A The Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) can be described as an advanced security solution for networks that goes beyond the capabilities of traditional firewalls can provide by combining sophisticated traffic filtering technology and sophisticated security detection and inspection technologies. NGFWs are designed to provide greater insight into the actions of networks and protect against and identify the most recent cyber-attacks and ensure the most accurate security monitoring.

A brief review of NGFWs

The shift from traditional firewalls to modern-day firewalls was prompted by the necessity to combat increasingly sophisticated and obscure hacker attacks. The first firewalls were designed to regulate access based on location of the IP address and port number and protocol. But as applications became more sophisticated and attackers developed more sophisticated and sophisticated, the weaknesses of static rules became apparent. NGFWs were designed to address this problem and provide a greater analysis of packets, application awareness and security features that are built-in such as intrusion prevention as and security measures to detect malware.

The most important attributes of NGFWs

• Awareness of applications: Contrary to conventional firewalls NGFW can identify and control access to apps regardless of protocol or port, thereby providing companies with more precise oversight of data according to specific app behaviors instead of just the network’s parameters.
• Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): Integrated Interruption Prevention System (IPS) permits NGFWs to stop criminal activities in preventing and deterring known dangers, such as malware, exploits, and efforts to access to systems that aren’t allowed by.
• The HTML0 protocol is a deep Packet Examining (DPI): NGFWs look into the contents of packets, beyond headers and looking at the payload for any threats, giving better security when compared with traditional firewalls.
• SSL/TLS traffic decryption The NGFWs can decrypt aswell examine encrypted traffic this is a very resource-intensive job because of the demands of keeping track of the increasing amount of SSL/TLS encrypted internet traffic.
• ID-Based Access Control NGFWs are able to implement security policies based on the identity of the users, not only networks, thereby providing more security and security that is more specific and tailored to the individual.
• threat intelligence integration Modern NGFWs typically integrate other threat intelligence providers that offer real-time data on the latest threats, allowing you to guard against the rise of new threats.

NGF Compares to. traditional firewalls, as well as various other tools for security

Traditional firewalls work as a barrier which allows or blocks traffic in accordance with predefined guidelines (such ports and IP addresses) They’re much more adaptable. They monitor the movement of traffic in real time and can identify specific applications. They can detect suspicious activities within the circulation of information.

In comparison to intrusion detection systems ( IDS/IPS) they offer the ability to block traffic inline (IPS) in addition to advanced features for traffic inspection. They operate as a complement to networks, delivering immediate threat reduction by actively blockage (like an IPS) as an IDS is independent of the band, providing the ability to monitor and alert without restricting access to traffic. This distinction is significant because they are actively guarding against threats, IDS focuses on monitoring and detecting, often providing an extensive set of data to analyze, without affecting any network’s performance.

But, they aren’t entirely inaccessible to attackers. As opposed to networks that use detection and response (NDR) methods that are not part of the band and have the capability to monitor and participate in the flow of traffic NGFWs are on-line and can be spotted and targeted in the hands of hackers. This makes NDR is a great alternative to NGFWs because its inactivity protects them from attack and also provides continuously monitored security and the capability to identify threats.

It’s crucial to understand that certain NGFWs don’t have the capability to handle specific types of advanced attacks, specifically ones that are based on being laterally incorporated into network. The NGFWs concentrate on traffic flowing from the north to the south (traffic that is moving in and out within the system) this means they’re incapable of recognizing threats moving in a more later route (east-west flows) within these systems. This lack of awareness could permit advanced hackers to operate undetected once they have been in an area of the system.

Another disadvantage is the absence of depth in the logging. While firewall logs generally include basic information such as IP ports of the sources and destinations and protocols NGFWs usually do not provide extensive metadata such as particulars of HTTP, DNS, and SSL transactions (e.g. the URL that is used in the HTTP requests, or DNS name that is fixed ).to address this issue, certain companies have taken to the activation of NGFW debug logging in order to provide the precise information needed by SecOps groups.

