With more than 600 million individuals worldwide now on the Internet, cyber criminals are taking advantage of unsecured systems to usher in a new era of high-profit, low-overhead crimes, according to Gartner, Inc.
Gartner analysts say that through 2005, 20 percent of enterprises will experience a serious (beyond virus) Internet security incident. These crimes are targeting information and intellectual property. While the majority of enterprises will not face such an attack, companies must still take the proper precautions. Being a victim of one of these security incidents could be much more costly for enterprises if they don’t protect themselves.
'It takes only one unsecured machine on a network to create potential risk for everyone else,' said Richard Hunter, vice president and Gartner Fellow. 'The risks and the costs of defenses are high, and the trend is moving both upward.'
Unfortunately, organizations of all sizes find it difficult to implement the necessary safeguards to protect their mission-critical applications and sensitive data. A piecemeal approach to security will inevitably leave portions of the network vulnerable to attack — and, worse, give the organization a false sense of security.
'Network security involves much more than installing a firewall,' said Sean Peltier, a Systems Consultant for Global Data Systems who specializes in security solutions. 'However, most organizations simply lack the knowledge and expertise to fully protect their systems, applications and data. We have developed nSul8 to provide customers with a comprehensive suite of security products and services that will protect them now and in the future.'
Help Wanted
The development and implementation of a robust security solution requires tremendous expertise. In-depth technical skills and a thorough understanding of internetworking are musts. In addition, post-deployment support and management must be considered, new security threats must be anticipated and the security solution must be able to scale as the organization’s needs change.
nSul8 delivers a powerful combination of professional services, remote management and support that insulates an organization’s business intelligence, applications and network devices from network security threats. This layer of protective 'insulation' combines four critical security elements — perimeter security, intrusion detection, virtual private networks (VPNs), and virus detection and prevention — with a methodology that addresses security assessment, design, implementation, 24x7 managed security services, and post-deployment support and operations.
'The nSul8 methodology delivers the assurance that all critical issues are addressed and no details are overlooked,' Peltier said. 'It is an organized and integrated approach in which we assess existing network security measures, review and define security policies and determine access privileges.'
Knowledge Is Power
nSul8 experts begin by gaining a thorough understanding of the Client’s business model, security requirements and needs. The nSul8 team then analyzes current vulnerabilities within the network and begins the process of identifying the components that meet or exceed the customer’s security requirements. This information drives the overall project planning, design and implementation.
nSul8 experts deploy a robust set of security capabilities to identify attacks as they occur, alert administrators as necessary and automatically respond to events. By combining the different types of network security and integrating them as a single system, threats are not only mitigated but often prevented and eliminated before they can impact the organization.
The nSul8 suite includes the option of advanced professional training services that enable administrators to gain a thorough understanding of firewalls, intrusion detection systems, VPNs and other elements used to secure the network. This Web-based training ensures that an organization has the knowledge to operate its systems and combat threats to the network.
Details, Details
Perimeter security provides the means to control access to applications, data and services so that only legitimate users and information can pass through the network. It is traditionally provided by a firewall that inspects packets and sessions to determine if they should be transmitted or dropped according to established parameters. nSul8 experts plan, design and implement the firewalls that protect the network perimeter. Their assessment can easily determine the quantity that will be required and the configuration to ensure optimal protection from threats.
Intrusion detection systems protect the network from unauthorized activity and attacks. nSul8 experts implement intrusion detection systems to detect suspicious activity, forward alarms to administrators and mitigate the effect of the attack on the network.
When using the Internet to transport data, it is sometimes necessary to protect information from eavesdropping or tampering. nSul8 experts fulfill secure traffic requirements between multiple location by deploying VPNs that utilize encryption and tunneling mechanisms at the IP network layer. Point-to-point encrypted tunnels enable secure connectivity for branch offices, telecommuters or business partners via the Internet.
Service and Support
All of these solutions can be delivered as part of nSul8 Managed Services, a comprehensive set of remote management and technical support services that enhance an organization’s ability to meet their security demands and requirements. With nSul8 Managed Services and Support, organizations not only benefit from best-of-breed monitoring, management and reporting tools, but they also leverage the knowledge and experience of GDS security experts.
'As the leader in providing business integrity solutions, GDS offers a competitive advantage by enabling the customer to rapidly deploy then support an integrated security system that combines professional services, managed services and post-implementation support,' Peliter said. 'This is especially important as many organizations are challenged to reduce costs during a broad deployment. nSul8’s managed services solutions are uniquely positioned to increase the speed to deployment, manage the solution and deliver post-implementation support.'
Security threats exist every second of every day — from malicious code, denial-of-service attacks and experienced hackers to internal security breaches. Every network is a potential target.
Point products cannot provide adequate protection against these attacks. With nSul8, organizations gain the confidence that that vulnerabilities are identified and corrected, the right equipment is properly deployed and configured, viruses are contained, quarantined and destroyed, and the overall system is continuously updated with latest versions of software and security patches.
'GDS’ proven methodology, tremendous expertise and practical experience deliver the right security solution that customers depend on every day to protect and enable business,' Peltier said.