What is Network Segmentation and How It Prevents Attacks
Now let's talk network segmentation: we're going to see the kinds and its nice advantages; we'll also know how it becomes a victor on the scene of cyber bullies.
What's Network Segmentation?
Making big-chunk networks into tasty small peanuts. It is not a normal grand network-every device can speak to each other. That is solely segmentation: when rules and decisions are made on who speaks to whom.
By and large, organizations know how to isolate their critical assets by building up hard walls and then controlling the flow of data across these walls; such isolation increases the attacks while rapidly restricting any threats from random dissemination across the entire area of the whole infrastructure.
What You Need for Cutting Up Your Network
Subnets – These are like the rooms we split a big office into making sure different departments are in their own space.
Virtual LANs (VLANs) – It's like drawing invisible lines in a room to split up space on the down-low at the switchboard, without needing to move the furniture around.
Firewalls and Access Control Lists (ACLs) – Think of these as the bouncers of the network deciding which gadgets and folks can swap information between the sections.
Zero Trust Principles – Making sure nobody gets the keys to the kingdom without proving who they are and that they’re supposed to be there.
Network Segmentation Types
Networks need segmenting in all sorts of ways, based on what a company needs for safety. The top picks are:
1. Physical Segmentation
Splitting your network means grabbing different routers and switches to keep parts separate. Think about a business keeping the employee section, the guest spot, and super important stuff all on their own networks.
Good stuff:
Top-notch safety since they're apart.
Stops sneaky links between networks.
Not so great:
Costs a bunch for extra gear.
Tough to grow and keep up.
2. Logical Segmentation (VLANs)
Logical division slices the networking with virtual LANs (VLANs) that simply split the flow of data, thus sharing the same hardware. Network admin can use VLANs to make separate entities without having to buy more equipment.
Pros:
It saves costs, seeing that you are not spending for new hardware.
The setup and maintenance are pretty easy.
Cons:
If you happen to make a mistake during setup, sneaky VLAN hopping attacks could occur.
You may have to come up with more firewall rules to tighten and secure those.
3. Micro-Segmentation
Taking things down to the nitty-gritty, micro-segmentation gives you super detailed power over every last thing—like workloads, gizmos, and apps. This kind of chopping up uses software-defined networking (SDN) and tight security rules to make sure who gets in and who stays out.
Good Stuff:
Boosts safety by keeping interactions to only what's necessary.
Stops hackers from moving sideways in the network.
Downsides:
Needs special software and know-how to set up right.
Can be a headache to handle if you've got a big network.
4. Application Segmentation
One purpose of isolation is to keep some apps or services from the rest of the network. For example, an organization can cut off its credit card payment system by not using it for the everyday business stuff to protect customer info.
Advantages:
Prevents important applications from unauthorized access.
Yields a major attack surface for the cyber bad guys.
Not-so-good things include:
You've really got to watch your policies, or it'll get all messed up.
If you're not sharp, it might muck with smooth operations.
Splitting Networks Blocks Hackers
1. Shrinks Possible Attack Zones
Separating a network into tinier bits stops hackers from breezing right through it all. Even if they crack into one part, the other pieces stay safe.
Example: Say a hacker sneaks into a guest Wi-Fi. Well, they still can't mess with the super important stuff inside.
2. Blocks Malware from Sneaking Around
Loads of cyber nasties, like ransomware and advanced persistent threats (APTs), try to slither from one spot to another in your network. Cutting the network into pieces keeps them stuck where they first popped in.
Example: When ransomware hits the computers in one department, splitting the network stops it from reaching the finance or HR systems.
3. Boosts Access Rules
Dividing the network up applies tough rules on who can get into certain areas making sure it’s just the approved people and devices that can reach specific stuff.
Example: HR folks shouldn’t poke around in financial records unless someone's given them the okay to do it.
4. Steps Up Meeting the Rules
Places like hospitals and banks have got to follow tight rules to keep data safe. Cutting networks into pieces is one way to stick to the must-dos for rules like:
HIPAA keeps healthcare info safe.
PCI DSS secures card payments.
GDPR safeguards your personal stuff.
5. Puts a Check on Sneaky Insiders
Staff or hired folks might want to pinch data or mess with the network. If you slice up the system, they can't do as much harm.
For instance: If a marketer gets ticked off, they can't peek at the top-secret blueprints 'cause of the rules on slicing up access.
6. Makes Your Network Zip Along
Chunking up your network cuts down on needless chit-chat between your tech. This means things get less jammed up. Now, gadgets and apps yap to the other tech they gotta talk to, which speeds up sharing that sweet sweet data.
Top Tips to Splitting Your Network
1. Identify Assets of Importance.
Pinpoint the critical systems, applications, and information that are most valuable to you. Secure them in extremely safe places in the network.
2. Adopt a Zero Trust Approach.
Establish through the right communication a serious policy of Zero Trust security. By this, no human being or system is trusted by default. But rather, an understanding of all actors should be there before access is allowed.
3. Set Up Methods of Restricting Access.
Firewalls would be ranging wildly: ACLs and identity-based rules would do very well.
4. Monitor and Revise Your Rules.
Whatever segmentation policies you've defined should not be neglected. Always monitor them on an ongoing basis and update/revise as necessitated by changes in your threat profile or business changes.
5. Search for Vulnerabilities.
Engaging in penetration testing and vulnerability assessments to discover and remediate security gaps.
6. Control Network Traffic.
Intrusion detection systems (IDS) and security information and event management (SIEM) would be effective in detecting suspicious behaviors.
