Designing and building a secure network requires smart, informed decisions and knowing the network’s risks. For some, securing a network drives them to paralysis by analysis. Too much analysis, overthinking and input to the point where nothing has been clearly secured. The decisions that go into securing a network today are complex with additional infrastructure, software or vendor requirements needed than were just a couple of years ago. In fact, just a few years ago most network data was secured behind a firewall - today more than 48% of business data is stored in the cloud (statista.com 2019). Threats have reached critical mass – it’s now more important than ever to secure your critical network data.
Despite the growing amount of business data being stored, or the type of Cloud looking to be used (private cloud, hybrid or public) your network’s security needs may be best secured with a simplified, infrastructure. A secure infrastructure permits an enterprise to take advantage of the benefits that a Software-Defined WAN provides. An enterprise employing a SD-WAN will see a network 100 times faster than a WAN at a cost savings of three times on a network built for scalability, flexibility and easier manageability. Combine it with the Cloud and you have a network you don’t want to leave open to risk.
Adversarial nation states continue to aggressively and broadly use implanted hardware data-tracking devices, cyber tactics, and malware to obtain sensitive intellectual property from the United States and Europe – targeting confidential government, private enterprise and educational institution research data.
As one example, on October 24, 2018, Bloomberg uncovered a state-sponsored network hack enabled through ‘off-the-shelf’ Asian built network appliances. The hack exposed confidential data from more than thirty leading US based technology companies. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-10-04/the-big-hack-how-china-used-a-tiny-chip-to-infiltrate-america-s-top-companies
SD-WAN infrastructure designers and appliance buyers should be mindful of the equipment being used.
U.S. designed and manufactured networking appliances along with robust software (and operating systems such as a standardized Linux O/S) assist in control and accountability over the infrastructure rollout or add-ons. Often employed at the edge of an SD-WAN Cloud network, the hardware that speeds this data for storage is made up of off-the-shelf solutions to optimize and ensure cost-effective results. This hardware is ready to run the customer’s secure image. Financial branch offices, corporate campuses, or remote data centers reflect some of the local locations where this infrastructure is put in place and where network appliances are playing an active part in the growing Cloud solution.
Additional protection for a network is afforded by employing standards like the Federal Information Processing Standards’ FIPS 140-2, level 2 and level 3 which are increasingly becoming the choice for securing a device, even for those not mandated by the federal government. FIPS 140-2 compliancy is mandatory for use in federal government departments that collect, store, transfer, share and disseminate sensitive information. This includes contractors, service providers, networking and providers associated with cloud services outside of the government. Hardware Security Module-enabled embedded appliances (with encryption) protect critical storage utilizing tamper-evident capabilities and other physical security capabilities. These devices meet ever-greater encryption/decryption performance requirements and provide simplified certificate management. Devices designed and manufactured in the U.S. enable the additional FIPS 140-2 standard to be added to a device assuring the secure criticality of a network system from infrastructure through the Cloud.
Secure Foundation
Because adversarial nation states compromise networking hardware, resulting in risk to your SD-WAN Cloud computing, it is critical to emphasize the importance of securing key hardware and software for your networking needs. Interface Masters Technologies’ embedded network appliances provide scalable network security platforms that readily meet the design, hardware and software foundation required of security-assured network appliances. Providing a secure start with your software eliminates many problems. Design, manufacturing and software create the security needed. Finally, Interface Masters currently offers a full range of US designed and US manufactured appliances based on a wide range of CPU and switch fabric technologies supporting high-performance threat protection.
About Interface Masters Technologies
For over 20 years Interface Masters Technologies has been providing network security solutions with complete supply chain control and oversight on customization services and off-the-shelf innovations to OEMs, Fortune 100, and startup companies. Our headquarters are in San Jose, California in the heart of Silicon Valley where we are proud to design and manufacture all our products. Based on MIPS, ARM, PowerPC and x86 processors, Interface Masters appliance models enable OEMs to significantly reduce time-to-market with reliable, pre-tested and pre-integrated networking solutions that can meet the most challenging security requirements. Including the NSA-certified FIPS 140-2 Level 3 if they so desire.