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As per Cloudwards , a new organization gets hit by ransomware every 14 seconds. This is despite the fact that global cybersecurity... Cyber Attacks & Incident Response How to improve network security (7 fundamental ways) Tsippi Dach 2 min read Tsippi Dach 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 8/9/23 Published As per Cloudwards , a new organization gets hit by ransomware every 14 seconds. This is despite the fact that global cybersecurity spending is up and is around $150 billion per year. That’s why fortifying your organization’s network security is the need of the hour. Learn how companies are proactively improving their network security with these best practices. 7 Ways to improve network security: ` 1. Change the way you measure cyber security risk Cyber threats have evolved with modern cybersecurity measures. Thus, legacy techniques to protect the network are not going to work. These techniques include measures like maturity assessment, compliance attestation, and vulnerability aging reports, among other things. While they still have a place in cybersecurity, they’re insufficient. To level up, you need greater visibility over the various risk levels. This visibility will allow you to deploy resources as per need. At the bare minimum, companies need a dashboard that lists real-time data on the number of applications, the region they’re used in, the size and nature of the database, the velocity of M&A, etc. IT teams can make better decisions since the impact of new technologies like big data and AI falls unevenly on organizations. Along with visibility, companies need transparency and precision on how the tools behave against cyberattacks. You can use the ATT&CK Framework developed by MITRE Corporation, the most trustworthy threat behavior knowledge base available today. Use it as a benchmark to test the tools’ efficiency. Measuring the tools this way helps you prepare well in advance. Another measurement technique you must adopt is measuring performance against low-probability, high-consequence attacks. Pick the events that you conclude have the least chance of occurring. Then, test the tools on such attacks. Maersk learned this the hard way. In the notPetya incident , the company came pretty close to losing all of its IT data. Imagine the consequence it’d have on the company that handles the world’s supply chain. Measuring is the only way to learn whether your current cybersecurity arrangements meet the need. 2. Use VLAN and subnets An old saying goes, ‘Don’t keep all your eggs in the same basket.’ Doing so would mean losing the basket, losing all your eggs. That is true for IT networks as well. Instead of treating your network as a whole, divide it into multiple subnetworks. There are various ways you can do that: VLAN or Virtual LAN is one of them. VLAN helps you segment a physical network without investing in additional servers or devices. The different segments can then be handled differently as per the need. For example, the accounting department will have a separate segment, and so will the marketing and sales departments. This segmentation helps enhance security and limit damage. VLAN also helps you prioritize data, networks, and devices. There will be some data that is more critical than others. The more critical data warrant better security and protection, which you can provide through a VLAN partition. Subnets are another way to segment networks. As opposed to VLAN, which separates the network at the switch level, subnets partition the network at IP level or level 3. The various subnetworks can then communicate with each other and third-party networks over IP. With the adoption of technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), network segmentation is only going to get more critical. Each device used for data generation, like smartwatches, sensors, and cameras, can act as an entry point to your network. If the entry points are connected to sensitive data like consumers’ credit cards, it’s a recipe for disaster. You can implement VLAN or subnets in such a scenario. 3. Use NGFWs for cloud The firewall policy is at the core of cybersecurity. They’re essentially the guardians who check for intruders before letting the traffic inside the network. But with the growth of cloud technologies and the critical data they hold, traditional firewalls are no longer reliable. They can easily be passed by modern malware. You must install NGFWs or Next Generation Firewalls in your cloud to ensure total protection. These firewalls are designed specifically to counter modern cyberattacks. An NGFW builds on the capabilities of a traditional firewall. Thus, it inspects all the incoming traffic. But in addition, it has advanced capabilities like IPS (intrusion prevention system), NAT (network address translation), SPI (stateful protocol inspection), threat intelligence feeds, container protection, and SSL decryption, among others. NGFWs are also both user and application-aware. This allows them to provide context on the incoming traffic. NGFWs are important not only for cloud networks but also for hybrid networks . Malware from the cloud could easily transition into physical servers, posing a threat to the entire network. When selecting a next-gen firewall for your cloud, consider the following security features: The speed at which the firewall detects threats. Ideally, it should identify the attacks in seconds and detect data breaches within minutes. The number of deployment options available. The NGFW should be deployable on any premise, be it a physical, cloud, or virtual environment. Also, it should support different throughput speeds. The home network visibility it offers. It should report on the applications and websites, location, and users. In addition, it should show threats across the separate network in real-time. The detection capabilities. It goes without saying, but the next-gen firewall management should detect novel malware quickly and act as an anti-virus. Other functionalities that are core security requirements. Every business is different with its unique set of needs. The NGFW should fulfill all the needs. 