health insurance information, and other personally identifiable information. Schedule a Demo Who needs to be HIPAA-compliant? According to the HIPAA, the Privacy Rule covers: Health plans Health care clearinghouses Healthcare providers who execute certain financial and administrative transactions electronically. Schedule a Demo What are HIPAA compliance requirements? There are some measures organizations are required to implement to protect patients’ sensitive data. If your company is a “covered entity”, it is expected to meet the following compliance requirements: 1. Have a dedicated HIPAA privacy officer There is a need for a professional who understands HIPAA and how to comply with the regulations. The officer will guide your organization on the right path and implement necessary measures to avoid HIPAA violations. And when a data breach or violation happens, the officer should restore order following the provisions of the act. 2. Identify and classify sensitive data Does your organization manage data that is not subject to HIPAA regulations? If that is the case, identify and classify sensitive information that should be handled according to HIPAA requirements. This helps you to implement security measures with little or no ambiguity. 3. Staff training Malicious actors usually target employees of organizations they want to attack. To equip your staff with the ability to spot attacks from a distance, you need to institute staff training. Your employees need to learn how to implement physical, administrative, and technical safeguards to protect PHI. 4. Institute strict data management policies Getting your staff trained on HIPAA laws and regulations is not enough. They need good leadership to uphold data security standards. Establish data management policies to enforce best practices and regulate access privileges. 5. Equip your facilities with security solutions Access control is a significant part of HIPAA compliance. Ensure unauthorized users don’t have access to computers, documents, or sensitive parts of workstations. You can achieve this by implementing security measures that regulate access to data and notify you when someone trespasses. 6. Install encryption software where necessary Data encryption solutions make files inaccessible to cybercriminals. Cloud solutions and other digital methods of storing data have increased the surface area for attacks. Malicious cyber actors are relentlessly scouring the internet for security vulnerabilities. Safeguarding patients’ data with encryption software is the way to go. 7. Enforce common best practices Visiting a malware-compromised website or clicking an ‘infected’ link can make your organization prone to a security breach. Encourage safe browsing and adopt security solutions, like email security software and antivirus systems. 8. File disposal policy Don’t dispose of documents or storage devices without rendering them unreadable. The best way to dispose of documents and records is to destroy them – by shredding or burning them. 9. Establish procedures for handling data breaches The primary goal is to prevent a security breach. However, the undesirable happens, and you need to be ready for the worst-case scenario. Establish and maintain procedures for managing security challenges. Ensure you appoint well-trained security experts who can respond swiftly when a breach occurs. 10. Monitor & review your assets & procedures regularly Keep an eye on your data assets and management policies. This helps you to identify inefficiencies and adopt measures to plug loopholes. Regular review is necessary to ensure you are keeping up with best practices. Remove outdated solutions and procedures to stay a thousand steps ahead of criminals. 11. Implement a strict backup policy Implement a backup strategy that conforms with the dictates of HIPAA. That said, having a good backup policy helps you clean up a data breach quickly. The general backup best practice is to have three copies of data at three different premises – on-site, off-site, and cloud locations. 12. Establish and maintain a disaster recovery plan A disaster recovery plan outlines how your organization will restore operations and manage stakeholders after a security breach. It details how your security team will respond to emergencies or the aftermath of security problems. Remember, your disaster recovery system should comply with the provisions of HIPAA. Schedule a Demo What are the four main HIPAA rules? The major HIPAA rules are the Privacy Rule , Security Rule , Breach Notification Rule , and Omnibus Rule . Let’s take a look at each rule. The HIPAA privacy rule The HIPAA Privacy Rule is a regulatory framework that mandates covered entities and their business associates to uphold patients’ rights to data privacy. The privacy rule states what constitutes electronically protected health information, how it should be safeguarded, and the DOs and DON’Ts of PHI management. In a nutshell, this rule establishes how patients’ sensitive information should be protected, stored, used, shared, and disclosed. Any identifiable patient data is subject to the Privacy Rule. The PHI includes: Any past, present or future