A secure network is critical to business. Without it, cyberattacks may disrupt operations and result in costly outages.
Traditionally, IT teams must purchase, deploy, size, scale, and manage multiple security functions independently from networking solutions MCT oil powder. SD-WAN enables unified monitoring, management, and policy enforcement for networking and security.
Next-Generation Firewalls
A firewall is a core component of every network’s security infrastructure.NGFWs inspect packet content more thoroughly by operating at Layer 7 of the OSI model.
They’re also integrated with external threat intelligence to boost their effectiveness at spotting sophisticated cyber attacks. For instance, the NGAF is partnered with an AI-powered threat detection and analysis platform called Neural-X to identify the most elusive threats based on multiple data sources.
Moreover, they integrate several security tools into one solution to cut down on hardware costs and simplify maintenance and updates. For example, an NGFW can include malware protection and anti-virus software to help prevent ransomware and cryptojacking. It can also implement a zero-trust strategy through deep-packet inspection and apply advanced filters for traffic control.
Intrusion Prevention Systems
SD-WAN allows for unified management and control with the ability to deploy services at branch offices rapidly. It enables IT to focus on business priorities, like deploying IoT, VoIP, and UCaaS applications, rather than ensuring adherence to security policies across the network.
A network must be protected from internal and external threats, including DDoS attacks, malware, and data breaches. SD-WAN solutions provide advanced intrusion detection systems that detect suspicious behavior and alert administrators to potential incidents.
In addition to detecting attacks, SD-WAN solutions can prevent them by dynamically setting up secure tunnels to protect network traffic from various devices, users, and locations. These tunnels use IPSec or other proprietary networking protocols to ensure strong encryption and security. Additionally, many SD-WAN solutions tightly integrate with cloud-security functions like CASB and zero-trust network access to maximize protection.
Network Access Control
Network access control, or NAC, restricts unauthorized users and devices from entering the corporate or private network. It enables you to create roles based on policies and then assign and enforce those roles to users/devices, allowing for greater control of a vast attack surface.
NAC increases security by ensuring intellectual property and sensitive data remain secure. It also helps limit the impact of an attack by limiting what can be done to a single domain. NAC can be paired with security services that provide prevention-focused protection like an NGFW, zero trust networking, and secure web gateways. Gartner calls this a security service edge or SASE.
VPN Tunneling
While SD-WAN provides high reliability for branch offices and remote users, it can also help enhance security measures. For instance, leading SD-WAN solutions feature VPN tunnels that encrypt data to prevent hackers from intercepting critical information.
In addition, a centralized network administrator can see all application traffic across the distributed network. This visibility enables IT teams to identify potential threats and address them as they occur quickly.
Furthermore, you can set up a system-defined path where certain types of data will only travel over internal networks rather than the public Internet. It is handy for sensitive information that should only be transmitted over a private link with a performance guarantee. It can also reduce latency over long-distance connections. It is not possible with traditional MPLS VPN WAN services.
Antimalware Applications
Many SD-WAN solutions incorporate a variety of security capabilities to protect data in transit between enterprise locations and remote users. It includes built-in 128- and 256-bit AES encrypted tunnels that help reduce the attack surface of transmitted information, as well as essential threat detection and response.
Moreover, integrated UTM security functionality can help ensure centralized policies are consistently applied across the network, eliminating the need for separate suites of point security tools such as NGFW, IDS/IPS, anti-virus, URL filtering, and CASB. This approach can help organizations achieve unified security postures over distributed infrastructure and improve the speed and quality of their business operations.
Additionally, SD-WAN can help secure data between remote sites by directing it to an alternative path — for example, over internal networks instead of the Internet — to minimize exposure to potentially malicious actors. It helps to reduce the risk of compromised systems delivering attacks that exploit vulnerabilities in applications, devices, or cloud platforms.
Content Filtering
Network administrators can screen for undesired emails, web pages, and executable files using content filtering on firewalls, email servers, and routers. It reduces the risk of costly data breaches and other cyber threats by preventing accidental malware downloads.
Schools commonly use content filtering to protect students from sites that promote sex, violence, and other inappropriate content. It helps ensure students can focus on their studies and reduces the likelihood of cyberbullying or hacking attacks.
Businesses can use content filters to improve productivity and prevent employees from spending too much time on distracting websites or online content. It includes blocking social media and other non-work-related content that can bog down bandwidth. Category-based content filters are also helpful, enabling MSPs and their clients to block specific URLs rather than entire websites.
VPN Support
Many leading SD-WAN solutions offer built-in security capabilities through integrated inspection and filtering features, such as Secure Web Gateways (SWG) or CASB (Cloud Access Security Broker) technologies. It makes it easier for IT teams to deploy, monitor, and maintain uniform endpoint security configurations throughout a distributed network.
By separating network traffic by application, micro-segmentation prevents viruses from spreading across the entire enterprise and contaminating sensitive areas of the network. It also ensures that critical applications receive optimal performance by routing data over the fastest path.
Ensure your SD-WAN solution offers these key security benefits to safeguard your organization from attacks and data breaches. Otherwise, your business risks losing valuable information and exposing employees to unprotected threats.