4. Review and keep IAM updated To a great extent, who can access what determines the security level of a network. As a best practice, you should grant access to users as per their roles and requirement — nothing less, nothing more. In addition, it’s necessary to keep IAM updated as the role of users evolves. IAM is a cloud service that controls unauthorized access for users. The policies defined in this service either grant or reject resource access. You need to make sure the policies are robust. This requires you to review your IT infrastructure, the posture, and the users at the organization. Then create IAM policies and grant access as per the requirement. As already mentioned, users should have remote access to the resources they need. Take that as a rule. Along with that, uphold these important IAM principles to improve access control and overall network security strategy: Zero in on the identity It’s important to identify and verify the identity of every user trying to access the network. You can do that by centralizing security control on both user and service IDs. Adopt zero-trust Trust no one. That should be the motto when handling a company’s network security. It’s a good practice to assume every user is untrustworthy unless proven otherwise. Therefore, have a bare minimum verification process for everyone. Use MFA MFA or multi-factor authentication is another way to safeguard network security. This could mean they have to provide their mobile number or OTA pin in addition to the password. MFA can help you verify the user and add an additional security layer. Beef up password Passwords are a double-edged sword. They protect the network but also pose a threat when cracked. To prevent this, choose strong passwords meeting a certain strength level. Also, force users to update their unique passwords regularly. If possible, you can also go passwordless. This involves installing email-based or biometric login systems. Limit privileged accounts Privileged accounts are those accounts that have special capabilities to access the network. It’s important to review such accounts and limit their number. 5. Always stay in compliance Compliance is not only for pleasing the regulators. It’s also for improving your network security. Thus, do not take compliance for granted; always make your network compliant with the latest standards. Compliance requirements are conceptualized after consulting with industry experts and practitioners. They have a much better authoritative position to discuss what needs to be done at an industry level. For example, in the card sector, it’s compulsory to have continuous penetration testing done. So, when fulfilling a requirement, you adopt the best practices and security measures. The requirements don’t remain static. They evolve and change as loopholes emerge. The new set of compliance frameworks helps ensure you’re up-to-date with the latest standards. Compliance is also one of the hardest challenges to tackle. That’s because there are various types of compliances. There are government-, industry-, and product-level compliance requirements that companies must keep up with. Moreover, with hybrid networks and multi-cloud workflows, the task only gets steeper. Cloud security management tools can help in this regard to some extent. Since they grant a high level of visibility, spotting non-compliance becomes easier. Despite the challenges, investing more is always wise to stay compliant. After all, your business reputation depends on it. 6. Physically protect your network You can have the best software or service provider to protect your wireless networks and access points. But they will still be vulnerable if physical protection isn’t in place. In the cybersecurity space, the legend has it that the most secure network is the one that’s behind a closed door. Any network that has humans nearby is susceptible to cyberattacks. Therefore, make sure you have appropriate security personnel at your premises. They should have the capability and authority to physically grant or deny access to those seeking access to the network on all operating systems. Make use of biometric IDs to identify the employees. Also, prohibit the use of laptops, USB drives, and other electronic gadgets that are not authorized. When creating a network, data security teams usually authorize each device that can access it. This is known as Layer 1. To improve network security policy , especially on Wi-Fi (WPA), ensure all the network devices and workstations and SSIDs connected to the network as trustworthy. Adopt the zero-trust security policies for every device: considered untrustworthy until proven otherwise. 7. Train and educate your employees Lastly, to improve network security management , small businesses must educate their employees and invest in network monitoring. Since every employee is connected to the Wi-Fi network somehow, everyone poses a security threat. Hackers often target those with privileged access. Such accounts, once exploited by cybercriminals, can be used to access different segments of the network with ease. Thus, such personnel should receive education on priority. Train your employees on attacks like phishing, spoofing, code injection, DNS tunneling, etc. With knowledge, employees can tackle such attempts head-on. This, in turn, makes the network much more secure. After the privileged account holders are trained, make others in your organization undergo the same training. The more educated they are, the better it is for the network. It’s worth reviewing their knowledge of cybersecurity from time to time. You can conduct a simple survey in Q&A format to test the competency of your team. Based on the results, you can hold training sessions and get everyone on the same page. The bottom line on network security Data breaches often come at a hefty cost. And the most expensive item on the list is the trust of users. Once a data leak happens, retaining customers’ trust is very hard. Regulators aren’t easy on the executives either. Thus, the best option is to safeguard and improve your network security . Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

