As the threat landscape continues to evolve and cyber attacks become more sophisticated, organizations are increasingly looking for new and innovative ways to protect their networks, devices, and data. In this article, we will explore some of the hottest security technologies on the market today, including MXDR, Next-Generation DAST, and SASE.
These technologies are designed to provide advanced security capabilities, such as real-time threat detection and response, and to help organizations stay one step ahead of cyber criminals. We will take a closer look at each of these technologies, and discuss how they can help organizations to improve their security posture and defend against a wide range of cyber threats.
MXDR (Managed Extended Detection & Response)
MXDR is an outsourced cybersecurity solution that provides both automated and human support in threat tracking, threat response, and security intelligence. It is based on XDR, a new security paradigm that enables combination of data from multiple security silos including endpoints, networks, email systems, and cloud environments.
An MXDR platform is a 24/7 security control that proactively identifies potential threats and prevents attacks. This is also known as continuously managed threat hunting. The platform leverages a variety of endpoint and network security technologies to manage firewalls and other security infrastructure that can help detect threats.
MXDR solutions are supported by threat intelligence, extensive forensic data and advanced analytics. The solution provider’s security team uses this data to perform triage, investigate incidents, and remediate them.
The MXDR system contains multiple layers of technology that work together to provide security against internal and external threat. These include:
- Vulnerability management—MXDR systems not only proactively monitor threats, but also discover vulnerabilities in the digital environment. Threat intelligence-driven systems evaluate and score vulnerabilities based on the risk they pose.
- Threat hunting—includes identifying and discovering signs of malicious activity deep within a company’s digital environment, using a combination of human and machine intelligence.
- Network forensics—includes investigation and reconstruction of events leading to security breaches. The goal is to identify possible perpetrators of attacks, to determine the scope of violations, remediate attacks and enable prosecution of cybercriminals.
- Threat Intelligence—up-to-date information on threats from global security sources. This includes data on new attacks, emerging threats, and other types of cybercriminal activity, collected by experts with deep knowledge of the deep web and dark web.
Next-Generation DAST [Q1]
Next-generation DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing) is a type of security testing that focuses on finding vulnerabilities in web applications and APIs by actively interacting with them in real-time.
Unlike traditional DAST tools, which rely on static analysis of source code or pre-defined attack patterns, next-generation DAST tools use advanced techniques such as machine learning, fuzzing, and behavioral analysis to simulate real user behavior and identify vulnerabilities that may not be detectable using static analysis alone.
Next-generation DAST tools can be used to:
- Test the security of web applications and APIs in real-time, as they are being used.
- Identify vulnerabilities that may not be detectable using static analysis alone, such as logic flaws, business logic errors, and insecure application configurations.
- Test for vulnerabilities in custom code, third-party libraries, and frameworks.
- Provide real-time feedback and guidance to developers on how to fix identified vulnerabilities.
- Integrate with development and testing tools, such as continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) pipelines, to enable automated and frequent testing.
SASE
Secure Access Service Edge, also known as SASE, is a cloud architecture model that unifies networking and security-as-a-service functions into a single cloud service.
SASE enables organizations to consolidate networking and security tools into a single management console. It provides simple security and networking tools regardless of the location of your employees and resources. SASE requires minimal hardware, combining SD-WAN and network security capabilities into a single cloud-based platform.
As the number of remote workers grows and more organizations use cloud services to run applications, SASE provides a convenient, cost-effective, scalable SaaS offering for networking and security.
Historically, organizations have secured their networks via traditional hardware networking and outdated perimeter-based security models. SASE creates a user-centric network model that can:
- Improve agility—SASE makes it easy to deploy new resources. This only requires deploying an edge client and connecting it to the SASE platform, with no need to maintain local infrastructure.
- Improve security with unified policies—SASE provides a complete security stack that protects all resources with integrated security policies. It provides full visibility into WAN and Internet traffic with no blind spots.
- Simplified network stack—SASE integrates multiple individual solutions into one platform, providing a simpler network and security stack. This reduces upfront costs and eliminates the need for complex management of security tools.
FwaaS (Firewall as a Service)
Migration to cloud-based platforms and the growing use of mobile devices are breaking down traditional network boundaries. Many organizations still rely on perimeter-centric security strategies, but this evolution is forcing a fundamental change to network security.
Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS) moves firewall functions to the cloud, instead of deploying it within the traditional network perimeter. Leveraging cloud computing for security solutions can provide organizations with financial, performance and security benefits.
Firewall as a service moves next-generation firewall (NGFW) capabilities from physical devices to the cloud. By decoupling security functions from the physical infrastructure, organizations can securely connect remote mobile workers and offices to modern enterprise networks, where applications run either on-premises or in the cloud.
Key features of FWaaS include:
- Unified security policy—firewalls can enforce security policies, but only for traffic passing through the firewall. FWaaS makes it easier for organizations to send all traffic through a single firewall, enabling consistent and unified security policies across the hybrid network.
- Flexible deployment—a physical firewall can only be deployed within the geographic space of the organization. As a cloud-based resource, FWaaS does not have the same limitations and can be deployed wherever the organization requires.
- Simplified deployment and maintenance—purchasing, deploying, and configuring a physical firewall appliance can be a complex process that requires expertise. With FWaaS, many of these setup steps are not required, because these firewalls are instantly provisioned as virtualized appliances in the cloud.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the security technology landscape is constantly changing and evolving, and organizations need to stay on top of the latest developments to ensure that their networks, devices, and data are adequately protected.
MXDR, Next-Generation DAST, SASE, and other emerging technologies are providing new and innovative ways to improve security and stay ahead of cyber criminals. By implementing these technologies, organizations can gain a comprehensive view of their security posture, and can detect and respond to threats in real-time. While no security solution is perfect, and there will always be new challenges to face, these technologies are an important step forward in the ongoing battle against cyber attacks.
