Secure Multicloud Infrastructure with Cisco Multicloud Defense

It’s a multicloud world!

Today applications are no longer restricted to the boundaries of a data center; applications are deployed everywhere – this change brings a need for a solution that can provide end-to-end visibility, control, policy management, and ease of management.

Market Trend

Organizations are embracing the power of the public cloud because it provides agile, resilient, and scalable infrastructure, enabling them to maximize business velocity. A recent study shows that 82% of IT leaders have adopted hybrid cloud solutions, combining private and public clouds. Additionally, 58% of these organizations are using between two and three public clouds1, indicating a growing trend towards multicloud environments. As organizations lean further into multicloud deployments, security teams find they are playing catch up, tirelessly attempting to build a security stack that can keep up with the agility and scale of their cloud infrastructure. Teams also face a lack of unified security controls across their environments. By definition, cloud service provider security solutions are not designed to achieve end-to-end visibility and control in the multicloud world, hardening silos and creating greater security gaps. Organizations need a cloud-agnostic solution that unifies security controls across all environments while securing workloads at cloud speed and scale.

Cisco Multicloud Defense is a highly scalable, on-demand “as-a-Service” solution that provides agile, scalable, and flexible security to your multicloud infrastructure. It unifies security controls across cloud environments, protects workloads from every direction, and drives operational efficiency by leveraging secure cloud networking.

Secure cloud networking can be broken down into three pillars:

• Security: Provides a full suite of security capabilities for workload protection
• Cloud: Integrates with cloud constructs, enabling auto-scale and agility
• Networking: Seamlessly and accurately inserts scalable security across clouds without manual intervention

One of the key benefits of Cisco Multicloud Defense is not only its ability to unify security controls across environments but enforce those policies dynamically. With dynamic multicloud policy management, you can:

• Keep policies up to date in near-real time as your environment changes.
• Connect continuous visibility and control to discover new cloud assets and changes, associate tag-based business context, and automatically apply the appropriate policy to ensure security compliance.
• Power and protect your cloud infrastructure with security that runs in the background via automation, getting out of the way of your cloud teams.
• Mitigate security gaps and ensure your organization stays secure and resilient.

Another key benefit of Multicloud Defense is how it adds enforcement points (PaaS) in both distributed and centralized architectures.

Cisco Multicloud Defense Overview

Cisco Multicloud Defense uses a common principle in public clouds and software-defined networking (SDN) which decouples the control and data plane, translating to the Multicloud Defense Controller and the Multicloud Defense Gateways.

The Multicloud Defense Gateway(s) are delivered as Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) in AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). These gateways are delivered, managed, and orchestrated by a SaaS-based Multicloud Defense Controller.

Figure 1: Cisco Multicloud Defense Overview

• Multicloud Defense Controller (Software-as-a-Service): The Multicloud Defense Controller is a highly reliable and scalable centralized controller (control plane) that automates, orchestrates, and secures multicloud infrastructure. It runs as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and is fully managed by Cisco. Customers can access a web portal to utilize the Multicloud Defense Controller, or they may choose to use Terraform to instantiate security into the DevOps/DevSecOps processes.
• Multicloud Defense Gateway (Platform-as-a-Service): The Multicloud Defense Gateway is an auto-scaling fleet of security software with a patented flexible, single-pass pipelined architecture. These gateways are deployed as Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) into the customer’s public cloud account(s) by the Multicloud Defense Controller, providing advanced, inline security protections to defend against external attacks, block egress data exfiltration, and prevent the lateral movement of attacks.

Multicloud Defense Gateways

In the Cisco Multicloud Defense solution, organizations can use the controller to deploy highly scalable and resilient Egress Gateways or Ingress Gateways into their public cloud account(s).

Egress Gateway: Protect outbound and east-west traffic. The egress gateway provides security capabilities like FQDN filtering, URL filtering, data loss prevention (DLP), IPS/IDS, antivirus, forward proxy, and TLS decryption.