documentation on physical or mental conditions Healthcare records of the patient Records showing past, present, or future healthcare payment information According to the Privacy Rule , covered entities and their business associates are responsible for protecting PHI. There are cases where organizations can disclose private health information. But such scenarios are strictly defined by the rule and subject to legal interpretation. The HIPAA security rule While the Privacy Rule defines what privacy and ePHI (electronic PHI) are, the Security Rule is a framework that outlines the standards required to ensure the security of electronically protected health information. The security rule covers every aspect of your organization’s operations, from administration and physical processes to computers and technology equipment. The security rule has five sections: general rules, administrative safeguards, physical safeguards, technical safeguards, and organizational requirements. The General Rules The General rules mandate organizations to: Protect ePHI from reasonably anticipated threats or hazards Prevent any reasonably anticipated uses or disclosures of PHI that are not in line with the provisions of the Privacy Rule Enforce compliance with the security rule by the employees The Administrative Safeguards The Administrative Safeguards require the implementation of security policies and procedures. It dictates that the Security Officer should be responsible for conducting risk analyses, staff training, adopting risks and vulnerability management measures, and other administrative measures. The Physical Safeguards The physical safeguards outline how physical access to ePHI should be regulated. Whether the ePHI is stored in the cloud, in a remote data center, or on on-premise servers, there should be a strict policy that regulates access. This section of the security rule also states how access to workstations and devices should be safeguarded. The Technical Safeguards This part of the security rules focuses on ensuring that every person accessing ePHI is legitimate and does exactly what they are supposed to do. The technical safeguards help to ensure that security challenges are identified and rectified timely. The safeguards cover access controls, audit controls, integrity controls, transmission security, and any person or entity authentication. Organizational Requirements This section states the things business associate agreements must cover. Organizational Requirements stipulate that: Business associate agreements must provide that the business associates comply with the relevant parts of the security rule. Business associates must ensure compliance with subcontractors by entering into an Agreement with them. Business associates will report any security breach to the concerned covered entity. The HIPAA breach notification rule As much as organizations strive to comply with the requirements of HIPAA, security breaches still happen. It’s difficult, if not impossible, for covered entities and business associates to protect data with 100% effectiveness. Organizations must notify the public and the data subjects about a breach and disclose the steps they are taking to contain the problem. The Breach Notification Rule outlines what covered entities need to do when a breach occurs. Organizations are required to: Notify the people affected by the breach Inform the affected people within 60 days of the discovery of the security incident Provide a public notice if more than 500 individuals are impacted And more! The HIPAA omnibus rule According to the Omnibus Rule, organizations outside of covered entities (business associates and contractors) must meet compliance obligations. This rule states that covered entities are responsible for ensuring that business associates and contractors are compliant. Consequently, covered entities have to implement compliance measures to avoid any violations. Schedule a Demo What are HIPAA violations and how to avoid them? Violation is said to have occurred when an organization fails to comply with or meet the requirements of HIPAA. There are two major categories of violations: civil and criminal violations. Civil violations are committed accidentally or without malicious intent. On the other hand, criminal violations are done with malicious intent. As expected, penalties for civil violations are less than that for criminal violations. Here are some examples of violations and tips on how to avoid them: Illegal exposure of patients’ data Disclosing patients’ data to unauthorized parties accidentally or on purpose violates HIPAA provisions. There is a guideline for disclosing sensitive healthcare information. When due process is not followed, a violation occurs. And the penalty for unlawful disclosure of medical records depends on a range of factors, including whether it’s a civil or criminal violation. To avoid this type of violation, implement strict administrative policies. Allow only a few well-trained administrators to have the privilege to access or disclose data. When data access is strictly regulated, you can easily prevent unauthorized access and keep tabs on data management. Failure to