What Is Network Security?

Network security involves preventing unwanted access, misuse, and theft of the underlying networking infrastructure. A secure infrastructure must be built for users, apps, devices, and users to work securely.

How does network security work?

Network security comprises numerous levels of protection inside and at the edge. Each network security layer implements policies and controls. Access to network resources is granted to authorized users, but malicious actors are prevented from posing threats and vulnerabilities.

How do I benefit from network security?

Digitization has changed the way we live. Living, working, playing, and learning have all altered. As a result, every company must safeguard its network to provide the services consumers and employee’s demand. Additionally, network security enables you to defend against threats to confidential data. In the end, it safeguards your reputation.

·        Builds trust

Large systems' security translates to everyone's security. Network security increases customer and client confidence and shields your company from a security breach's adverse reputational and legal effects.

·        Mitigates risk

The correct network security solution will reduce the commercial and financial effects of a breach if it does happen while also assisting your company in remaining compliant with legal and regulatory requirements.

·        Protects proprietary information

Your customers and clients count on you to keep their private information secure. Your company also depends on that protection. The protection of shared data and information over a network is ensured by network security.

·        Enables a more modern workplace

Network security offers alternatives to enable the future of work, from allowing employees to work safely from any location with a VPN to fostering cooperation with secure network access. In addition, adequate network security offers multiple degrees of protection to grow with your expanding company.

Types of network security

Firewalls

A firewall is a network security device that keeps track of incoming and outgoing network traffic and decides which traffic to allow or deny under a set of security rules. Cisco provides unified threat management (UTM) devices as well as firewalls that are threat-focused.

Intrusion prevention systems

An intrusion prevention system (IPS) monitors network traffic to stop attacks actively. To prevent outbreaks and reinfection, secure IPS equipment combines vast amounts of global threat knowledge to trace the movement of questionable files and malware throughout the network and block harmful activities.

Workload security

Workload security safeguards workloads that are transferred between various cloud and hybrid environments. These distributed workloads have more excellent attack surfaces. Thus security must be implemented without compromising business agility.

Network security

The goal of network security is to give uniform security controls to dynamic environments, simplifying network, workload, and multi-cloud security.

SecureX

A cloud-native platform called SecureX connects your infrastructure to the Cisco Secure portfolio. It enables you to cut down on dwell time and labor-intensive chores significantly.

Network segmentation

Network traffic can be classified and more easily enforced security policies thanks to software-defined segmentation. The classifications should ideally be based on IP addresses but also endpoint identities. Grant proper access to the right people, and suspicious devices can be contained and remedied thanks to the ability to assign access permissions based on role, location, and other factors.

VPN

The link between an endpoint and a network, frequently through the internet, is encrypted using a virtual private network. For example, a remote-access VPN often employs a Secure Sockets Layer or IPsec to authenticate communication between the device and the network.

Access control

Your network shouldn't be accessible to every user. You must be able to identify each person and each device to keep out possible attackers. You can then put your security policies into effect. Non-compliant endpoint devices can be blocked or given restricted access. Network access control is being used here (NAC).

Anti-virus and anti-malware software

Viruses, worms, Trojan horses, ransomware, and spyware are all "malware," which is short for "malicious software." Malware can sometimes infect a network and remain inactive for days or weeks. The finest antimalware applications continually monitor files after they have been opened to detect anomalies, eliminate malware, repair damage, and scan for malware at the point of entry.

Application security

Regardless of whether your IT team created it or you purchased it, all software you use to run your business needs to be secured. Sadly, any application may have flaws or vulnerabilities that hackers could use to get access to your network. Application security includes the tools, program, and procedures you employ to plug those gaps.

Behavioral analytics

You must be familiar with typical network behavior to spot anomalous behavior. Tools for behavioral analytics automatically identify actions that differ from the usual. As a result, your security team will be better able to spot possible trouble indicators of compromise and promptly eliminate risks.

Cloud security

A wide range of methods, guidelines, and software are used in cloud security to protect vital data, services, and applications online. Protecting people from dangers wherever they access the internet and safeguarding your data and applications in the cloud aids in better managing your security.

Data loss prevention

Businesses must take precautions to prevent employees from sending private information outside the network. Data loss prevention solutions, often known as DLP, can deter people from unsafely uploading, transmitting, or even printing sensitive information.

Email security

The most common route for a security breach to occur is through email gateways. Attackers construct complex phishing operations to trick recipients and direct them to websites hosting malware using personal information and social engineering strategies. An email security application stops incoming threats and regulates outbound messages to prevent the loss of confidential information.

Industrial network security

Your Industrial Control Systems (ICS) are exposed to cyber threats due to the deeper integration of IT, cloud, and industrial networks as you digitize your industrial operations. To separate the industrial network and provide IT security tools with comprehensive insights on OT devices and behaviors, you require complete visibility into your OT security posture.

Mobile device security

Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting mobile apps and gadgets. 90 percent of IT businesses may support corporate applications on personal mobile devices during the next three years. You must, of course, regulate which devices have access to your network. Additionally, you will have to set up their connections to protect the privacy of network traffic.

Security information and event management

The information that your security staff needs to recognize risks and take appropriate action is collected by SIEM systems. These goods are available as server software, physical and virtual appliances, and other formats.

Web security

A web security solution will manage how much time your employees spend online, stop dangers from the internet, and prevent access to hazardous websites. On-site or in the cloud, it will safeguard your web gateway. Web security also includes the precautions you take to protect your website.

Wireless security

Compared to wired networks, wireless ones are less secure. Adding a wireless LAN without strict security precautions can be equivalent to installing Ethernet connections everywhere, including in the parking lot. You need products made expressly to safeguard wireless networks if you want to stop an attack from spreading.

Barracuda CloudGen Firewall

Barracuda CloudGen Firewall offers your network security in the cloud computing era. It guarantees your network connectivity and dependable access to cloud-hosted services. Safeguard and improve your network's scattered architecture with Barracuda CloudGen Firewall, as it is a group of hardware, software, and cloud-based tools. They also provide greater security by closely integrating. A variety of features for cloud-generation firewalls. Such as Layer 7, application profiling and intrusion detection, web malware filtering, improved threat security, anti-spam defense, and network access control.

Barracuda CloudGen Firewalls are a highly resilient VPN technology with advanced WAN optimization and traffic control features. Thus, it aids in lowering the price of line services. Boost your network's overall availability. Increase inter-site connection and provide continuous access to cloud-hosted apps. Furthermore, scalable central management lessens the administrative effort of establishing and implementing granular policies across your distributed network. The cloud-ready firewalls from Barracuda are suitable for multi-site companies, managed service providers, and other businesses with intricately scattered network infrastructures.

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