defence in depth strategy
Networks often require a significant effort to be protected against viruses and other malicious code. They require a wide range of different antivirus products to ensure full protection of all servers and clients. A full range of protection can be expensive, both when it comes to purchase and maintenance. It could also, if not configured and maintained properly, be open to attacks.
Standard office solutions are no guarantee that every potential security risk is covered, and virus infections and outbreaks may still therefore occur. If one or more networked computers are not updated correctly or someone plugs an unprotected laptop into the office network, the entire network can be exposed to a virus outbreak.
So, what are the challenges today?
- Mobile computing and advanced communication technology challenge the fortress style of network defence with a secure single point of entry and a perimeter-defence based on huge walls to make access impossible.
- The secure single point of entry can no longer be classified as secure because any port and any protocol can be used to inject malware into the network, and tunnelling of network traffic circumvents firewall technology.
- In addition HTTP is now the universal transport protocol and HTTP traffic flows freely through the main gateway.
- A firewall can provide some protection against malicious code, but does not distinguish between different types of data content. It is more concerned about point of origin and direct access to services within the network.
The new threat picture
Back in the old days of computer networks the threats were from external source. Today the threats are coming from both from the inside and the outside. Most likely a computer will be infected with malware when used on a visiting network or when downloading malware inadvertently or intentionally for example from a website or USB memory device. Twenty percent of enterprises endpoint is unsecured.
Malware is a generic term for software, which damages your system in one way or another. An antivirus application is an important component in a defence strategy.
Unfortunately the advancement in malware technology and the nearly impossible task to keep the computer population free from malware require a new security model. According to Gartner Group 20% of the endpoints in a large network are not managed, and of the rest a high number has not been maintained properly.
You need a defence in depth strategy that employs multi level protection for your critical operational infrastructure and networks.