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If your firewall shows a notification that it has detected a new network, it means it is doing one of its fundamental jobs properly. But... Firewall Change Management Firewall has detected a new network Tsippi Dach 2 min read Tsippi Dach 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 8/9/23 Published If your firewall shows a notification that it has detected a new network, it means it is doing one of its fundamental jobs properly. But good network security does not stop with just detecting a new network. You will have to analyze the network location, ensure it is authorized to connect with your network, automate this process, and ensure full-on monitoring so that none of the intrusive attempts ever go unnoticed. A good amount of all these tasks can be made more efficient, accurate, and automated with the help of strong network security solutions. What should you do if your firewall has detected an unrecognized network? 1. Analyze the incoming network request If the process is not automated, you might have to check for the incoming network request’s trustworthiness manually. You can check the security certificates associated with the request, check its source, validate with the right information whether this source can be trusted, and then decide whether to allow access. The best way to deal with any new network detection is to automate the authorization by using a strong network security policy that outlines what sources can be trusted, what cannot be trusted, and which decisions require further approval. 2. Analyze your network for any impact In case of an untrusted new network detection and possible intrusion, you should be able to check the impact or effect it has had on your current assets. You should analyze the entire system for performance, feature validation, and asset availability. A quick way to do this would be to use any network visualization product, such as Firewall Analyzer . This tool can also assess how your overall home network will be impacted by any possible security policy 3. Reassess your security policies and improve them In the event of any security incident, you will have to isolate your network, mitigate any impact caused by the intrusion and reset the system to a healthy state. And most importantly, you will have to investigate the incident, figure out the root cause, and fix it. This would require updating your security policies, risk management, and local network security settings. Following up on any security incident is highly recommended so that no unauthorized intrusion attempts go unnoticed and are handled appropriately. And like any other seemingly enormous task, this can be automated too. Check out firewall change management tools to help you implement continuous improvement within your network security management, contributing to network protection. How to setup strong firewall protection Here are some security measures and troubleshooting tips you need to employ to strengthen your Microsoft firewall management and network security. 1. Establish a strong network security policy management To implement a strong network security management framework, you must design the security policies, systems, and solutions as per your operating system. A network security policy framework can help you guide and streamline the security design and guide you with the enforcement of the same. As with any process, policy management should also be a continuously evolving framework and must be managed well to facilitate all the relevant tasks. Use intelligent systems like Algosec’s Algobot to help your firewall admins to carry out their tasks efficiently. And if you are looking to automate the security policy management tasks, you can also check out Fireflow . It helps you automate the security policy change process across the many phases of policy management, from planning to implementation and validation. 2. Visualize the network data Network monitoring is critical to enabling t strong firewall While AI-based alerting and monitoring systems could greatly help automate intrusion detection and notification, certain tasks require human supervision and deep analysis of the network logs. This way, you can not only analyze the network for any intrusion attempts (whether it be through malware sent through a web browser, file sharing, router, ethernet network adapter, or wi-fi) but also get to have a good understanding of your traffic and business trends. Appviz Firewall Analyzer from Algosec is a helpful tool for achieving this functionality. 3. Optimize your firewall configuration Firewall configurations include a broad range of activities that range from designing your firewall solution and choosing the right software/hardware to setting up the firewall rules and management processes. Set these configurations early on with all necessary considerations regarding your environment and applications. This process should also include the overall policy configurations and security rules that define the change process, firewall administration, monitoring, and management operations. Read this resourceful guide to learn more about firewall configuration, its challenges, and guidance on implementation. 4. Ensure cloud compliance Compliance and security go hand in hand in protecting your assets and boosting the overall goodwill and trust associated with your brand. Cloud compliance frameworks provide guidelines and cover most of the pain points of managing cloud security. Staying compliant with these guidelines means that your security is up to date and can be considered on par with the high standards set by these frameworks. 5. Micro-segmentation Micro-segmentation is a domain network security technique that helps you implement flexible security measures for individually segmented data center parts. It is most helpful with protecting your virtual machine implementations as it allows you to deploy specific security measures crafted to fit each virtual machine’s requirements. With security deployed on segmented workloads, your network becomes more resilient to attacks. 