The modern network requires advanced network security. Legacy network security methods are simply not up to the challenge. For example, attempting to build perimeter defenses around a rapidly expanding group of endpoints would be a waste of employee time and would ultimately fall short. Instead, network administrators must be on the alert for advanced threats.
Physical
Physical network security is the control of access to physical network infrastructure components. This includes devices that monitor network traffic. Among other things, this control ensures that unauthorized users cannot access network resources. This control can be implemented by using host-based intrusion detection systems. These systems monitor traffic and analyze data sources to identify and respond to potential security violations.
Physical network security controls can be implemented using locks, biometric authentication, and other physical measures to ensure that only authorized employees or people with special access are allowed access to network components. This type of network security can protect network data and assets from unauthorized personnel and malicious employees. In addition, these physical controls can prevent theft of hardware by employees.
Technical
The technical aspects of network security are important for managing and securing an organization’s information systems. The management of a business must consider the security of the company’s internal and external systems to ensure that these systems do not pose a risk to its users. This includes the development and implementation of new technologies and the application of current technologies to the network security space.
Network security involves the use of software and hardware solutions. It also involves processes, rules, and configurations. These methods protect the integrity, confidentiality, and accessibility of information on a network. They also help protect data from malicious activity.
Administrative
Network administrators are faced with many challenges to maintain an effective security posture for their networks. These include adhering to compliance standards, enabling new services, optimizing performance, enforcing security policies, and troubleshooting on demand. Security policies must be deployed consistently, as any misconfiguration can leave the network vulnerable to sophisticated threats. Many firewalls, for example, contain thousands of different policies, each of which can impact performance. Luckily, network administrators can use network security management solutions to automate security policies, enforce global policies, view firewall traffic, and generate reports. Additionally, these solutions provide a single management interface for both virtual and physical systems.
Regardless of the network size, administrators need to implement security policies to protect data, people, and physical assets. These policies must also prevent access to sensitive information by unauthorized personnel or malicious employees. Administrative security controls are essential for large infrastructures, which accumulate vast libraries of security policies. These controls can simplify operations, automate repetitive tasks, and identify inconsistencies in security policies.
Intrusion detection and prevention
Intrusion detection and prevention (IDP) systems can help protect networks from cyberattacks. They monitor traffic patterns and send alerts when they detect network intrusions. These alerts include information on the source address of the traffic and the type of attack that is suspected. Some IDS systems may also quarantine malicious files.
There are two main types of IDP systems: signature-based and anomaly-based. The former monitors network traffic by comparing the packets to a baseline that is based on known threats. The latter detects network activity that is not typical of the network and alerts IT teams to suspicious activity. This method uses machine-learning techniques to identify anomalous behavior.
