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Previous Part of the analysis is available here. Next Part of the analysis is available here. Update from 19 December 2020: ‍Prevasio... Cloud Security Sunburst Backdoor, Part II: DGA & The List of Victims Rony Moshkovich 2 min read Rony Moshkovich Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 12/17/20 Published Previous Part of the analysis is available here . Next Part of the analysis is available here . Update from 19 December 2020: Prevasio would like to thank Zetalytics for providing us with an updated (larger) list of passive (historic) DNS queries for the domains generated by the malware. As described in the first part of our analysis, the DGA (Domain Generation Algorithm) of the Sunburst backdoor produces a domain name that may look like: fivu4vjamve5vfrtn2huov[.]appsync-api.us-west-2[.]avsvmcloud[.]com The first part of the domain name (before the first dot) consists of a 16-character random string, appended with an encoded computer’s domain name. This is the domain in which the local computer is registered. From the example string above, we can conclude that the encoded computer’s domain starts from the 17th character and up until the dot (highlighted in yellow): fivu4vjamve5vfrt n2huov In order to encode a local computer’s domain name, the malware uses one of 2 simple methods: Method 1 : a substitution table, if the domain name consists of small letters, digits, or special characters ‘-‘, ‘_’, ‘.’ Method 2 : base64 with a custom alphabet, in case of capital letters present in the domain name Method 1 In our example, the encoded domain name is “n2huov” . As it does not have any capital letters, the malware encodes it with a substitution table “rq3gsalt6u1iyfzop572d49bnx8cvmkewhj” . For each character in the domain name, the encoder replaces it with a character located in the substitution table four characters right from the original character. In order to decode the name back, all we have to do is to replace each encoded character with another character, located in the substitution table four characters left from the original character. To illustrate this method, imagine that the original substitution table is printed on a paper strip and then covered with a card with 6 perforated windows. Above each window, there is a sticker note with a number on it, to reflect the order of characters in the word “n2huov” , where ‘n’ is #1, ‘2’ is #2, ‘h’ is #3 and so on: Once the paper strip is pulled by 4 characters right, the perforated windows will reveal a different word underneath the card: “domain” , where ‘d’ is #1, ‘o’ is #2, ‘m’ is #3, etc.: A special case is reserved for such characters as ‘0’ , ‘-‘ , ‘_’ , ‘.’ . These characters are encoded with ‘0’ , followed with a character from the substitution table. An index of that character in the substitution table, divided by 4, provides an index within the string “0_-.” . The following snippet in C# illustrates how an encoded string can be decoded: static string decode_domain( string s) { string table = "rq3gsalt6u1iyfzop572d49bnx8cvmkewhj" ; string result = "" ; for ( int i = 0 ; i < s.Length; i++) { if (s[i] != '0' ) { result += table[(table.IndexOf(s[i]) + table.Length - 4 ) % table.Length]; } else { if (i < s.Length - 1 ) { if (table.Contains(s[i + 1 ])) { result += "0_-." [table.IndexOf(s[i + 1 ]) % 4 ]; } else { break ; } } i++; } } return result; } Method 2 This method is a standard base64 encoder with a custom alphabet “ph2eifo3n5utg1j8d94qrvbmk0sal76c” . Here is a snippet in C# that provides a decoder: public static string FromBase32String( string str) { string table = "ph2eifo3n5utg1j8d94qrvbmk0sal76c" ; int numBytes = str.Length * 5 / 8 ; byte [] bytes = new Byte[numBytes]; int bit_buffer; int currentCharIndex; int bits_in_buffer; if (str.Length < 3 ) { bytes[ 0 ] = ( byte )(table.IndexOf(str[ 0 ]) | table.IndexOf(str[ 1 ]) << 5 ); return System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetString(bytes); } bit_buffer = (table.IndexOf(str[ 0 ]) | table.IndexOf(str[ 1 ]) << 5 ); bits_in_buffer = 10 ; currentCharIndex = 2 ; for ( int i = 0 ; i < bytes.Length; i++) { bytes[i] = ( byte )bit_buffer; bit_buffer >>= 8 ; bits_in_buffer -= 8 ; while (bits_in_buffer < 8 && currentCharIndex < str.Length) { bit_buffer |= table.IndexOf(str[currentCharIndex++]) << bits_in_buffer; bits_in_buffer += 5 ; } } return System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetString(bytes); } When the malware encodes a domain using Method 2, it prepends the encrypted string with a double zero character: “00” . Following that, extracting a domain part of an encoded domain name (long form) is as simple as: static string get_domain_part( string s) { int i = s.IndexOf( ".appsync-api" ); if (i > 0 ) { s = s.Substring( 0 , i); if (s.Length > 16 ) { return s.Substring( 16 ); } } return "" ; } Once the domain part is extracted, the decoded domain name can be obtained by using Method 1 or Method 2, as explained above: if (domain.StartsWith( "00" )) { decoded = FromBase32String(domain.Substring( 2 )); } else { decoded = decode_domain(domain); } Decrypting the Victims’ Domain Names To see the decoder in action, let’s select 2 lists: List #1 Bambenek Consulting has provided a list of observed hostnames for the DGA domain. List #2 The second list has surfaced in a Paste bin paste , allegedly sourced from Zetalytics / Zonecruncher . NOTE: This list is fairly ‘noisy’, as it has non-decodable domain names. By feeding both lists to our decoder, we can now obtain a list of decoded domains, that could have been generated by the victims of the Sunburst backdoor. DISCLAIMER: It is not clear if the provided lists contain valid domain names that indeed belong to the victims. It is quite possible that the encoded domain names were produced by third-party tools, sandboxes, or by researchers that investigated and analysed the backdoor. The decoded domain names are provided purely as a reverse engineering exercise. The resulting list was manually processed to eliminate noise, and to exclude duplicate entries. Following that, we have made an attempt to map the obtained domain names to the company names, using Google search. Reader’s discretion is advised as such mappings could be inaccurate. Decoded Domain Mapping (Could Be Inaccurate) hgvc.com Hilton Grand Vacations Amerisaf AMERISAFE, Inc. kcpl.com Kansas City Power and Light Company SFBALLET San Francisco Ballet scif.com State Compensation Insurance Fund LOGOSTEC Logostec Ventilação Industrial ARYZTA.C ARYZTA Food Solutions bmrn.com BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. AHCCCS.S Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System nnge.org Next Generation Global Education cree.com Cree, Inc (semiconductor products) calsb.org The State Bar of California rbe.sk.ca Regina Public Schools cisco.com Cisco Systems pcsco.com Professional Computer Systems barrie.ca City of Barrie ripta.com Rhode Island Public Transit Authority uncity.dk UN City (Building in Denmark) bisco.int Boambee Industrial Supplies (Bisco) haifa.edu University of Haifa smsnet.pl SMSNET, Poland fcmat.org Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team wiley.com Wiley (publishing) ciena.com Ciena (networking systems) belkin.com Belkin spsd.sk.ca Saskatoon Public Schools pqcorp.com PQ Corporation ftfcu.corp First Tech Federal Credit Union bop.com.pk The Bank of Punjab nvidia.com NVidia insead.org INSEAD (non-profit, private university) usd373.org Newton Public Schools agloan.ads American AgCredit pageaz.gov City of Page jarvis.lab Erich Jarvis Lab ch2news.tv Channel 2 (Israeli TV channel) bgeltd.com Bradford / Hammacher Remote Support Software dsh.ca.gov California Department of State Hospitals dotcomm.org Douglas Omaha Technology Commission sc.pima.gov Arizona Superior Court in Pima County itps.uk.net IT Professional Services, UK moncton.loc City of Moncton acmedctr.ad Alameda Health System csci-va.com Computer Systems Center Incorporated keyano.local Keyano College uis.kent.edu Kent State University alm.brand.dk Sydbank Group (Banking, Denmark) ironform.com Ironform (metal fabrication) corp.ncr.com NCR Corporation ap.serco.com Serco Asia Pacific int.sap.corp SAP mmhs-fla.org Cleveland Clinic Martin Health