Ingress Gateway: Protects inbound traffic and provides security capabilities like web application firewall (WAF), IDS/IPS, Layer-7 protection, DoS protection, antivirus, reverse proxy, and TLS decryption.

Note: Multicloud Defense Gateways are an auto-scaling fleet of instances across two or more availability zones, providing agility, scalability, and resiliency.

Figure 2 shows security capabilities of the ingress and egress Multicloud Defense Gateway.

Figure 2: Cisco Multicloud Defense Gateway

The gateway uses a single pass architecture to provide:

• High throughput and low latency
• Reverse proxy, forward proxy, and forwarding mode
• Flexibility in selecting relevant advanced network security inspection engines, including TLS decryption and re-encryption, WAF (HTTPS and web sockets), IDS/IPS, antivirus/anti-malware, FQDN and URL filtering, DLP

Security Models

This solution provides a flexible way for security insertion in the customer’s infrastructure using three highly scalable and automated deployment models (centralized, distributed, and combined).

Centralized security model

In the centralized security model, the Multicloud Defense Controller seamlessly adds gateways in the centralized security VPC/VNet/VCN. In this architecture, ingress and egress traffic is sent to a centralized security VPC/VNet/VCN for inspection before it is sent to the destination. This architecture ensures scalability, resiliency, and agility using cloud deployment best practices.

Figure 3 shows egress and ingress gateways in a security VPC/VNet/VCN.

• For scalability, autoscaling is supported.
• For resiliency, auto-scaled instances are deployed in multi-availability zones.

Figure 3: Centralized Security Model

In a centralized security model, gateways are deployed in a hub inside the customer’s cloud account. However, customers can choose to have multiple hubs across accounts/subscriptions.

Distributed security model

In the distributed security model, the Multicloud Defense Controller seamlessly adds gateways in each VPC/VNet/VCN. In this architecture, ingress, and egress traffic stays local in the VPC/VNet/VCN.

Based on direction, traffic flow is inspected by egress or ingress gateways. This deployment ensures scalability, resiliency, and agility using cloud deployment best practices.

Figure 4 shows egress and ingress gateways in each VPC/VNet/VCN.

• For scalability, autoscaling is supported.
• For resiliency, auto-scaled instances are deployed in multi-availability zones.

Figure 4: Distributed Security Model

Combined security model (Centralized + Distributed)

This security model uses centralized and distributed models. In this case, some flows are protected by gateways deployed in the security VPC/VNet/VCN, and some flows are protected by gateways in the VPC/VNet/VCN.

Based on the traffic flow, traffic is inspected by egress or ingress gateways. This deployment ensures scalability, resiliency, and agility using cloud deployment best practices.

Figure 5 shows egress and ingress gateways in a centralized security VPC/VNet/VCN in addition to gateways deployed in the application VCPs/VNets/VCNs.

• For scalability, autoscaling is supported.
• For resiliency, auto-scaled instances are deployed in multi-availability zones.

Figure 5: Centralized + Distributed Security Model

Use-cases

Egress security

Figure 6 shows egress traffic protection in a centralized and distributed security model.

• In the centralized security model, traffic is inspected by gateways deployed in the security VPC/VNet/VCN.
• Gateways are auto-scale and multi-AZ aware.
• In the distributed security model, traffic is inspected by gateways deployed in the application VPC/VNet/VCN.

Figure 6: Egress traffic flow

Ingress security

Figure 7 shows ingress traffic protection in a centralized and distributed security model.

• In the centralized security model, traffic is inspected by gateways deployed in the security VPC/VNet/VCN.
• In the distributed security model, traffic is inspected by gateways deployed in the application VPC/VNet/VCN.
• Gateways are auto-scale and multi-AZ aware.

Figure 7: Ingress traffic flow

Segmentation (east-west)

Figure 8 shows intra and inter-VPC/VNet/VCN traffic protection in a centralized and distributed security model.

