The Mounting Need for an Integrated Security Platform

Jon Bove

Today’s networks are continually growing and increasing in complexity, which has led to a deeper fragmentation of traditional edges at the data center, wide area network and local area network. Factors such as off-network devices, 5G and LTE, multicloud environments, converged operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) networks, and the unexpected rise of the home edge have all introduced new challenges. Now, organizations must be able to offer remote employees the same level of access, speed, customization and performance as those who are still working in an office.

The adoption of new technologies and the expansion of unique edge environments can make it challenging to effectively secure customer networks. As a result, many organizations are turning to a number of disparate point solutions, each designed to cover only a particular network segment. This can lead to gaps in security and is a mounting weakness that cyber criminals continue to take advantage of to gain unauthorized access, steal or corrupt data and systems, or even disrupt the economy.

As more organizations leverage vendors and new technology solutions, establishing and maintaining holistic visibility and consistent security policy enforcement can be a challenge. A recent survey by IBM found that organizations are deploying roughly 45 different solutions on average, with most requiring coordination across 19 security tools. With the cybersecurity skills gap continuously widening, IT staff can’t afford to spend more time monitoring a wide range of security solutions.

Taking All Security Elements Into Account

Even organizations that understand the importance of security everywhere may find it difficult to not only establish a flexible and adaptive network, but also to add security that can keep up with an evolving threat landscape. This challenge is exacerbated for businesses using legacy solutions and strategies.

For this reason, partners should help their customers implement a security-driven networking strategy, which operates under the idea that networking and security should act in tandem. This helps to break down siloes and encourages collaboration across the network. Networking and security should be integrated into an IT infrastructure that can take all moving parts into account, including the network, endpoints and devices, and the cloud and applications. In doing so, security is able to take key networking functions into account and more appropriately adapt configurations, policies, and programs to better maintain consistent protection.

Today, organizations require solutions that can offer coverage across the entire attack surface. To maintain a strong defense, it’s critical to understand the components of the cyber kill chain. The process begins with threat reconnaissance, first looking at weaponization, then delivery, exploitation, installation, command and control, and finally, action objectives. To keep up with evolving networks, partners must help their customers evaluate these factors across their digital attack surface and gain the ability to thwart the cyber kill chain at any given point, in any location within the network.

The Case for a Broad, Integrated and Automated Security Platform

As a result of the ever-growing digital threat landscape, many organizations are turning to integrated tools or platforms. In the past, the cybersecurity industry has fallen short when it comes to delivering advanced solutions that can keep up with continuous network changes. Rather than providing a comprehensive and integrated solution, many security manufacturers are focused on providing security to only a specific piece of a business’ network.

However, the right platform can assist in …

… effectively deploying and managing security solutions. To meet the advanced needs of today’s businesses, security teams should consider a broad platform that can help improve performance and deliver automation. Through deeply integrated solutions, partners can help their customers ensure consistent security and performance spanning from edge to edge.

To facilitate integration throughout their customers’ IT infrastructure, partners should deploy a comprehensive solution that leverages a common foundation that converges networking and security. This makes it possible for security to keep up with any shifts between the two, offering comprehensive visibility across the entire IT infrastructure, including hybrid hardware and software deployments. By considering all of the different connected systems deployed on the network, security solutions can more efficiently identify potential threats, share threat intelligence and coordinate an appropriate and unified response.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are also critical components of a security platform. Cyberattacks are becoming more sophisticated, with most of them happening at machine-level speeds that humans alone cannot respond to. As businesses embrace digital transformation, security systems must be able to identify, analyze and respond to threats in real-time while ensuring that any gaps in security don’t arise as they undergo dynamic changes.

Finding the Right Platform for Short- and Long-Term Success

The number of organizations leveraging a platform approach is on the rise, but it’s important that these platforms consider all elements of security, as opposed to one specific area. When looking to implement platform solutions, businesses should consider whether they can truly offer end-to-end protection for the entire IT infrastructure, including the network, endpoints and across the cloud.

By taking a platform approach built on a common foundation that converges networking and security, partners can enable coordination across their customers’ entire suite of security technologies. This opens the door for a more collaborative response to emerging threats. With a unified, centralized source of threat intelligence, security teams can more easily mitigate gaps in network security and improve overall response protocols.

Today’s businesses require advanced solutions that can flexibly respond to changes. The right platform should be able to continuously adapt to changes in both the digital threat landscape and the growing digital attack surface that many organizations are being faced with. With a broad, integrated security platform, partners can more easily maintain and even improve their customers’ cyber health, allowing them to take advantage of digital innovation without having to compromise on security.

Jon Bove is the vice president of channel sales at Fortinet. He and his team are responsible for strategizing, promoting and driving the channel sales strategy for partners in the United States. A 17-year veteran of the technology industry, Bove has held progressively responsible sales, sales leadership and channel leadership positions. Follow @Fortinet on Twitter or Bove on LinkedIn.