Advanced threats are cyberattacks that gain unauthorized and undetected access to systems or data over an extended period. They require sophisticated tools to be detected and repelled.
NGFWs are equipped to detect these new and evolving threats. When choosing an NGFW, ensure it has the capabilities vital to your business.
Real-Time Malware Detection
NGFWs use in-line deep packet inspection, intrusion prevention, web content filtering, and more to detect threats at the network edge. They also support advanced malware detection, anti-malware, and sandboxing to protect against sophisticated attacks. They also integrate with a security fabric to prevent the spread of malware and allow rapid responses when incidents occur.
Using dynamic analysis, next generation firewall features can identify malicious behavior at the process level and kill infected processes. They can also reduce attack vectors by blocking unknown applications, preventing data leakage, and blocking risky websites. Next-generation firewalls can detect real-time malware without needing a separate appliance or service.
However, this approach can still be limited by several factors. For example, some types of malware can execute in seconds, making it difficult for a model to identify the malicious activity. Furthermore, some models perform poorly on benign ware classification or malware classification.
To address these challenges, the Forcepoint NGFW uses a combination of advanced analytics and threat intelligence to update signatures and block zero-day ransomware automatically. It can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud and offers a flexible management system. It also integrates with an SD-WAN to provide secure connectivity over a wide range of connections, including broadband and dedicated lines, with high availability.
Behavioral Analysis
Behavioral analysis is a sophisticated tool that monitors the behavior of all connections in your network. This can detect the early signs of a threat, alert your IT team and provide recommendations on mitigating it. With the help of a security vendor, a behavioral system can be installed and configured within a few weeks.
NGFWs use advanced security features to inspect traffic at layers 4-7 to detect threats that are not visible through traditional port/protocol inspection. With deep-packet assessment and granular application awareness, they can identify and protect against the latest ransomware attacks, social engineering attacks, malware, and distributed denial of service (DDoS) threats.
While stateful firewalls that rely on recognizable signatures and activity cannot keep pace with today’s new, stealthy cyber threats, NGFWs offer a more comprehensive security solution that can protect networks from the wide range of advanced attacks now causing damage to organizations’ IT infrastructure. They can also provide essential features to support a zero-trust approach and increase network visibility by allowing for the inspection of encrypted packets.
Many traditional firewalls require multiple software tools to perform security inspection, resulting in much redundant data processing. This can cause network performance issues and make managing your IT staff challenging. In contrast, a next-generation firewall can deliver unified threat management services alongside basic firewall capabilities on a single platform to reduce network complexity.
Deep Packet Inspection
Deep packet inspection scans the contents of each data packet as it passes through a firewall or checkpoint. It can then take action on that information based on preprogrammed rules. It is a far more powerful tool than conventional packet filtering, which merely checks the header information in a packet. That approach is akin to reading the title of a book without ever cracking open its cover.
When used with malware detection algorithms, DPI can block ransomware, viruses, spyware, worms, and other threats that attempt to elude antivirus or traditional security software. It also stops unauthorized use of applications and sites such as file sharing, gambling, productivity-lowering games, and more.
ISPs often utilize DPI to prevent the spread of computer viruses, identify illegal downloads, prioritize data for bandwidth-heavy applications like video chat and VoIP, and assist law enforcement (with a warrant) in intercepting communications of suspected criminals. Organizations can also employ DPI to help manage network and server traffic by identifying, filtering, and removing non-business traffic to improve performance.
Unfortunately, DPI can also be used for less-admirable purposes, such as internet data mining, eavesdropping, and censorship. It can also monitor citizens’ network traffic and censor pornography, religious information, political dissent, and more.
Threat Intelligence
Threat intelligence is a critical component of the security stack. It provides context for threats and helps security teams understand how they should prioritize vulnerabilities and mitigation activities. It combines external and internal sources, including a business’s log management system and security information and event management (SIEM) tool. This information is compiled into a threat intelligence feed, which can then be delivered to humans via reports or used by automated tools as an alert.
The next step involves processing and interpreting the collected data to make it worthwhile for the intended audience. This step consists of creating intelligence reports tailored to a specific audience and clearly explaining the security implications of the reported threats. Often, this involves distilling complex technical jargon into easy-to-understand reports that are presented in a digestible format. This information can be in written reports or converted into data files used by security tools to detect and respond to threats automatically.
This information can inform cybersecurity decision-making at all levels of the organization, from CISOs and security teams to non-technical business leaders. It can be used to demonstrate the value of security investment, support decisions regarding investments in new technologies, and help communicate the impact of an attack on business operations.
