Should You Outsource Network Perimeter Security?

There is only one surefire way to protect your networked computer systems from unauthorized access, malware attacks and other security breaches.

Unplug them.

Clearly, that isn’t a practical solution. In fact, organizations depend on their networks for everything from communication and collaboration to cloud computing. Most organizations are compelled to open their networks to remote workers, business partners and customers in order to do business effectively.

This demand creates a paradox for in-house IT teams. While networks exist for the purpose of sharing information, every avenue for network access is a potential security gap. IT teams must strike the right balance between perimeter security and network access.

That’s a tall order given the complexity of today’s network and the never-ending onslaught of cyberattacks. IT teams must select, deploy, monitor and manage a range of security tools to prevent unauthorized users from gaining access to systems and data. Ensuring network security is a responsibility that can’t be taken lightly, so it makes good sense to outsource these tasks to a managed security service provider.

Why Network Perimeter Security Is Essential

For most of us, the locks on our doors and windows are the first line of defense against criminal activity. Similarly, perimeter security serves as a first line of defense against cyberattack by preventing intruders from getting inside the IT environment.

In the past, the perimeter was the primary focus of cybersecurity. Organizations operated under the assumption that threats would be blocked at the perimeter and everything inside the network could be trusted. This “castle-and-moat” model no longer works today. Now that users access the network from anywhere, the perimeter has essentially dissolved. Organizations need a new approach to end-user security in order to prevent unauthorized access.

This new reality has given rise to zero trust security, in which every user and device attempting to access network resources is considered a threat until authenticated and validated. However, that doesn’t mean perimeter security is no longer needed. On the contrary, perimeter security tools play a key role in an effective security strategy.

The Elements of Network Perimeter Security

Perimeter security isn’t just one solution. It requires multiple tools to monitor and filter network traffic and detect and block various types of attacks. Although definitions vary, perimeter security solutions commonly include the following controls:

Protecting your network perimeter is more crucial than ever. Outsourcing network perimeter security to a managed security service provider ensures continuous monitoring, rapid response, and access to advanced tools.

Firewalls

Older firewalls inspected and controlled traffic based on specific ports, protocols and IP addresses. Next-generation firewalls (NGFWs) build on these capabilities through application awareness, enabling organizations to set specific policies for individual applications. They also provide more granular traffic filtering based on source, destination, type and other criteria.

Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs)

IDSs capture and analyze network traffic to identify potential threats and security policy violations. Signature-based IDSs look for known threats, while anomaly-based IDSs look for deviations from normal behavior. Some combine both capabilities for greater effectiveness.

Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPSs)

While IDSs look for malicious activity and generate alerts, IPSs actively block threats based on security policies. This reduces the manual effort required by IT teams and enables more rapid response to attacks.

Network Perimeter Security Challenges

Securing the network perimeter is not easy. Although perimeter security technologies are mature, they must continually evolve to address ever-changing cyberattack techniques. If hackers find just one opening in the network, they can gain a foothold that enables them to compromise systems, steal data and otherwise wreak havoc.

Common perimeter security challenges include:

• Lack of resources. Many organizations simply don’t have enough in-house IT staff to manage and maintain perimeter security tools and respond quickly to threats. The difficulty increases as the network becomes more complex and more users and devices are added.
• Around-the-clock monitoring. A related challenge is the difficulty of monitoring perimeter security tools around the clock. Real-time monitoring is essential to rapid incident response.
• Cost. Securing the network perimeter requires investments in robust tools as well as the personnel needed to manage them. Tools and expertise must be kept up to date as the IT environment and threat climate change.
• Limited visibility. In-house IT teams don’t always have complete visibility throughout the IT environment. They are unable to identify potential threats that could compromise the network perimeter.

The Benefits of Outsourcing Network Perimeter Security

A qualified managed security service provider can relieve this burden with a range of services designed to harden the network perimeter. Managed security service providers use advanced tools to monitor network traffic, user logins and other activity to identify suspicious behavior. When outsourcing cybersecurity, you’re trusting their team to work around the clock to quickly respond to and contain threats. Managed security service providers also manage perimeter security tools and deploy patches and updates to protect against emerging threats.

Global Data Systems offers industry-leading perimeter security solutions backed by our highly trained and experienced experts. Our managed security services encompass firewalls, IDSs/IPSs and other infrastructure security tools in a layered security approach. We monitor and manage these solutions from our Security Operations Center (SOC), giving us complete visibility into your IT environment. Many of our solutions include Hardware-as-a-Service options so you will always have the latest security appliances for one monthly opex fee.

The network perimeter may have expanded and become porous, but protecting that perimeter is more important than ever. GDS can help you select, implement and manage the right tools to defend against a network perimeter breach. For more information on what our team can do for you, contact us about our network perimeter security solutions.

Benefits of Managed IT Services from Global Data Systems

• Strategic Managed IT: We help you solve your technology related business problems.
• Connectivity: We get you reliable, secure connectivity anywhere in the western hemisphere in 48 hours.
• Support: When you need help simply call our 24x7x365 support number.
• Billing: Instead of managing hundreds of vendors - get one, easy to read bill from GDS.

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