nswhealth.net NSW Health mixonhill.com Mixon Hill (intelligent transportation systems) bcofsa.com.ar Banco de Formosa ci.dublin.ca. Dublin, City in California siskiyous.edu College of the Siskiyous weioffice.com Walton Family Foundation ecobank.group Ecobank Group (Africa) corp.sana.com Sana Biotechnology med.ds.osd.mi US Gov Information System wz.hasbro.com Hasbro (Toy company) its.iastate.ed Iowa State University amr.corp.intel Intel cds.capilanou. Capilano University e-idsolutions. IDSolutions (video conferencing) helixwater.org Helix Water District detmir-group.r Detsky Mir (Russian children’s retailer) int.lukoil-int LUKOIL (Oil and gas company, Russia) ad.azarthritis Arizona Arthritis and Rheumatology Associates net.vestfor.dk Vestforbrænding allegronet.co. Allegronet (Cloud based services, Israel) us.deloitte.co Deloitte central.pima.g Pima County Government city.kingston. City of Kingston staff.technion Technion – Israel Institute of Technology airquality.org Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District phabahamas.org Public Hospitals Authority, Caribbean parametrix.com Parametrix (Engineering) ad.checkpoint. Check Point corp.riotinto. Rio Tinto (Mining company, Australia) intra.rakuten. Rakuten us.rwbaird.com Robert W. Baird & Co. (Financial services) ville.terrebonn Ville de Terrebonne woodruff-sawyer Woodruff-Sawyer & Co., Inc. fisherbartoninc Fisher Barton Group banccentral.com BancCentral Financial Services Corp. taylorfarms.com Taylor Fresh Foods neophotonics.co NeoPhotonics (optoelectronic devices) gloucesterva.ne Gloucester County magnoliaisd.loc Magnolia Independent School District zippertubing.co Zippertubing (Manufacturing) milledgeville.l Milledgeville (City in Georgia) digitalreachinc Digital Reach, Inc. deniz.denizbank DenizBank thoughtspot.int ThoughtSpot (Business intelligence) lufkintexas.net Lufkin (City in Texas) digitalsense.co Digital Sense (Cloud Services) wrbaustralia.ad W. R. Berkley Insurance Australia christieclinic. Christie Clinic Telehealth signaturebank.l Signature Bank dufferincounty. Dufferin County mountsinai.hosp Mount Sinai Hospital securview.local Securview Victory (Video Interface technology) weber-kunststof Weber Kunststoftechniek parentpay.local ParentPay (Cashless Payments) europapier.inte Europapier International AG molsoncoors.com Molson Coors Beverage Company fujitsugeneral. Fujitsu General cityofsacramento City of Sacramento ninewellshospita Ninewells Hospital fortsmithlibrary Fort Smith Public Library dokkenengineerin Dokken Engineering vantagedatacente Vantage Data Centers friendshipstateb Friendship State Bank clinicasierravis Clinica Sierra Vista ftsillapachecasi Apache Casino Hotel voceracommunicat Vocera (clinical communications) mutualofomahabanMutual of Omaha Bank Schedule a demo Related Articles Q1 at AlgoSec: What innovations and milestones defined our start to 2026? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

Introduction Imagine your sensitive business data falling into the wrong hands. A data breach can be devastating, leading to financial... Cloud Security What Is Cloud Encryption? Your Key to Data Security Asher Benbenisty 2 min read Asher Benbenisty Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 12/16/24 Published Introduction Imagine your sensitive business data falling into the wrong hands. A data breach can be devastating, leading to financial losses, legal headaches, and irreparable damage to your reputation. Cloud encryption is your key to protecting your valuable data and ensuring peace of mind in the cloud. In this article, we'll explore cloud encryption and how AlgoSec can help you implement it effectively. We'll cover the basics of encryption, its benefits, the challenges you might face, and best practices to ensure your data stays safe. What Is Cloud Encryption? Cloud encryption is like creating a secret code for your data. It scrambles your information so that only authorized people with the key can read it. This process ensures that even if someone gains unauthorized access to your data, they won't be able to understand or use it. Cloud encryption is essential for protecting sensitive information like customer data, financial records, and intellectual property. It helps organizations meet compliance requirements, maintain data privacy, and safeguard their reputation. Encryption in Action: Protecting Data at Rest and in Transit Cloud encryption can be used to protect data in two states: Data at Rest: This refers to data that is stored in the cloud, such as in databases or storage buckets. Encryption ensures that even if someone gains access to the storage, they can't read the data without the encryption key. Data in Transit: This refers to data that is moving between locations, such as between your computer and a cloud server. Encryption protects the data while it travels over the internet, preventing eavesdropping and unauthorized access. How does it work? Cloud encryption uses algorithms to transform your data into an unreadable format. Think of it like this: Symmetric encryption: You and the recipient have the same key to lock (encrypt) and unlock (decrypt) the data. It's like using the same key for your front and back door. Asymmetric encryption: There are two keys: a public key to lock the data and a private key to unlock it. It's like having a mailbox with a slot for anyone to drop mail in (public key), but only you have the key to open the mailbox (private key). Why Encrypt Your Cloud Data? Cloud encryption offers a wide range of benefits: Compliance: Avoid costly fines and legal battles by meeting compliance requirements like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS. Data Protection: Safeguard your sensitive data, whether it's financial transactions, customer information, or intellectual property. Control and Ownership: Maintain control over your data and who can access it. Insider Threat Protection: Reduce the risk of data breaches caused by malicious or negligent employees. Multi-Tenancy Security: Enhance data security and isolation in shared cloud environments. Cloud Encryption Challenges (and How AlgoSec Helps) While cloud encryption is essential, it can be complex to manage. Here are some common challenges: Key Management: Securely managing encryption keys is crucial. Losing or mismanaging keys can lead to data loss. AlgoSec Solution: AlgoSec provides a centralized key management system to simplify and secure your encryption keys. Compliance: Meeting various regional and industry-specific regulations can be challenging. AlgoSec Solution: AlgoSec helps you navigate compliance requirements and implement appropriate encryption controls. Shared Responsibility: Understanding the shared responsibility model and your role in managing encryption can be complex. AlgoSec Solution: AlgoSec provides clear guidance and tools to help you fulfill your security responsibilities. Cloud Encryption Best Practices Encrypt Everything: Encrypt data both at rest and in transit. Choose Strong Algorithms: Use strong encryption algorithms like AES-256. Manage Keys Securely: Use a key management system (KMS) like the one provided by AlgoSec to automate and secure key management. Control Access: Implement strong access controls and identity management systems. Stay Compliant: Adhere to industry standards and regulations. Monitor and Audit: Regularly monitor your encryption implementation and conduct audits to ensure ongoing effectiveness. Conclusion Protecting your data in the cloud is non-negotiable. Cloud encryption is a fundamental security measure that every organization should implement. By understanding the benefits, challenges, and best practices of cloud encryption, you can make informed decisions to safeguard your sensitive information. Ready to protect your cloud data with encryption? AlgoSec helps businesses ensure data confidentiality and drastically lower the risk of cloud security incidents. Dive deeper into cloud security: Read our previous blog posts, Unveiling Cloud's Hidden Risks, A Secure VPC as the Main Pillar of Cloud Security, Azure Best Practices and Kubernetes Security Best Practices to uncover the top challenges and learn how to gain control of your cloud environment. These articles will equip you with the knowledge and tools to strengthen your cloud defenses. Subscribe to our blog to stay informed and join us on the journey to a safer and more resilient cloud future. Have a specific cloud security challenge? Contact us today for a free consultation. Want to learn more about how AlgoSec can help you secure your Kubernetes environment? Request a free demo today! Schedule a demo Related Articles Q1 at AlgoSec: What innovations and milestones defined our start to 2026? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

