Although remote work remains prominent, the local network is crucial in hybrid and in-office models as well as the at-home office. It is also a prime target for attackers once they have gained initial access to an organization.
Organizations must implement segmentation practices to reduce blast radius and limit lateral movement to protect internal network-bound assets. Using LAN ZeroTrust, you can easily microsegment the local network and improve your security posture.
In a traditional perimeter-bound network model, the internal network contains all traffic and key resources for an organization. Users within the network have full access to said resources, and traffic originating from outside the network is barred from entry without a VPN or other ports.
With the rise of work-from-anywhere models and SaaS apps, the concept of the perimeter-bound network is dying off. That said, the principles it was built around remain pertinent. Many organizations rely on their internal network to house critical infrastructure and data. So, keeping the internal network secure is paramount.
Unlike the days of the network perimeter, however, few if any users are connected directly to the internal network. This means it can be accessed by anyone with a set of credentials. And, given the rise of phishing attacks and other methods for gaining initial access, accessing internal networks is surprisingly easier than it once was.
Understanding this, network segmentation provides a method for limiting the effects of intrusions into internal networks. With network segmentation, the internal network is separated into smaller segments that contain specific users and resources. Users are only granted access to their specific segment and the resources within, unable to move between segments without express authorization.
In this way, network segmentation operates off the principle of least privilege, a cornerstone of Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA). Least privilege is predicated on the concept that users are only granted the bare minimum access they need to effectively perform their duties—no more and no less.
With network segmentation, an authenticated user identity is only authorized access to their specific segment. Segmenting the network through this ZTNA approach has multiple benefits that result in a better security posture for the organization.
Primarily, network segmentation limits a bad actor’s ability to move horizontally within the network. If they are using a stolen set of credentials or an insider threat, they cannot gain access to any network segments or affect any resources they do not have access to. They are instead confined within the segment and unable to spread to other parts of the network.
In addition, network segmentation helps organizations address potential threats by isolating potentially infected hosts. If a system is infected with malware or another virus, it can only be spread to other devices within its segment. Putting the device within its own segment limits that spread even further, allowing for safe examination and remediation of the security threat.
Many compliance regulations such as HIPAA or PCI DSS require that sensitive data and systems be in dedicated, protected environments. Organizations can easily create these areas easily through network segmentation, minimizing access and increasing security. Doing so helps with adhering to compliance requirements and keeping customer and employee data safe from prying eyes.
Understanding the importance of network segmentation, organizations can use LAN ZeroTrust to implement it across their internal network. LAN ZeroTrust, a module within the Todyl Platform, leverages a deny-by-default design that helps organizations implement network segmentation. In a sense, this architecture microsegments network resources, putting up blockers that prevent all traffic to the resource unless explicitly granted by an administrator.
In practice, LAN ZeroTrust restricts all unauthorized access to internal network resources, relying on identity in a true ZTNA fashion. This makes it ideal for internal network-reliant businesses to scale and improve their security posture.
You can see the power of LAN ZeroTrust in action today. Click here to book a free demo and learn how you can use network segmentation to better your business.