implement proper security best practices The HIPAA security rule outlines the security protocols covered entities are required to implement. Given the complexity of data protection today, it’s easy to leave important things undone. You can avoid this by appointing an experienced security officer. You should also set up a committee of security professionals responsible for ensuring the proper implementation of security protocols. Lack of a consistent training policy It takes consistent staff training to meet the requirements of HIPAA. Both old and new employees need to be trained from time to time on how to protect healthcare data. Make training an integral part of your administrative policy. Non-compliance to security regulations is mainly caused by people. No matter the type of access management or security risk mitigation software you implement, you need an informed workforce to ensure compliance. Lack of proper notification after a security breach The HIPAA breach notification rule states how healthcare service providers should notify affected data subjects and public officials after a security incident. Failure to do so accordingly results in HIPAA violation. To avoid this, appoint a HIPAA compliance officer to monitor compliance gaps and ensure that requirements are met at every point in time. In addition, your contingency plan or disaster recovery system should contain a guideline on how to notify impacted parties when things go wrong. Lack of measures to address existing compliance gaps Neglecting existing compliance gaps or not doing the needful to avoid potential security problems violates HIPAA. Healthcare organizations are expected to act proactively, leveraging risk assessment and risk management policy to protect PHI. To close compliance gaps, do the following: Establish a HIPAA compliance enforcement team and a compliance officer Keep all software updated Conduct HIPAA audits regularly Work with a health information technology and security company that offers HIPAA compliance services. Schedule a Demo How can your network become HIPAA compliant with AlgoSec? HIPAA compliance requirements can be challenging to meet. The requirements are many, and you need teams of dedicated experts to interpret and design compliance strategies. Managing in-house teams of compliance experts is capital-intensive and time-consuming. Therefore outsourcing compliance duties to a technology and security vendor is the way to go. AlgoSec provides comprehensive network security solutions you need for your organization to become HIPAA compliant. AlgoSec automatically identifies compliance gaps and provides remediation guidance. It also allows you to easily generate daily audit and compliance reporting across your entire network – whether the data is in the on-premise data center, in the private cloud or in the public cloud. Best of all, AlgoSec generates pre-populated, audit-ready compliance reports that help reduce HIPAA audit preparation efforts and costs. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you comply with HIPAA provisions. Schedule a Demo Select a size What are HIPAA network compliance requirements, rules, and violations? What is HIPAA compliance? Who needs to be HIPAA-compliant? What are HIPAA compliance requirements? What are the four main HIPAA rules? What are HIPAA violations and how to avoid them? How can your network become HIPAA compliant with AlgoSec? 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 continuous compliance Solution overview See how this customer improved compliance readiness and risk management with AlgoSec Case study Choose a better way to manage your network

What are firewall logs and why they are important 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 are firewall logs and why are they important? Network setups of the past consisted solely of servers in a server closet. Today, modern IT infrastructure consists of three main components: on-premises data centers, public clouds, and their connecting infrastructure. This new reality has created complex systems with multiple challenges. Regulations have become stricter, and organizations are under pressure to detect security threats fast. When faced with an issue, network security professionals must pinpoint the root cause, and to do that, they need evidence—which means investigating firewall logs. What is a firewall log? A firewall log is a record of the network connections (allowed and blocked) that a firewall inspects, capturing each event between your systems and the internet. Depending on the configuration, a firewall log may include all inspected traffic or only what the firewall allows to pass into the environment (what “gets past” the firewall). Each entry of a firewall log will specify the following data: Field Description Timestamp Exact date and time traffic was processed Action Decision made by the firewall (Allow, Deny, Drop) Rule ID Specific firewall rule that triggered the action Source IP & Port IP address and port from where traffic originated Destination IP & Port IP address and port that the traffic was trying to reach Protocol Network protocol used (TCP, UDP, ICMP) Bytes/Session Amount of data transferred