Review top vulnerability management tools for 2025, including suggested applications and selection criteria, and learn how to minimize exposure to security threats. It covers network vulnerability tools, automated vulnerability management systems, open source vulnerability scanners, continuous monitoring solutions, and patch management and vulnerability scanning tools. The number of cyberattacks keeps increasing, and their associated cost shows no sign of slowing down. The global average cost of a data breach now stands at $4.4 million, according to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025. Meanwhile, the Verizon 2025 Data Breach Investigation Report shows ransomware attacks caused 44% of all system-intrusion breaches. These data points underline that organizations must establish robust security measures early on to prevent future problems from occurring. This guide provides essential information about vulnerability management today through its presentation of top vulnerability management tools on the market for 2025. Top vulnerability management tools Select a size Which network Can AlgoSec be used for continuous compliance monitoring? Yes, AlgoSec supports continuous compliance monitoring. As organizations adapt their security policies to meet emerging threats and address new vulnerabilities, they must constantly verify these changes against the compliance frameworks they subscribe to. AlgoSec can generate risk assessment reports and conduct internal audits on-demand, allowing compliance officers to monitor compliance performance in real-time. Security professionals can also use AlgoSec to preview and simulate proposed changes to the organization’s security policies. This gives compliance officers a valuable degree of lead-time before planned changes impact regulatory guidelines and allows for continuous real-time monitoring. Vulnerability Management Tools for 2025: What to Use and Why Review top vulnerability management tools for 2025, including suggested applications and selection criteria, and learn how to minimize exposure to security threats. It covers network vulnerability tools, automated vulnerability management systems, open source vulnerability scanners, continuous monitoring solutions, and patch management and vulnerability scanning tools. The number of cyberattacks keeps increasing, and their associated cost shows no sign of slowing down. The global average cost of a data breach now stands at $4.4 million, according to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025 . Meanwhile, the Verizon 2025 Data Breach Investigation Report shows ransomware attacks caused 44% of all system-intrusion breaches. These data points underline that organizations must establish robust security measures early on to prevent future problems from occurring. This guide provides essential information about vulnerability management today through its presentation of top vulnerability management tools on the market for 2025. What Is Vulnerability Management? Vulnerability management is a process of ongoing asset discovery to locate weaknesses, which are then evaluated according to their risk level and business value. This approach enables fast problem-solving and generates clear, easy-to-understand data for stakeholders. Key Features of Modern Vulnerability Management Tools Organizations require a vulnerability management platform that protects their data centers, multiple cloud services, and SaaS platforms through analytical and automated features. To find the right vulnerability management tool for your environment, you need to assess both network vulnerability tools and application-aware engines. What Is Asset Discovery in Vulnerability Management and Why Does It Matter? Asset discovery in vulnerability management requires organizations to identify all hardware and software components within their network infrastructure. This first step is critical, as it allows companies to understand their security vulnerabilities and create appropriate protection plans. There is no safeguarding the invisible. This is why your chosen toolset must automatically detect all endpoints, servers, containers, applications, and internet-accessible assets that exist within both cloud and on-premises environments. A unified inventory system that integrates multiple data sources enables vulnerability scans to detect more assets. This, in turn, minimizes the number of detection and identification issues that occur when assets exist outside of your system. Why Is Continuous Vulnerability Monitoring Essential in 2025? Vulnerability monitoring will continue to be necessary in 2025 and beyond because the method of point-in-time assessments does not identify changing risk factors that are fast-evolving. The market-leading security tools employ business-relevant threat intelligence to help teams detect weaknesses that create risk. They also provide documentation, which is key. Auditors, engineers, and executives require clear documentation to demonstrate how continuous vulnerability monitoring leads to correct change control procedures and proper prioritization. A key aspect of automated vulnerability management is the combination of vulnerability scanning with patch management to maximize system defenses. Automated Vulnerability Management: How Patch Management and Vulnerability Scanning Work Together Traditionally, organizations use automated vulnerability management to decrease MTTR by creating service tickets/change requests and deploying secure patch solutions. However, organizations can automatically respond to detected threats if vulnerability scanning systems maintain a close link to patch management systems. The practice of automated vulnerability management integrates the steps of patch approval with rollout and verification, creating a single operational workflow. This approach provides an automation-based vulnerability management process that operates during scheduled maintenance periods. At the same time, a solution’s documentation system produces results for both auditable and transparent outcome-tracking. Reporting and Analytics for Effective Vulnerability Management Programs Custom dashboards aren’t just for engineers. Executives rely on them as well. A tool’s reporting system needs to deliver exposure trend information alongside SLA performance data and straightforward resolution paths. Leading platforms display CVEs through business-oriented visualizations that show how attacks could affect specific applications. Comparing Network Vulnerability Tools and Open Source Vulnerability Scanners Enterprise-grade scalability in commercial network vulnerability tools comes from: Asset correlation Risk-based prioritization ITSM/CMDB integrations Advanced reporting Network vulnerability tools support broad discovery operations and program governance, while open-source scanners deliver fast and targeted vulnerability assessments for development pipeline testing. Open-source scanners enable teams to perform fast PR reviews and test new security policies within CI/CD environments. The validation process enables these policies to become active in enterprise-wide scans, which network vulnerability tools handle. What Are the Top 10 Vulnerability Management Tools? The following summary of these 10 solutions’ key characteristics and relevant applications will help you match the right vulnerability management tool to your specific infrastructure. Tool Key Highlights Best For Tenable Nessus Expert Deep-dive scanning for hosts & web apps, plus basic cloud/external checks; prioritization with EPSS/CVSS/VPR and 450+ templates Teams requiring thorough, traditional scanning with some modern additions Rapid7 InsightVM Prioritizes fixes based on real-world attacker