Cybersecurity breaches, unfortunately, do not slow down in the summer. In fact, most security professionals will tell you that they are actually more frequent in the summer months. The reasons for this are murky, but having more staff out on vacation or working remotely are likely contributors. One measure we can take to prevent catastrophic infiltration is network segmentation.

What Is Network Segmentation?

When we segment a network, we partition a physical network into separate, logical sub-networks. We then distinguish the sub-networks and create unique security controls and services for each of them. 

Applying controls to the individual, compartmentalized segments provides more control over network traffic. Network segmentation, therefore, optimizes network performance in addition to providing network security.

Network Segmentation And Cybersecurity

A single flat network provides cybercriminals with an expansive attack surface. They only need to successfully breach your perimeter once, then they are able to move laterally through your entire network. 

Dividing your network into isolated sub-networks, on the other hand, enables the isolation of an active attack before it can spread over the whole network. This is how network segmentation creates the smallest attack surface possible for would-be hackers.

Network Segmentation Improves Network Performance

Segmenting a network removes unnecessary traffic from each segment, which reduces network congestion and improves performance. For example, a library’s tracking system can be segmented from its guest network so that the checkout process is not affected by web browsing traffic.

Because you have fewer hosts for each sub-network, local traffic is minimized and external traffic is limited to only what is designated for that sub-network.

Cybersecurity Help From RAVENii

RAVENii can segment and protect your network as a stand-alone service or as part of our Virtual Chief Information Security Officer consulting. Our vCISO consulting service helps organizations by steering them in the right direction; helping them create and facilitate a full suite of security programs.

Our consulting services are proactive – seeking out the gaps where our clients are most exposed by using our rigorous step-by-step methodology. This helps evaluate what’s merely a nominal vulnerability versus what represents a true critical risk to an organization.

“Maturity Modeling” is the process RAVENii uses to identify the “gaps” between where a client’s security posture is currently positioned versus where it “should be” within their business vertical. 

This process gives our customers the ability to quickly and accurately apply the security resources required to close the gaps, freeing them to focus on their core business operations:

• Identification of priority action items to close gaps quickly
• Actionable data for a proactive plan
• Strategic Roadmaps with Level of Effort (LOE)
• Consistent and meaningful metrics
• Maturity modeling gaps to help show business context
• Risk methodology to compare to peers

RAVENii was launched in 2014 bringing decades of front-line experience across many domains of cybersecurity; while harnessing the power of its global network of seasoned security experts to keep abreast of the ever-changing threat landscape. Our team of experts includes former CISOs in the financial, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and utilities industries.

For more information about network segmentation or other services, click here or call (844) 317-0944.