during a session Zones Source and destination security zones (Trust, Untrust, DMZ) Beyond the question of “What is a firewall log?” there is also the question of where to store them. Organizations have a few options here. Firewall logs can: Stay on the firewall device Go to a basic syslog server for storage Undergo analysis via a security information and event management (SIEM) tool What is a firewall review? The process of reviewing a firewall is akin to a scheduled maintenance procedure that updates the rulebook of your firewall system. Things to be on the lookout for include: Duplicate rules Outdated server rules Overly broad rules that can lead to security vulnerabilities What is a firewall log review? Ready to play detective? Because a firewall log review requires just that. Analyzing firewall data is a continuous process of extracting relevant information from the firewall logs, i.e., the firewall’s own journal of events.. The key is to identify specific patterns that indicate security incidents, performance issues, or non-compliance events. This, in turn, requires centralizing logs with synchronized device clocks so that timelines line up (i.e., NTP across firewalls, servers, and your SIEM) and putting controls in place to preserve log integrity. How to interpret firewall logs in 6 steps So now that it is clear what a firewall log is—as well as how to store these logs and review them—the next step is knowing how to interpret them. Successfully extracting the necessary data from your firewall logs is a six-step process: Collect logs in one place: The central system needs to receive logs from all firewalls that extend from the data center to the cloud. Each entry missing from your logs allows malicious actors to remain unseen, i.e., pose an unknown threat.. Figure out what's normal: To detect abnormal behavior, you must first create a baseline for normal activity, i.e., typical traffic patterns. Hunt for suspicious patterns: The official investigation begins! What to flag? Network scanning activity from a single IP address that attempts to access multiple ports and internal devices and makes scheduled connections to unverified external servers (beaconing). Add context: Context turns raw events into decisions. Enrich IPs and ports from your logs with: Asset inventory: What system and business app is this? User directories: Who owns/uses it? Threat intelligence: Is the source/destination risky? This enrichment helps determine impact and priority—not just “who/what,” but whether the activity is expected, whether the system is critical, and how urgently you need to respond. Investigate and act: Trigger an incident response plan: Validate findings Contain the incident (isolate the host, block indicators at the firewall). Collect forensics (packet captures, memory snapshot, log preservation) Eradicate the threat Recover systems, operations, and data (patches, credential resets, rule updates) Notify stakeholders Document the case for post‑incident review. Measure and improve: Learn from your results. Identify rules that are creating too much noise and clean them up. Most importantly, track how long it takes you to respond to incidents you find in your logs. How does AlgoSec help with firewall logs? Firewall log management across hybrid environments requires more than manual monitoring. It demands contextual understanding, automated processes, and permanent security measures. AlgoSec offers multiple features to combine all these components. It empowers your team to not only fully grasp what firewall logs are and their importance, but also helps you transition from event analysis to evidence-based remediation: AlgoSec Horizon : Security policy management via an approach based on business application, not a specific device. Offers complete monitoring of app connections between data centers and clouds, automated policy updates, and continuous compliance monitoring, connecting log traffic to actual application operations. Firewall Analyzer : Complete visibility into all firewalls to detect dangerous or unneeded rules. Optimizes rule bases by focusing on essential risk-related elements, resulting in less log data, improved signal quality, and faster review processes. FireFlow : Issue detection and response based on log data. Leverages automated workflows to execute risk and compliance assessments pre-deployment, complete with documentation; integrates with current ITSM systems (e.g., ServiceNow, BMC Remedy) so teams can perform change management tasks within a familiar environment. AlgoSec Cloud Enterprise (ACE) : A single policy framework for cloud and hybrid systems. Enables automated security group and cloud firewall rule management; performs 150+ cloud policy risk checks to deliver application-specific insights from cloud logs. Now is the time to convert your firewall logs into valuable business decisions. Request a demo to see AlgoSec in action today. 