behavior; great for team workflows Enterprises wanting to focus on the most likely threats and streamline IT tasks Qualys VMDR An all-in-one platform for discovery, prioritization, and patching Large organizations looking for a single, integrated tool for the whole process Wiz Agentless cloud security that maps out potential attack paths Cloud-first companies that need to see the bigger picture of their cloud risk Prisma Cloud Secures the entire development lifecycle (coding to deployment) Dev-heavy teams needing to align security across the entire build process CrowdStrike Falcon Adds real-time vulnerability scanning to CrowdStrike's endpoint protection platform Companies already using CrowdStrike for endpoint security Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management Native vulnerability management that's deeply integrated into the Microsoft ecosystem Organizations heavily invested in Microsoft products Orca Security Agentless scanning that pinpoints which vulnerabilities are actually exploitable Multi-cloud teams who want to quickly focus on the most critical, reachable risks Arctic Wolf Managed Risk Managed service with a concierge team that runs your vulnerability program for you Resource-constrained teams that want experts to handle vulnerability management Cisco Vulnerability Management (formerly Kenna Security) Uses data science to predict threats and suggest the most efficient fixes Organizations using multiple scanners that need a smart way to prioritize all the data Evaluating Vulnerability Management Solutions for Enterprises Enterprises need vulnerability management solutions that : Integrate with change workflows and CMDBs Expose robust APIs for automation and role‑based access controls Provide localized reporting and support delegated administration for global teams AlgoSec: A Leader in Vulnerability Management Solutions for Enterprises Getting a list of vulnerabilities from a scanner is just the first step. AlgoSec helps users understand and take action in the following ways: The platform provides context for all vulnerabilities in your system. Connect your current scanners to AlgoSec so it can identify and match its results to your operational business applications. See which specific services are affected by a server defect—not simply that you have a server problem. AlgoSec automates fixes without breaking things. The system not only produces automatic remediation rules, but its validation process verifies your changes to stop any accidental disruption of business operations. It helps you prioritize smarter. Develop a task list to match your organizational needs, allowing you to concentrate on the threats that endanger your essential applications the most. This saves time and eliminates unnecessary information. Choosing the right tool means moving beyond a simple list of flaws to understanding their real-world business impact. A context-aware approach is the key to managing risk effectively and ensuring your remediation efforts are both safe and efficient. Ready to see how an application-centric approach can boost your vulnerability management program? Learn more about AlgoSec and request a demo today! Get the latest insights from the experts Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

As we close out the first quarter of 2026, I find myself reflecting on a start to the year that was defined by product momentum, stronger market validation, growing trust from regulated organizations, and meaningful industry recognition. In just three months, AlgoSec introduced important platform enhancements, published fresh research on where network security is heading, strengthened its standing with government and highly regulated customers, and closed the quarter with three major awards.... AlgoSec Reviews Q1 at AlgoSec: What innovations and milestones defined our start to 2026? Adel Osta Dadan 2 min read Adel Osta Dadan Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 4/5/26 Published As we close out the first quarter of 2026, I find myself reflecting on a start to the year that was defined by product momentum, stronger market validation, growing trust from regulated organizations, and meaningful industry recognition. In just three months , AlgoSec introduced important platform enhancements, published fresh research on where network security is heading, strengthened its standing with government and highly regulated customers, and closed the quarter with three major awards. More importantly, Q1 reinforced something we believe strongly: the market is moving toward security that is more application-centric, more automated, and more aligned with business reality. January – Removing friction across hybrid and multi-cloud security We opened the year with the release of A33.20, a meaningful step forward for the AlgoSec Horizon platform. The focus of this release was practical and timely: help security teams move faster without losing visibility, control, or confidence. As hybrid environments continue to grow more complex, policy changes are happening under tighter timelines and with higher business stakes. A33.20 was built to reduce that friction by simplifying workflows , improving visibility across AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and Palo Alto Networks environments , automating more of the change process, and evaluating risk and compliance in the context of enterprise applications rather than as disconnected technical issues. What stood out most to me about this release was not just the feature list, but the direction behind it. Security teams do not need more noise. They need better context, clearer prioritization, and safer execution. With A33.20, we kept pushing toward a model where security policy management becomes more intelligent, more business-aware, and far less dependent on manual, error-prone work. That is the standard modern enterprises are increasingly demanding, and it set the tone for our quarter. February – Turning market insight and trust into momentum In February, we released the 2026 State of Network Security Report , and the findings made one thing very clear: the market is entering a new phase. Based on more than 500 responses across 28 countries, the report showed that organizations are looking for consolidation, unification, automation, and control as they navigate rapid cloud expansion, distributed workloads, and AI-driven traffic patterns. It also showed how quickly the environment is changing: 65% of respondents said they had already adjusted their strategies in response to AI-powered attacks, and 54.7% said security capabilities are now the most important factor when selecting a cloud platform. That market shift was reflected in our own momentum. In February, AlgoSec reported its best year ever , with gross dollar retention above 90%, 37% year-over-year new business growth in 2025, and more than 100 customers implementing the Horizon platform within months of its launch . March – Three awards that told one bigger story March brought a level of external validation that made the quarter feel complete. First, the 2026 Globee Awards for Cybersecurity named AlgoSec Horizon the Gold winner and Best of Category for Risk and Policy Management Solution . For us, that recognition validated the value of helping customers cut through fragmented environments with unified visibility across cloud and on-prem networks, automate policy management safely, and prioritize remediation in the context of real business applications. That recognition was followed by Cyber Defense Magazine’s 2026 Global InfoSec Award for Trailblazing AI-Powered Cybersecurity Solutions , published as part of its RSAC/March 2026 issue. This award mattered for a different but equally important reason. It reinforced that our AI strategy is not about adding another feature or another layer of alerts. It is about changing how security is managed: using AI to understand applications, prioritize risk based on business impact, and help teams implement the right policies across multi-cloud and on-prem environments. The capabilities highlighted internally — Horizon AppViz , AI risk prioritization, Intelligent Policy, and the Algo AI Assistant — reflect that broader shift from reactive security operations to intelligent, application-aware