However it is possible that activating debug logs can have significant impact on performance and costs in that creating long debug logs could impact the performance of networks and can be costly due to the increased storage demands.

Does it really require NDR I do have NGFW?

NDRs, NGFWs and NDR solutions perform distinct but complementary functions within an overall security strategy.

NGFWs are extremely efficient in preventing threats from the perimeter, focusing on traffic moving from the north and south. They do this by and analyzing headers to identify packets, and applying rules to restrict or restrict the flow of traffic. However, NGFWs aren’t as effective in the way they monitor their own internal (east-west) networks which is crucial in identifying threats that have entered networks. Advanced attackers usually employ lateral movement techniques in order to achieve their goals, but NGFWs typically lack the transparency required to identify these types of activities within their network.

NDR solutions provide complete monitoring of the network which includes both perimeter and internal traffic. Through a deep analysis of the packets, behaviour analytics, and the most recent technology for detecting threats, NDR solutions can identify threats that can override NGFW protections or come from inside the network. In contrast to NGFWs that typically focus on blocking active traffic, NDR provides detailed, out-of-band surveillance, which provides complete transparency. It also records large quantities of metadata, such as protocols used by software (e.g., HTTP, DNS, SSL) to provide more details about the operations of a network.

Additionally, NDR enhances the ability to detect lateral movements as well as unusual internal activity and more complex multiple-stage attack types that NGFWs aren’t able of detecting making it a useful instrument for security monitoring and emergency response. By storing the most complete, concise data that can be used for analysis over the long term, NDR assists security professionals to better understand the activities of networks and identify suspicious behavior that would otherwise go unnoticed. It allows the identification and recording of suspicious activities that firewalls are unable to stop, leading to large small data files that are perfect for long-term storage and analysis.

Implementing NDR in conjunction in conjunction with NGFW will ensure that your security strategy can handle threats from outside trying to get into your network, as and security threats within your network that may be going without being detected. This combination provides a solid multi-layered security crucial for the contemporary security.

What is the process by which NGFWs integrate into an existing security system?

The next-generation of firewalls is an essential part of a comprehensive security strategy. Through integrating features like deep packet inspection, application control and IPS into one structure, NGFWs offer a strong protection against both recognized and undiscovered security threats. They’re most efficient when employed alongside other security tools that address the various aspects of security that are required for networks.

For example, NGFWs are a part of the network’s detection and response (NDR) solution that provides security for the perimeter and blockage of threats and threat blockage, whereas NDR provides a greater reach of network as well as a more flexible protection. NGFWs are great at blocking known threats from the perimeter, but NDR solutions like Corelight’s Open NDR Platform are crucial to identify and analyze threats that don’t meet the security requirements of the initial measures or originate within the networks. NDR is also able to provide microsegmentation and zero trust by providing information on what is happening inside the network. This helps identify and validate effective security measures.

Combining NGFWs together alongside other tools for security like Security Information and Event Management ( SIEM) will further enhance security by integrating the alerts from various sources, while giving context to enable a more efficient response to events. This layering method makes sure that the perimeter defenses and the internal network activity is protected that reduces the chance of breaches that are not noticed and increases the speed of responding.

Incorporating NGFWs into HTML0 for improved security

NGFWs combat the weaknesses of traditional firewalls by offering advanced detection, prevention, and control features to modern network. But, NGFWs on their own cannot provide full protection against cyber-attacks.

Alongside other advanced tools such as Network detection and response (NDR) and SIEM NGFWs assist in the creation of a layering defense-in depth method that provides robust protection. NDR solutions like Corelight’s Open NDR Platform are particularly crucial in detecting and responding to security threats that can’t be detected by borders, as well as ensuring that companies have the capability to keep track of and manage the entire network.

To learn more about how Corelight’s Open NDR Platform works alongside NGFWs to improve your security, contact us or request an Demo right now. Let Corelight assist you in creating a more complete and robust security strategy.