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Explore top-rated alternatives to Nipper for vulnerability scanning and compliance. Discover their strengths, weaknesses, and choose the best fit for your security needs. Top 7 Nipper Alternatives and Competitors (Pros & Cons) Top 7 Nipper Alternatives and Competitors (Pros & Cons) Nipper is a popular solution that helps organizations secure network devices like firewalls, routers, and switches. It’s a configuration auditing tool designed to help security professionals close pathways that could allow threat actors to change network configurations. Although Nipper is designed to make audit scoping and configuration management easier, it’s not the only tool on the market that serves this need. It doesn’t support all operating systems and firewalls, and it’s not always clear what security standards Nipper is using when conducting vulnerability management analysis. These issues might lead you to consider some of the top Titania Nipper alternatives on the market. Learn how these Nipper competitors stack up in terms of features, prices, pros, cons and use cases. Schedule a Demo Top 7 Nipper competitors on the market right now: AlgoSec Tufin Skybox FireMon Palo Alto Networks Panorama Cisco Defense Orchestrator Tenable Vulnerability Management Schedule a Demo 1. AlgoSec AlgoSec automates network configuration changes and provides comprehensive simulation capabilities to security professionals. It’s designed to streamline application connectivity and policy deployment across the entire network. As a configuration management platform, it combines a rich set of features for managing the organization’s attack surface by testing and implementing data security policies. Key features: Firewall Analyzer : This solution maps out applications and security policies across the network and grants visibility into security configurations. AlgoSec FireFlow : This module grants security teams the ability to automate and enforce security policies. It provides visibility into network traffic while flagging potential security risks. FireFlow supports most software and on-premises network security devices, including popular solutions from well-known vendors like Cisco, Fortinet, and Check point. CloudFlow : AlgoSec’s cloud-enabled management solution is designed for provisioning and configuring cloud infrastructure. It enables organizations to protect cloud-based web applications while supporting security policy automation across cloud workloads. Pros: Installation: AlgoSec is easy to setup and configure, providing cybersecurity teams with a clear path to change management, vulnerability assessment, and automated policy enforcement. It supports feature access through web services and API automation as well. Ease of use: The dashboard is simple and intuitive, making it easy for experienced systems administrators and newcomers alike to jump in and start using the platform. It is compatible with all modern web browsers. Versatility: AlgoSec provides organizations with valuable features like firewall policy auditing and compliance reporting. These features make it useful for risk management, vulnerability scanning, and risk scoring while giving network administrators the tools they need to meet strict compliance standards like NIST, PCI-DSS, or ISO 27001. Simulated queries: Security professionals can use AlgoSec to run complex simulations of configuration changes before committing them. This makes it easy for organizations to verify how those changes might impact endpoint security, cloud platform authentication, and other aspects of the organization’s security posture. Cons: Customization: Some competing configuration management tools offer more in-depth dashboard customization options. This can make a difference for security leaders who need customized data visualizations to communicate their findings to stakeholders. Delayed hotfixes: Users have reported that patches and hotfixes sometimes take longer than expected to roll out. In the past, hotfixes have contained bugs that impact performance. Recommended Read: 10 Best Firewall Monitoring Software for Network Security Schedule a Demo 2. Tufin Tufin Orchestration Suite provides organizations with a network security management solution that includes change management and security policy automation across networks. It supports a wide range of vendors, devices, and operating systems, providing end-to-end network security designed for networks running on Microsoft Windows, Linux, Mac OS, and more. Key features: Tufin stands out for the variety of tools it offers for managing security configurations in enterprise environments. It allows security leaders to closely manage the policies that firewalls, VPNs, and other security tools use when addressing potential threats. This makes it easier to build remediation playbooks and carry out penetration testing, among other things. Pros: Pricing: Tufin is priced reasonably for the needs and budgets of enterprise organizations. It may not be the best choice for small and mid-sized businesses, however. Robustness: Tufin offers a complete set of security capabilities and works well with a variety of vendors and third-party SaaS apps. It integrates well with proprietary and open source security tools, granting security leaders the ability to view network threats and plan risk mitigation strategies accordingly. Scalability: This tool is designed to scale