automation. Then came the 2026 SC Award for Best Risk/Policy Management Solution . What I especially appreciate about this recognition is that it reinforced the completeness of the platform story. SC Media highlighted AlgoSec’s application-centric approach across virtual, cloud, and physical environments, with a judge’s emphasis on the clarity of the overall offering and its fit for the enterprise environment. Together with the Globee recognition , the SC Award strengthened the message that risk and policy management today must be tied to application context, business impact, and real operational execution, not just rule sprawl or isolated controls. Taken together, these three awards told one bigger story about who we are and where the market is heading. Two awards validated our strength in risk and policy management. One validated our leadership in AI-powered cybersecurity innovation. All three pointed to the same underlying differentiation: AlgoSec does not treat applications, risk, and policy as separate problems. We connect them in one platform, helping organizations gain visibility, reduce manual effort, accelerate delivery, and maintain continuous compliance across hybrid environments. Looking ahead If Q1 is any indication, 2026 will be a year defined by consolidation . Security teams are being asked to move faster, manage more complexity, and prove business value more clearly than ever before . Our responsibility is to help them do exactly that with better visibility, smarter automation, stronger compliance, and a security model built around how applications actually work. That is the direction we have been building toward, and Q1 gave us strong proof that it is the right one. We are proud of how the year has begun, but even more energized by what comes next. The momentum from this quarter gives us a strong foundation for the rest of 2026, and we remain focused on helping enterprises simplify security management, reduce risk, and secure application connectivity without slowing the business down. Schedule a demo Related Articles Q1 at AlgoSec: What innovations and milestones defined our start to 2026? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

Omer Ganot, Cloud Security Product Manager at AlgoSec, outlines six key things that businesses should be doing to ensure their security... Hybrid Cloud Security Management Six best practices for managing security in the hybrid cloud Omer Ganot 2 min read Omer Ganot Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 8/5/21 Published Omer Ganot, Cloud Security Product Manager at AlgoSec, outlines six key things that businesses should be doing to ensure their security in a hybrid cloud environment Over the course of the past decade, we’ve seen cloud computing vastly transitioning from on-prem to the public cloud. Businesses know the value of the cloud all too well, and most of them are migrating their operations to the cloud as quickly as possible, particularly considering the pandemic and the push to remote working. However, there are major challenges associated with transitioning to the cloud, including the diversity and breadth of network and security controls and a dependency on legacy systems that can be difficult to shake. Public cloud allows organizations for better business continuity, easier scalability and paves the way for DevOps to provision resources and deploy projects quickly. But, what’s the security cost when looking at the full Gpicture of the entire hybrid network? Here I outline the six best practices for managing security in the hybrid cloud: 1. Use next-generation firewalls Did you know that almost half (49%) of businesses report running virtual editions of traditional firewalls in the cloud? It’s becoming increasingly clear that cloud providers’ native security controls are not enough, and that next-gen firewall solutions are needed. While a traditional stateful firewall is designed to monitor incoming and outgoing network traffic, a next-generation firewall (NGFW) includes features such as application awareness and control, integrated breach prevention and active threat intelligence. In other words, while a traditional firewall will allow for layer 1-2 protection, NGFWs allow for protection from levels 3 through 7. 2. Use dynamic objects On-premise security tends to be easier because subnets and IP addresses are typically static. In the cloud, however, workloads are dynamically provisioned and decommissioned, IP addresses change, so traditional firewalls simply cannot keep up. NGFW dynamic objects allow businesses to match a group of workloads using cloud-native categories, and then use these objects in policies to properly enforce traffic and avoid the need to frequently update the policies. 3. Gain 360-degree visibility As with any form of security, visibility is critical. Without that, even the best preventative or remedial strategies will fall flat. Security should be evaluated both in your cloud services and in the path from the internet and data center clients. Having one single view over the entire network estate is invaluable when it comes to hybrid cloud security. AlgoSec’s powerful AutoDiscovery capabilities help you understand the network flows in your organization. You can automatically connect the recognized traffic flows to the business applications that use them and seamlessly manage the network security policy across your entire hybrid estate. 4. Evaluate risk in its entirety Too many businesses are guilty of only focusing on cloud services when it comes to managing security. This leaves them inherently vulnerable on other network paths, such as the ones that run from the internet and data centers towards the services in the cloud. As well as gaining 360-degree visibility over the entire network estate, businesses also need to be sure to actively monitor those areas for risk with equal weighting in terms of priority. 5. Clean up cloud policies regularly The cloud security landscape changes at a faster rate than most businesses can realistically keep up with. For that reason, cloud security groups tend to change with the wind, constantly being adjusted to account for new applications. If a business doesn’t keep on top of its cloud policy ‘housekeeping’, they’ll soon become bloated, difficult to maintain and risky. Keep cloud security groups clean and tidy so they’re accurate, efficient and don’t expose risk. 6. Embrace DevSecOps The cloud might be perfect for DevOps in terms of easy and agile resource and security provisioning using Infrastructure-as-code tools, but the methodology is seldom used for risk analysis and remediation recommendations. Businesses that want to take control of their cloud security should pay close attention to this. Before a new risk is introduced, you should obtain an automatic what-if risk check as part of the code’s pull request, before pushing to production. From visibility and network management right through to risk evaluation and clean-up, staying secure in a hybrid cloud environment might sound like hard work, but by embracing these fundamental practices your organization can start putting together the pieces of its own security puzzle. The AlgoSec Security Management Suite (ASMS) makes it easy to support your cloud migration journey, ensuring that it does not block critical business services and meet compliance requirements. To learn more or ask for your personalized demo, click here . Schedule a demo Related Articles Q1 at AlgoSec: What innovations and milestones defined our start to 2026? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

