Significance of Segmentation in Securing Wi-Fi Network Infrastructure
What, how and where can segmentation help in bettering the network security
Introduction
Knowing Network Segmentation
Benefits achieved from Network Segmentation
Use cases for Segmentation
Enhancing compliance and data protection
Success stories with implementation of Segmentation
Conclusion
Introduction
There is a vast range of security software aimed at the consumer and enterprise markets. The intent is to provide protection to wireless networks and Wi-Fi-enabled devices such as routers, switches, controllers, and access points. Many of these solutions are downloadable to wireless LANs (WLANs) and mobile devices.
Newer software solutions designed to secure Wi-Fi are built in the backbone of the internet and are available via cloud platforms nowadays. These solutions provide a first line of defense for the breaches of wireless networks by preventing users from accessing malicious sites.
Knowing Network Segmentation
Network Segmentation is basically dividing the accessible network into different zones to limit the access for a particular set of users.
Types of Segmentation
VLAN
The data link layer can be logically segmented for enabling isolation in a physical network.
Source: NordLayer
Subnetting
An IP in a network can be divided into a of sub-networks to enhance performance and security.
Demilitiarized zones (DMZ)
A buffer zone is created between the external and internal networks, typically when it comes to publically facing networks.
Benefits achieved from Network Segmentation
To begin with, there are three important benefits when Network Segmentation is implemented.
Security
Access Control
Reduced Attack Surface
Segmentation helps for limiting lateral movement of threats. If there is a security breach, then it's impact can be limited to that particular segment.
For each segment, the admin can put up specific role/access based control. This limits unauthorised access.
The attack expanse when the network is segmented, gets limited for each designated access segment. This reduces the attack surface.
Apart from these, segmentation provides flexibility without much discrepancies. This scalability is important in dynamic environments.
Resources can be more seamlessly allocated when there are designated accesses for each of the segments present in a network.
Use Case for Segmentation
Guest network is one example of network Segmentation. Segmentation creates that layer of separation for guests to connect on network which can have internal stakeholders data protected and secure.
Security incidents can be curbed by isolating the network components which got affected. This can be put in place until an in-depth analysis is carried out.
Employee Departments can be segregated in a corporate setup limiting the data the various teams can access. This can be brought about by segmentation.
Every other industry vertical in which, network comes into play can have segmentation as a security feature with faster engineering redundancy. It can be R&D, retail, pharmacy etc.,
Enhancing compliance and data protection
Isolation of sensitive data is an important benefit/use case when it is a part of complying with standard set of procedures pertaining to some regulation. It also reduces data breaches.
Segmentation helps for implementing encryption at granular levels. This helps for maintaining better data security and confidentiality.
It helps for securing the communication channels. The segments of communication channels can be kept secure by using segmentation of networks.
This segmentation can turn out to be comparatively simpler execution of data security measures. It helps for organized and better security for various segments in the network and better encryption for various modes of data exchange in a given network.
Conclusion
The implementation of network segmentation stands as an important step in enhancing the security, compliance, and data protection strategies of modern organizations.
As network usage by the organizations evolve with time, the cyber threats evolve too.