• In the centralized security model, intra and inter-VPC/VNet/VCN traffic is inspected by gateways deployed in the security VPC/VNet/VCN.
• In the distributed security model, intra-VPC/VNet/VCN traffic is inspected by gateways deployed in the application VPC/VNet/VCN.
• Gateways are auto-scale and multi-AZ aware.

Figure 8: Segmentation (East-West) traffic flow

URL & FQDN filtering for egress traffic

URL & FQDN filtering prevents exfiltration and attacks that use command-and-control. The Multicloud Defense Gateway enforces URL & FQDN-based filtering in a centralized or distributed deployment model.

• URL filtering requires TLS decryption on the gateway.
• FQDN-based filtering can be enforced on encrypted traffic flows.

Figure 8: URL & FQDN filtering for cloud egress

Coming soon: Multicloud Networking use cases

In our upcoming release (2HCY23), we are adding a set of Multicloud Cloud Networking use cases that enable secure connectivity — bringing all cloud networks together.

Multicloud Networking: Cloud-to-Cloud Networking

An egress gateway with VPN capability provides a secure connection to other cloud infrastructures. The egress gateway is delivered as-a-Service and provides resiliency and autoscaling. This architecture requires deploying the egress gateways with VPN capability “ON.” These gateways use IPsec connectivity for a secure interconnection.

Figure 9: Cloud-to-Cloud Networking (IPsec)

Multicloud Networking: Site-to-Cloud Networking

An egress gateway with VPN capability provides a secure connection to on-premises infrastructure. This architecture requires deploying the egress gateways with VPN capability “ON” in security VPC/VNet/VCN and a device at the data center edge for IPsec termination.

Figure 10: Site-to-Cloud Networking (IPsec)

Conclusion

It is a multicloud world we live in, and organizations need a cloud-agnostic solution that unifies security controls across all environments while securing workloads at cloud speed and scale. With Cisco Multicloud Defense, organizations can leverage a simplified and unified security experience helping them navigate their multicloud future with confidence.

Source: cisco.com

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Cisco DNA Center Has a New Name and New Features

Cisco DNA Center is not only getting a name change to Cisco Catalyst Center, it also offers lots of new features, and add-ons in the API documentation. Let me tell about some of them.

Version selection menu

The first improvement I want to mention is the API documentation version selection drop down menu. You’ll find it in the upper left-hand corner of the page. When you navigate to the API documentation website, by default you land on the latest version of the documentation as you can see in the following image:

You can easily switch between different versions of the API documentation from that drop down menu. Older versions of the API will still be named and referenced as Cisco DNA Center while new and upcoming versions will reflect the new name, Cisco Catalyst Center.

Event catalog

The second addition to the documentation that I want to mention is the event catalog. We’ve had several requests from our customers and partners to have the event catalog for each version of Catalyst Center published and publicly available. I am happy to report that we have done just that. You can see in the following image a snippet of the event catalog that can be found under the Guides section of the documentation.

Not only is there a list of all the events generated by Catalyst Center, but for each event we have general information, tags, channels, model schema, and REST schema as you can see in the following images:

List of available reports

Another popular request was to have a list of available reports generated by Catalyst Center published and easily referenced in the documentation. Under the Guides section you can now also find the Reports link that contains a list of all available reports including the report name, description and supported formats. By clicking on the View Name link you can also see samples for each of the reports.

OpenAPI specification in JSON format

These are all nice extra features and add-ons. However, my favorite one must be the fact that you can now download the Catalyst Center OpenAPI specification in JSON format! This one has been a long time coming and I’m happy to announce that we finally have it. You can find the download link under the API Reference section.

Net Promoter Score

We have also enabled NPS (Net Promoter Score) on the Catalyst Center API documentation site. As you navigate the website, a window will pop up in the lower right-hand corner of the page asking you to rate our docs.