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As you may have heard already, the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released a joint... Cloud Security Drovorub’s Ability to Conceal C2 Traffic And Its Implications For Docker Containers Rony Moshkovich 2 min read Rony Moshkovich Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 8/15/20 Published As you may have heard already, the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released a joint Cybersecurity Advisory about previously undisclosed Russian malware called Drovorub. According to the report, the malware is designed for Linux systems as part of its cyber espionage operations. Drovorub is a Linux malware toolset that consists of an implant coupled with a kernel module rootkit, a file transfer and port forwarding tool, and a Command and Control (C2) server. The name Drovorub originates from the Russian language. It is a complex word that consists of 2 roots (not the full words): “drov” and “rub” . The “o” in between is used to join both roots together. The root “drov” forms a noun “drova” , which translates to “firewood” , or “wood” . The root “rub” /ˈruːb/ forms a verb “rubit” , which translates to “to fell” , or “to chop” . Hence, the original meaning of this word is indeed a “woodcutter” . What the report omits, however, is that apart from the classic interpretation, there is also slang. In the Russian computer slang, the word “drova” is widely used to denote “drivers” . The word “rubit” also has other meanings in Russian. It may mean to kill, to disable, to switch off. In the Russian slang, “rubit” also means to understand something very well, to be professional in a specific field. It resonates with the English word “sharp” – to be able to cut through the problem. Hence, we have 3 possible interpretations of ‘ Drovorub ‘: someone who chops wood – “дроворуб” someone who disables other kernel-mode drivers – “тот, кто отрубает / рубит драйвера” someone who understands kernel-mode drivers very well – “тот, кто (хорошо) рубит в драйверах” Given that Drovorub does not disable other drivers, the last interpretation could be the intended one. In that case, “Drovorub” could be a code name of the project or even someone’s nickname. Let’s put aside the intricacies of the Russian translations and get a closer look into the report. DISCLAIMER Before we dive into some of the Drovorub analysis aspects, we need to make clear that neither FBI nor NSA has shared any hashes or any samples of Drovorub. Without the samples, it’s impossible to conduct a full reverse engineering analysis of the malware. Netfilter Hiding According to the report, the Drovorub-kernel module registers a Netfilter hook. A network packet filter with a Netfilter hook ( NF_INET_LOCAL_IN and NF_INET_LOCAL_OUT ) is a common malware technique. It allows a backdoor to watch passively for certain magic packets or series of packets, to extract C2 traffic. What is interesting though, is that the driver also hooks the kernel’s nf_register_hook() function. The hook handler will register the original Netfilter hook, then un-register it, then re-register the kernel’s own Netfilter hook. According to the nf_register_hook() function in the Netfilter’s source , if two hooks have the same protocol family (e.g., PF_INET ), and the same hook identifier (e.g., NF_IP_INPUT ), the hook execution sequence is determined by priority. The hook list enumerator breaks at the position of an existing hook with a priority number elem->priority higher than the new hook’s priority number reg->priority : int nf_register_hook ( struct nf_hook_ops * reg) { struct nf_hook_ops * elem; int err; err = mutex_lock_interruptible( & nf_hook_mutex); if (err < 0 ) return err; list_for_each_entry(elem, & nf_hooks[reg -> pf][reg -> hooknum], list) { if (reg -> priority < elem -> priority) break ; } list_add_rcu( & reg -> list, elem -> list.prev); mutex_unlock( & nf_hook_mutex); ... return 0 ; } In that case, the new hook is inserted into the list, so that the higher-priority hook’s PREVIOUS link would point into the newly inserted hook. What happens if the new hook’s priority is also the same, such as NF_IP_PRI_FIRST – the maximum hook priority? In that case, the break condition will not be met, the list iterator list_for_each_entry will slide past the existing hook, and the new hook will be inserted after it as if the new hook’s priority was higher. By re-inserting its Netfilter hook in the hook handler of the nf_register_hook() function, the driver makes sure the Drovorub’s Netfilter hook will beat any other registered hook at the same hook number and with the same (maximum) priority. If the intercepted TCP packet does not belong to the hidden TCP connection, or if it’s destined to or originates from another process, hidden by Drovorub’s kernel-mode driver, the hook will return 5 ( NF_STOP ). Doing so will prevent other hooks from being called to process the same packet. Security Implications For Docker Containers Given that Drovorub toolset targets Linux and contains a port forwarding tool to route network traffic to other hosts on the compromised network, it would not be entirely unreasonable to assume that this toolset was detected in a client’s cloud infrastructure. According to Gartner’s prediction , in just two years, more than 75% of global organizations will be running cloud-native containerized applications in production, up from less than 30% today. Would the Drovorub toolset survive, if the client’s cloud infrastructure was running containerized applications? Would that facilitate the attack or would it disrupt it? Would it make the breach stealthier? To answer these questions, we have tested a different malicious toolset, CloudSnooper, reported earlier this year by Sophos. Just like Drovorub, CloudSnooper’s kernel-mode driver also relies on a Netfilter hook ( NF_INET_LOCAL_IN and NF_INET_LOCAL_OUT ) to extract C2 traffic from the intercepted TCP packets. As seen in the FBI/NSA report, the Volatility framework was used to carve the Drovorub kernel module out of the host, running CentOS. In our little lab experiment, let’s also use CentOS host. To build a new Docker container image, let’s construct the following Dockerfile: FROM scratch ADD centos-7.4.1708-docker.tar.xz / ADD rootkit.ko / CMD [“/bin/bash”] The new image, built from scratch, will have the CentOS 7.4 installed. The kernel-mode rootkit will be added to its root directory. Let’s build an image from our Dockerfile, and call it ‘test’: [root@localhost 1]# docker build . -t test Sending build context to Docker daemon 43.6MB Step 1/4 : FROM scratch —> Step 2/4 : ADD centos-7.4.1708-docker.tar.xz / —> 0c3c322f2e28 Step 3/4 : ADD rootkit.ko / —> 5aaa26212769 Step 4/4 : CMD [“/bin/bash”] —> Running in 8e34940342a2 Removing intermediate container 8e34940342a2 —> 575e3875cdab Successfully built 575e3875cdab Successfully tagged test:latest Next, let’s execute our image interactively (with pseudo-TTY and STDIN ): docker run -it test The executed image will be waiting for our commands: [root@8921e4c7d45e /]# Next, let’s try to load the malicious kernel module: [root@8921e4c7d45e /]# insmod rootkit.ko The output of this command is: insmod: ERROR: could not insert module rootkit.ko: Operation not permitted The reason why it failed is that by default, Docker containers are ‘unprivileged’. Loading a kernel module from a docker container requires a special privilege that allows it doing so. Let’s repeat our experiment. This time, let’s execute our image either in a fully privileged mode or by enabling only one capability – a capability to load and unload kernel modules ( SYS_MODULE ). docker run -it –privileged test or docker run -it –cap-add SYS_MODULE test Let’s load our driver again: [root@547451b8bf87 /]# insmod rootkit.ko This time, the command is executed silently. Running lsmod command allows us to enlist the driver and to prove it was loaded just fine. A little magic here is to quit the docker container and then delete its image: docker rmi -f test Next, let’s execute lsmod again, only this time on the host. The output produced by lsmod will confirm the rootkit module is loaded on the host even after the container image is fully unloaded from memory and deleted! Let’s see what ports are open on the host: [root@localhost 1]# netstat -tulpn Active Internet connections (only servers) Proto Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address Foreign Address State PID/Program name tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:22 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 1044/sshd With the SSH server running on port 22 , let’s send a C2 ‘ping’ command to the rootkit over port 22 : [root@localhost 1]# python client.py 127.0.0.1 22 8080 rrootkit-negotiation: hello The ‘hello’ response from the rootkit proves it’s fully operational. The Netfilter hook detects a command concealed in a TCP packet transferred over port 22 , even though the host runs SSH server on port 22 . How was it possible that a rootkit loaded from a docker container ended up loaded on the host? The answer is simple: a docker container is not a virtual machine. Despite the namespace and ‘control groups’ isolation, it still relies on the same kernel as the host. Therefore, a kernel-mode rootkit loaded from inside a Docker container instantly compromises the host, thus allowing the attackers to compromise other containers that reside on the same host. It is true that by default, a Docker container is ‘unprivileged’ and hence, may not load kernel-mode drivers. However, if a host is compromised, or if a trojanized container image detects the presence of the SYS_MODULE capability (as required by many legitimate Docker containers), loading a kernel-mode rootkit on a host from inside a container becomes a trivial task. Detecting the SYS_MODULE capability ( cap_sys_module ) from inside the container: [root@80402f9c2e4c /]# capsh –print Current: = cap_chown, … cap_sys_module, … Conclusion This post is drawing a parallel between the recently reported Drovorub rootkit and CloudSnooper, a rootkit reported earlier this year. Allegedly built by different teams, both of these Linux rootkits have one mechanism in common: a Netfilter hook ( NF_INET_LOCAL_IN and NF_INET_LOCAL_OUT ) and a toolset that enables tunneling of the traffic to other hosts within the same compromised cloud infrastructure. We are still hunting for the hashes and samples of Drovorub. Unfortunately, the YARA rules published by FBI/NSA cause False Positives. For example, the “Rule to detect Drovorub-server, Drovorub-agent, and Drovorub-client binaries based on unique strings and strings indicating statically linked libraries” enlists the following strings: “Poco” “Json” “OpenSSL” “clientid” “—–BEGIN” “—–END” “tunnel” The string “Poco” comes from the POCO C++ Libraries that are used for over 15 years. It is w-a-a-a-a-y too generic, even in combination with other generic strings. As a result, all these strings, along with the ELF header and a file size between 1MB and 10MB, produce a false hit on legitimate ARM libraries, such as a library used for GPS navigation on Android devices: f058ebb581f22882290b27725df94bb302b89504 56c36bfd4bbb1e3084e8e87657f02dbc4ba87755 Nevertheless, based on the information available today, our interest is naturally drawn to the security implications of these Linux rootkits for the Docker containers. Regardless of what security mechanisms may have been compromised, Docker containers contribute an additional attack surface, another opportunity for the attackers to compromise the hosts and other containers within the same organization. The scenario outlined in this post is purely hypothetical. There is no evidence that supports that Drovorub may have affected any containers. However, an increase in volume and sophistication of attacks against Linux-based cloud-native production environments, coupled with the increased proliferation of containers, suggests that such a scenario may, in fact, be plausible. Schedule a demo Related Articles Q1 at AlgoSec: What innovations and milestones defined our start to 2026? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

Before your organization can move business applications to the cloud, it must deploy network security solutions that can reliably block... Network Segmentation Host-based firewalls vs. network-based firewalls for network security? Prof. Avishai Wool 2 min read Prof. Avishai Wool Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 8/28/23 Published Before your organization can move business applications to the cloud, it must deploy network security solutions that can reliably block cybercrime and malware. Firewalls are essential cybersecurity tools that protect network traffic against threat actors. There are many different types of firewalls available, but put the same basic principles in action. Before finding out which types of firewalls offer the best security performance for your cloud implementation, it’s important to cover how firewalls work and what characteristics set them apart. How firewalls work: Different types of firewalls explained Firewalls are best explained through analogy. Think of firewalls as 24/7 security guards with deep knowledge of millions of criminals. Whenever the security guard sees a criminal approaching an access point, they block access and turn the criminal away. This kind of access control is accomplished in a few different ways. Some firewalls inspect packets for suspicious characteristics. Others use stateful inspection to identify malicious traffic. Some incorporate contextual awareness to tell the difference between harmless traffic and cyberattacks . Here are some of the major types of firewalls and how they work: Packet filtering firewalls inspect data traveling through inline junction points like routers and switches. They don’t route data packets themselves, but compare them to a list of firewall rules. For example, they may filter packets that are traveling to untrusted IP addresses and drop them. Circuit-level gateways monitor TCP handshake data and other protocol messages for signs of unauthorized access. These firewalls don’t inspect individual packets or application layer monitoring, though. Proxy firewalls apply application layer filtering that filters data according to a wide range of characteristics. This category includes web application firewalls, which are a type of reverse proxy firewall – they protect the server from malicious traffic by filtering clients before they reach the server. Stateful inspection firewalls examine and compare multiple packets to find out if they are part of an established network session. This offers a high degree of control over incoming and outgoing traffic while providing comprehensive logs on network connections. Next-generation firewalls combine packet inspection, stateful inspection, antivirus, and additional technologies to protect organizations against unknown threats and vulnerabilities. These firewalls are expensive and have high bandwidth requirements, but they also offer a high level of protection. All of these firewalls exist in different forms. Traditional hardware firewalls are physical devices that sit between network devices and the internet. Network-based firewalls are software-defined apps designed to do the same thing. Hardware, software, or cloud? firewall deployment methods compared Organizations have multiple options when deciding to host firewalls on their private networks. The market offers a vast number of security devices and firewall providers, ranging from Cisco hardware to software solutions like Microsoft’s Windows firewall. Large enterprises use a combination of firewall solutions to adopt a multi-layered security posture. This allows them to achieve network scalability and segmentation while offering different levels of protection to data centers, individual devices, and user endpoints. As firewall technology becomes more accessible, smaller organizations are following suit. Here are some of the delivery formats that firewall solutions commonly come in: Network-based Firewalls are self-contained hardware appliances. They typically run custom operating systems using Linux distributions designed for secure computer networking. They can be challenging to configure and deploy, but are appropriate for a wide range of use cases. Host-based Firewalls run as software on a server or other device. You can run host-based firewalls on individual computers, or at the host level of a cloud environment. The firewalls offer granular control over security rules and individual hosts, but consume resources in the process. Cloud Hosted Firewalls are provided by third-party security partners as a service. These firewalls may be entirely managed by a third-party partner, making them ideal for small organizations that can’t afford building their own security infrastructure from the ground up. How to select an optimal firewall solution for your organization Every organization has a unique security risk profile. Finding the right firewall deployment for your organization requires in-depth knowledge of your network’s security vulnerabilities and potential for long-term