Page 22 - FCW, July/August 2018

NETWORKS
OVERLOAD AND SECURITY
An Intelligent Approach to Network Overload and Security
Sweeping adoption of information technology by federal agencies is straining network security. Internet- connected sensors alone – used
in smart buildings, fleet telematics
and asset management – have compromised security by making it virtually impossible to prioritize and route traffic effectively. Indeed, a recent federal report found that government organizations score lower than most sectors in network security.
As network traffic increases, so too does the proliferation of IP addresses, which hackers use to launch network attacks, send spam, spread viruses
and malware, or download sensitive data. According to the 2017 U.S.
State and Federal Cybersecurity Report, government IP addresses are vulnerable, ranking near the bottom of all sectors based on reputation.
The solution is to eliminate “open doors” left by IP addresses and create a network security solution that isn’t reactive, says Richard Fu, president of IMPRES Technology Solutions, a federal solution provider.
Until now, federal agencies have mostly been in a reactive posture, attempting to thwart network-based attacks using cybersecurity tools
such as intrusion detection systems, firewalls and anti-malware. To protect IP addresses, they often have turned to Network Address Translation (NAT), which reassigns IP addresses and port numbers and allows organizations
to use a single, unique IP address to represent multiple devices.
Despite the effort, these tactics aren’t reliable. A recent data threat report found that federal agencies are experiencing more data breaches than other sectors. According to the report, the rate of breaches at federal agencies tripled from 2016 to 2018.
“There is nothing stopping people from looking behind the IP addresses and quickly determining what the device is, what operating system it’s using, and the username and password of the devices,” explains Robert Osborne, IMPRES’s CTO.
A refined approach to network security
IMPRES has focused on the government’s network security needs, integrating several best-of- breed technologies with its own engineering expertise. The result is the IMPRES Cyberspace Operations Infrastructure architecture. The
ICSOI solution mitigates network security vulnerabilities in a more comprehensive way that acknowledges the realities of today’s network and cybersecurity realities.
To ensure security inside and beyond the network perimeter, ICSOI individualizes protection so that only whitelisted devices can see each other. “Even if you knew the device was sitting next to you on the network, you couldn’t talk to it, and it wouldn’t react to you or respond in any way because as far as it’s concerned, you don’t even exist,” Fu says.
Furthermore, all communication is cloaked and encrypted. The ICSOI can be an overlay network infrastructure, operating as an invisible fabric to cloak the existing infrastructure
from exposure and providing for quick deployment. The ICSOI also
can operate in place of existing infrastructure if an agency requires a complete rebuild and flattening of its network infrastructure.
In addition, the solution allows networks to better prioritize network traffic, automatically rerouting it based on traffic congestion, volume and priority of data. The overlay can provide micro segmentation down to
PRODUCED BY SPONSORED BY
IMPRES Technology Solutions, Inc.
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