6. Perform regular firewall audits To ensure continuous compliance, you must conduct regular audit checks on the status of your firewall settings, policies, and implementations. Gather all the related documents and key information, review your current processes, firewall mechanisms, perform penetration tests, assess the security measures, and optimize as required. Perform a complete risk assessment on your Windows server and fix any issues that might be discovered as part of the audit process. Tips and best practices for enhanced network security 1. Firewall for native cloud applications Make use of cloud-first prioritized firewall solutions to protect your native cloud applications. You need comprehensive visibility on all your cloud assets, ensuring advanced threat detection and protection. This requires a whole set of tools and security applications working together to provide a centralized security system. You will also have to ensure data compliance at all levels as well. You can try to employ native cloud solutions such as the extensive tools provided by Algosec. 2. Use centralized solutions Make use of centralized solutions to manage hybrid and multi-cloud applications so that you have all the important information accessible from a single platform. AlgoSec Cloud from Algosec is an amazing solution to achieve centralized visibility across hybrid and multi-cloud accounts and assets. 3. Follow the best security practices and guidelines Look into the best security practices and guidelines put forth by your cloud vendor and follow them to get the best out of the collective knowledge. You can also use vendor-specific firewall management solutions to help you deal with issues related to specific cloud accounts you might be using. Additionally, having an antivirus like Windows Defender and using a VPN also helps. A good practice to follow in case of uncertainty is to block by default. Any new network or source must be blocked unless specifically permitted by the user. Regarding access privileges, you can follow the principle of least privilege, where users are only granted as many privileges as would be required for their specific roles and responsibilities. Use audit tools for regular auditing and keep improving on any vulnerabilities your firewall may have. To increase the performance of your firewall applications, you can look into how you have set up your firewall rules and optimize them for better performance. Here are some more best practices you can follow when setting up your firewall rules: Document all your rules and firewall configurations across all the devices. Make sure to document every new rule created and keep your documentation up to date. This can help security admins review the rules and optimize them as and when necessary. As mentioned earlier, follow a zero trust policy where you block traffic by default and permit network access only on a need basis. Monitor your firewall logs even when there is no particular security incident to investigate. Regular monitoring and analysis will give you a better understanding of your network traffic and can help you identify suspicious activities early on. Group the firewall rules to boost performance and avoid complications and loopholes. You can hire expert security administrators and security solutions such as Algosec to help review your firewall rules and keep them updated. Firewall management FAQs What can a firewall do? A Windows firewall can be interpreted as similar to a literal wall. It blocks unwanted access to your system and lets you decide whether or not to allow any new network connection or access request. Similar to how a fort works, you only give access to access requests that you trust and block the rest. It is the first defensive setup you can set up for your network security. You can set a list of trusted sources, and the requests from these sources will be given automated access. The rest of the access requests from any other source, be it a third-party network, mobile devices, internet connection, or any other endpoint, can be blocked by your firewall. You can set up firewall rules that dictate which type of requests and sources can be trusted. A firewall can be implemented by using multiple methods. It can be a cloud app, hardware, software, virtualizations, an access-restricted private cloud, and more. A typical firewall ruleset consists of the following specifications: Source address Source port Destination address Destination port Information on whether to block or permit the traffic to the respective address and port criteria. A firewall can be implemented by using multiple methods. It can be a cloud app, hardware, software, virtualizations, an access-restricted private cloud, and more. How does a firewall protect businesses from cyberthreats? The obvious main use of the firewall is to restrict all kinds of unauthorized access, thus protecting your systems from cyberattacks. But it also has several other benefits, such as: Providing data privacy so your work network traffic is guarded from outside public networks. Restricting content access to your private network For instance, educational institutions can block inappropriate sites for their students while in class. Blocking unwanted traffic from ads, spam, and gaming sites. Ensuring data confidentiality and keeping you compliant with security standards. Monitoring all your incoming traffic, helping you analyze your network profile, and helping you gain insights into trending user behavior. Filtering out unwanted traffic and restricting access to certain websites. Providing secure remote access through VPNs and similar remote access mechanisms. What are the most common types of firewalls? Based on the way data is filtered through a firewall, it can be broadly classified into one of the following types: Packet filtering Stateful inspection firewalls Circuit-level gateway firewalls Proxy firewalls Next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) Threat focused NGFWs Virtual firewalls Cloud-native firewalls Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

Cisco and AlgoSec Partner solution brief- Better together for network segmentation Download PDF Schedule time with one of our experts Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