growth. Some of the issues you have to consider include: Identifying technical objectives for individual firewalls. There are no one-size-fits-all firewall solutions. One solution may match a particular use case that another does not. Both stateless packet inspection firewalls and sophisticated next-generation solutions operate at different levels of the OSI model, which means each device should serve a well-defined purpose. Selecting firewall solutions that match your team’s expertise. Consider your IT team’s technical qualifications. If configuring a sophisticated next-generation firewall requires adding talent with specialized certifications to your team, the cost of that deployment will rise considerably. Deploying firewalls in ways that improve security performance while reducing waste. Optimal firewall architecture requires effective network segmentation and good security policies. Deploying a secure local area network (LAN) and using virtual private networks (VPNs) can help optimize firewall placement throughout the organization. Determining which kinds of traffic inspection are necessary. Different types of network connections require different levels of security. For example, a public-facing Wi-Fi router is far more likely to encounter malicious traffic than an internal virtual local area network (VLAN) that only authenticated employees can access. How to choose between host-based firewalls and network-based firewalls when moving to the cloud Organizations that are transitioning to cloud infrastructure need to completely rethink their firewall deployment strategy. Firewalls are the cornerstone of access control, and cloud-hosted infrastructure comes with the shared responsibility model that puts pressure on security leaders to carefully deploy security resources. In many cases, you’ll face tough decisions concerning which type of firewall to deploy at particular points in your network. Building an optimal deployment means working through the pros and cons of each option on a case-by-case basis. Host-based firewalls and network-based firewalls are the two main options you’ll encounter for most use cases. Let’s look at what each of those options look like from a complete network security perspective . 1. Host-based firewalls offer flexibility but may introduce vulnerabilities A cloud-native organization that exclusively uses host-based firewalls will have a cloud environment filled with virtual machines that take the place of servers and individual computers. To protect those devices, the organization will implement host-based firewalls on every virtual machine and configure them accordingly. This provides the organization with a great deal of flexibility. IT team members can clone virtual machines and move them within the cloud on demand. The host-based firewalls that protect these machines can move right alongside them, ensuring consistent security policies are enforced without painstaking manual configuration. It’s even possible to move virtual machines between cloud environments – like moving a virtual server from Amazon AWS to Microsoft Azure – without having to create completely new security policies in the process. This makes it easy for IT teams to work securely without introducing friction. However, if attackers gain privileged access to host-based firewalls, they gain the same level of control. They may switch off the firewall or install malicious code in ways that other security technologies cannot detect. Even highly secure organizations are subject to this kind of risk. Imagine an attacker compromises the credentials of a system administrator with firewall configuration privileges. Very few obstacles stand between an insider threat and the sensitive data they wish to exfiltrate. Network-based firewalls offer independent security Compared to host-based firewall products, it’s much harder for a malicious insider to compromise a network-based firewall solution managed by a cloud provider. That’s because the physical hardware is operating on a completely separate system from the host. In a cloud-native environment, the network-based firewall would be a fully hardened device managed by a third-party provider running their own intrusion detection systems. This makes it much harder for attackers to successfully infiltrate and compromise systems without being noticed. At the same time, independent network-based firewall architecture means that the attacker would have to compromise both your network and the cloud provider’s network without triggering security alerts from either. This adds a great deal of complexity to any attack, and significantly increases the chance it will be detected. However, few organizations can afford to exclusively deploy hardware firewalls at every layer of their network. Even those that can afford it will run into significant challenges when planning for growth and scalability. Segment your network for optimal protection While they offer increased security, hardware firewalls are costly to deploy and maintain. Most organizations segment their networks in ways that offer extensive multi-layered protection to their most sensitive data while allowing more flexible host-based firewalls to protect less critical assets. Every organization has a unique balance between optimal network-based firewall and host-based firewall deployment. This depends heavily on the volume of sensitive data the organization regularly accesses, and the security of its connections with users and third-party service providers. Proper network segmentation helps reduce the organization’s attack surface and decrease the risk of business disruption. Schedule a demo Related Articles Q1 at AlgoSec: What innovations and milestones defined our start to 2026? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

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Learn how ESG principles are driving sustainable environmental strategies Discover how companies integrate ESG to reduce footprint and contribute to a greener future Our environmental strategy Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue Environmental commitment and vision AlgoSec recognizes the importance of protecting the environment, we at AlgoSec are committed to reducing our carbon footprint and our waste by efficiently coding our product. For minimal environmental impact, the company has defined a long-term strategy, which includes working towards reinforcing its reduction goals and strengthening them through information and employee awareness. Our goal AlgoSec is determined to reduce our environmental impact, by striving to decrease the GHG emissions from our worldwide operations and from our products (as applicable), thus ensuring a safer and more sustainable future for us all. We are continuously looking for ways to maximize energy efficiency while minimizing water consumption and waste accumulation throughout our operations. Our next steps We are committed to infusing as part of our business plan strategic actions to advance reduction in GHG emissions, as part of Scope 1&2. We will continue to reduce our environmental impact by monitoring our progress and taking strategic actions to help achieve our goals. What we have achieved so far Implementation of a worldwide hybrid model since 2020, thus inducing a reduction in emissions spent on employee commuting, as well as electricity usage and water consumption. Waste management program – Reduce trash and the use of plastic at the office, in addition to recycling or reusing 99% of our electronic waste Raising employee awareness of effective use of energy in the office Product sustainability – we strive to increase the energy efficiency of our products by advanced product coding. Certification Verification Statement for GHG Scope 1&2: Additional related links: AA1000AS Reports | Accountability Global Sustainability Consultancy and Standards New York, London, Dubai, Riyadh BDO has conducted the assurance for AlgoSec Greenhouse Gas inventory for scopes 1 and 2 according to GHG protocola The assurance procedure was done according to the disclosures required by the AccountAbility AA1000AS v3 standard and the ISO 14064-3 verification methodology. The assurance process was conducted professionally, impartially and independently.