according to customer needs. Tufin customers can adjust their use of firewall configuration and change management resources relatively easily. Cons: User interface: The product could have a more user-friendly interface. It will take some time and effort for network security professionals to get used to using Tufin. Performance issues: Tufin’s software architecture doesn’t support running many processes at the same time. If you overload it with tasks, it will start to run slowly and unpredictably. Customization: Organizations that need sophisticated network management features may find themselves limited by Tufin’s capabilities. Schedule a Demo 3. Skybox Skybox security suite provides continuous exposure management to organizations that want to reduce data breach risks and improve their security ratings. Its suite of cybersecurity management solutions includes two policy management tools. One is designed for network security policy management , while the other covers vulnerability and threat management. Key features: Automated firewall management : Skybox lets security leaders automate the process of provisioning, configuring, and managing firewalls throughout their network. This makes it easier for organizations to develop consistent policies for detecting and mitigating the risks associated with malware and other threats. Network visibility and vulnerability control : This product includes solutions for detecting vulnerabilities in the network and prioritizing them according to severity. It relies on its own threat intelligence service to warn security teams of emerging threat vectors. Pros: Threat intelligence included: Skybox includes its own threat intelligence solution, providing in-depth information about new vulnerabilities and active exploits detected in the wild. Scalability: Both small businesses and large enterprises can benefit from Skybox. The vendor supports small organizations with a limited number of endpoint devices as well as large, complex hybrid networks. Easy integration: Integrating Skybox with other platforms and solutions is relatively simple. It supports a wide range of intrusion detection tools, vulnerability management platforms, and other security solutions. Cons: Complexity: Skybox is not the most user-friendly suite of tools to work with. Even experienced network security professionals may find there is a learning curve. Cost: Organizations with limited IT budgets may not be able to justify the high costs that come with Skybox. Inventory dependency: Skybox only works when the organization has an accurate inventory of devices and networks available. Improper asset discovery can lead to inaccurate data feeds and poor performance. Schedule a Demo 4. FireMon FireMon offers its customers a multi-vendor solution for provisioning, configuring, and managing network security policies through a centralized interface. It is a powerful solution for automating network security policies and enforcing rule changes in real-time. Key features: Network visibility: FireMon uses a distributed approach to alarm and response, giving security leaders visibility into their networks while supporting multi-vendor configurations and customized dashboards. Service level agreement (SLA) management: Organizations can rely on FireMon’s SLA management features to guarantee the network’s integrity and security. Automated analysis: Security practitioners can use FireMon’s automated analysis feature to reduce attack risks and discover network vulnerabilities without having to conduct manual queries. Pros: Real-time reporting : The solution includes out-of-the-box reporting tools capable of producing real-time reports on security configurations and their potential impacts. Simplified customization: Upgrading FireMon to meet new needs is simple, and the company provides a range of need-specific customization tools. Cloud-enabled support: This product supports both private and public cloud infrastructure, and is capable of managing hybrid networks. Cons: Accuracy issues: Some users claim that FireMon’s automated risk detection algorithm produces inaccurate results. Complicated report customization: While the platform does support custom reports and visualizations, the process of generating those reports is more complex than it needs to be. Expensive: FireMon may be out of reach for many organizations, especially if they are interested in the company’s need-specific customizations. Schedule a Demo 5. Palo Alto Networks Panorama Palo Alto Networks is one of the cybersecurity industry’s most prestigious names, and its firewall configuration and management solution lives up to the brand’s reputation. Panorama allows network administrators to manage complex fleets of next-generation firewalls through a single, unified interface that provides observability, governance, and control. Key features: Unified policy management: Palo Alto users can use the platform’s centralized configuration assessment tool to identify vulnerabilities and address them all at once. Next-generation observability: Panorama digs deep into the log data generated by Palo Alto next-generation firewalls and scrutinizes it for evidence of infected hosts