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Compliance made easy Pass your audits stress free AlgoSec Webinar Webinars Compliance made easy. Pass your audits stress-free. Don’t fail an audit ever again. Yes, it’s possible. It doesn’t matter what regulation you are talking about, whether your own internal compliance standard or a common global framework such as PCI DSS, SOX, HIPPA, SWIFT, or even HKMA. We’ll show you how. In this webinar, AlgoSec security expert Tal Dayan will reveal: The secrets to passing audits How to improve your compliance score How to always remain compliant January 27, 2021 Tal Dayan AlgoSec security expert Relevant resources Network Security Audit? Passing Your Next One with Flying Colors Keep Reading Network Security Audit? Passing Your Next One with Flying Colors Keep Reading Regulations and compliance for the data center - A Day in the Life Read Document Choose a better way to manage your network Choose a better way to manage your network Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

Explore Algosec's customer success stories to see how organizations worldwide improve security, compliance, and efficiency with our solutions. ORMAT MANAGES RISK AND NERC COMPLIANCE WITH ALGOSEC Organization ORMAT Industry Technology Headquarters Reno, Nevada, United States Download case study Share Customer
success stories "We’re managing our network security with much greater confidence. With the value of the time we save and our improved compliance readiness, we can clearly see that AlgoSec is delivering on our investment" Global Geothermal Power Producer Improves Security and Compliance and Takes Control of DailyFirewall Management Operations at 14 Global Facilities AlgoSec Business Impact • Automated notifications improve firewall management processes.• Visibility of firewall rules allows better management of security infrastructure.• Built-in reports provide instant proof of SOX and NERC compliance. Background Ormat Technologies, Inc. a world leader in the geothermal power plant sector, is committed to developing green, sustainable energy solutions. The company has installed over 2000 MW of geothermal and Recovered Energy (REG) power plants worldwide. Ormat’s global IT department manages network security and ensures compliance with SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley) regulations and NERC (North American Electric Reliability Corporation) at 14 of its power plants. Challenge Ormat’s firewall configurations typically need updating on a daily basis to address the changing roles and information technology requirements of Ormat’s global employees. As the department has assumed greater responsibility for regulatory compliance in addition to internal operations, firewall management has become cumbersome and costly.“With multiple managers adding and changing firewall configurations at our various locations, we had no way to review each change, see who made it, or know if a change was made at all,” explains Meir Moshka, IT Manager at Ormat. Without this information, reviewing firewall configurations against regulations and standards was difficult and time-consuming. “To stay compliant and secure, we needed better controls for firewall management, but we also had to stay responsive to the employees we serve,” says Moshka. Solution After evaluating several firewall management products, Ormat selected the AlgoSec Security Management solution for its ease of use, and for the superiority of its built-in SOX and NERC compliance reports. “The web user interface is easy and friendly,” comments Moshka. His team installed and tested AlgoSec themselves, in a matter of days. Another capability that drove Ormat to select AlgoSec was its ability to create a workflow for their firewall configuration process. “Every time a change is made, the security manager receives an email describing the new configuration,” says Moshka. “The change is only made after the manager approves it.” The new process will ensure that all configuration changes are properly reviewed. Results Today, in addition to maintaining its network security policies more effectively, Ormat is dramatically reducing the time spent preparing for compliance audits. “Together, the firewall management process and reports keep us ready for an audit at all times. We save a great deal of audit preparation time because we already review each configuration change against the requirements on a daily basis.” Automated compliance reporting also gives Ormat the power to demonstrate compliance to customers and prospects, as the company pursues new contracts for power plant operations in the US. “By using the built-in reports, we can instantly show we are NERC and SOX compliant. It’s a valuable proof for the plant owners.” Moshka and his team also rely on AlgoSec’s built-in knowledgebase of best practices for firewall configuration. Additionally, they have customized the out-of-the-box functionality by defining additional risks that apply to Ormat’s environment. With their customized risk profile in place, each firewall configuration change is evaluated against the knowledgebase to determine which configurations to improve or avoid. “Often, a change to the firewall needs to be more restrictive than we thought,” says Moshka. “AlgoSec gives us recommendations for each new change, and we minimize security risks by following them.” Another improvement is how AlgoSec’s policy cleanup and optimization features ensure Ormat’s security policy is streamlined and easy to maintain. “Now I see exactly which policy applies to which firewall, which rules are duplicated, expired, or unused, and get recommendations on the most effective way to reorder the most used rules,” says Moshka. With AlgoSec, Ormat has taken back control for its firewall policies and compliance requirements. “We’re managing our network security with much greater confidence,” Moshka says. “Add together the value of the time we save on a daily basis, and our improved compliance readiness, and we can clearly see that AlgoSec is delivering on our investment.” Schedule time with one of our experts