and malicious behavior. For example, the platform can detect phishing attacks by alerting users when they send confidential login credentials to spoofed websites or social media channels. Pros: Ease of use: Palo Alto Networks Panorama features a sleek user interface with a minimal learning curve. Learning how to use it will present a few issues for network security professionals. Industry-leading capabilities: Some of Palo Alto Network’s capabilities go above and beyond what other security vendors are capable of. Panorama puts advanced threat prevention, sandboxing, and identity-based monitoring tools in the hands of network administrators. Cons: Vendor Exclusive: Panorama only supports Palo Alto Networks firewalls. You can’t use this platform with third-party solutions. Palo Alto Networks explicitly encourages customers to outfit their entire tech stack with its own products. Prohibitively expensive: Exclusively deploying Palo Alto Networks products in order to utilize Panorama is too expensive for all but the biggest and best-funded enterprise-level organizations. Schedule a Demo 6. Cisco Defense Orchestrator Cisco Defense Orchestrator is a cloud-delivered security policy management service provided by another industry leader. It allows security teams to unify their policies across multi-cloud networks, enabling comprehensive asset discovery and visibility for cloud infrastructure. Network administrators can use this platform to manage security configurations and assess their risk profile accurately. Key features: Centralized management: Cisco’s platform is designed to provide a single point of reference for managing and configuring Cisco security devices across the network. Cloud-delivered software: The platform is delivered as an SaaS product, making it easy for organizations to adopt and implement without upfront costs. Low-touch provisioning: Deploying advanced firewall features through Cisco’s policy management platform is simple and requires very little manual configuration. Pros: Easy Policy Automation: This product allows network administrators to automatically configure and deploy security policies to Cisco devices. It provides ample feedback on the impacts of new policies, giving security teams the opportunity to continuously improve security performance. Scalability and integration: Cisco designed its solution to integrate with the entire portfolio of Cisco products and services. This makes it easy to deploy the Cisco Identity Services Engine or additional Cisco Meraki devices while still having visibility and control over the organization’s security posture. Cons: Vendor exclusive: Like Palo Alto Networks Panorama, Cisco Defense Orchestrator only works with devices that run Cisco software. Rip-and-replace costs: If you don’t already use Cisco hardware in your network, you may need to replace your existing solution in order to use this platform. This can raise the price of adopting this solution considerably. Schedule a Demo 7. Tenable Vulnerability Management Tenable Vulnerability Management – formerly known as Tenable.io – is a software suite that provides real-time continuous vulnerability assessment and risk management services to organizations. It is powered by Tenable Nessus, the company’s primary vulnerability assessment solution, enabling organizations to find and close security gaps in their environment and secure cloud infrastructure from cyberattack. Key features: Risk-based approach: Tenable features built-in prioritization and threat intelligence, allowing the solution to provide real-time insight into the risk represented by specific vulnerabilities and threats. Web-based front end: The main difference between Tenable Vulnerability Management and Tenable Nessus is the web application format. The new front end provides a great deal of information to security teams without requiring additional connections or configuration. Pros: Unlimited visibility: Tenable’s risk-based approach to asset discovery and risk assessment allows network administrators to see threats as they evolve in real-time. Security teams have practically unlimited visibility into their security posture, even in complex cloud-enabled networks with hybrid workforces. Proactive capabilities: Tenable helps security teams be more proactive about hunting and mitigating threats. It provides extensive coverage of emerging threat identifiers and prioritizes them so that security professionals know exactly where to look. Cons: Slow support: Many customers complain that getting knowledgeable support from Tenable takes too long, leaving their organizations exposed to unknown threats in the meantime. Complex implementations: Implementing Tenable can involve multiple stakeholders, and any complications can cause delays in the process. If customers have to go through customer support, the delays may extend even further. Schedule a Demo Select a size Top 7 Nipper Alternatives and Competitors (Pros & Cons) Top 7 Nipper competitors on the market right now: 1. AlgoSec 2. Tufin 3. Skybox 4. FireMon 5. Palo Alto Networks Panorama 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 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