Your feedback is most welcome

Please do take time to give us feedback on the documentation and tell us what you liked or what we can improve on.

Source: cisco.com

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The Power of LTE 450 for Critical Infrastructure

In case of disasters, a reliable communication network is critical. The emergency centers need to be able to exchange information to coordinate their response in the field. Service providers need to keep their network live. Power utilities need to be able to keep the electric grid up and running.

In Europe, the communication networks used to control components of the power grid and all other critical infrastructure, are required to remain operational for at least 24 hours in the event of a power failure. This is well beyond what most commercial cellular networks can offer.

The solution identified by the energy industry is LTE 450. Public protection and disaster recovery (PPDR) regulations in Germany, Scandinavia, and parts of Africa allow critical industries to reserve the 450 MHz band in their areas to deploy private LTE networks, replacing legacy public safety voice networks with technology capable of data transmission.

This means LTE 450 can offer privileged access to the network, without public mass market services.

A key differentiator of the LTE450 MHz band is its long-range coverage. The high frequencies can deliver higher data rates to any number of smart devices, but they are affected by rapid signal attenuation and require dense base station coverage. On the other hand, the 450 MHz band sits on the other side of the spectrum.

With commercial LTE, a complete countrywide network might require tens of thousands of base stations to achieve full geographical coverage. LTE 450 only takes a few thousand base stations to achieve the same coverage and requires less power at the edge. This results in:

• A reduced number of base stations need to be kept up and running; it’s easier to manage the network.
• It’s easier to reach rural areas due to the extended coverage.
• Backup battery power can be used to continue to connect critical devices in the event of a power failure.

In addition, the reduced attenuation coming from the low frequency signals of LTE 450, allows increased penetration through walls and other solid materials, bringing obvious advantages for devices deployed indoors, underground and in other hard-to-reach locations.

Thus LTE 450 is a resilient cellular communication network tailored to the needs of mission and business critical use cases. Few examples:

• a private wireless network to connect thousands of SCADA systems used to control and monitor substations and other renewable energy assets;
• a public network to serve a broad range of power utilities, including water, gas, heat distribution networks and smart power grids.

Cisco solution for critical networks

Cisco has introduced an LTE 450Mhz plug in module for the popular Cisco Catalyst IR1101 Rugged Router. This platform provides the ability to connect to 450Mhz networks and additionally provides a second fallback module for private 4G, 5G or commercial cellular networks.

Figure 1: The Catalyst IR1101 Rugged Router

Critical traffic (such as SCADA or other critical control traffic) can be routed via 450Mhz and non-critical traffic routed via the cellular connections.

The IR1101 rugged router also provides secure encrypted tunnels for critical traffic from the remote site to a secure headend (e.g., Utility control center).

For management of remotely deployed IR1101 routers, the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN platform supports secure zero touch onboarding, provisioning, and visibility to allow IR1101 routers to be deployed easily in the field.

Source: cisco.com

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ESG Survey results reinforce the multi-faceted benefits of SSE

When it comes to protecting a hybrid workforce, while simultaneously safeguarding internal resources from external threats, cloud-delivered security with Security Service Edge (SSE) is seen as the preferred method.

Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG) recently conducted a study of IT and security practitioners, evaluating their views on a number of topics regarding SSE solutions. Respondents were asked for their views on security complexity, user frustration, remote/hybrid work challenges, and their take on the expectations vs. reality when it came to the benefits of SSE. The results provide critical insights into how to protect a hybrid workforce, streamline security procedures, and enhance end-user satisfaction. Some of the highlights from their report include:

• Remote/hybrid workers were found to be the biggest source of cyber-attacks with 44% coming from them.
• Organizations are moving towards cloud-delivered security, as 75% indicated a preference for cloud-delivered cybersecurity products vs. on-premises security tools.
• SSE is delivering value, with over 70% of respondents stating they achieved at least 10 key benefits involving operational simplicity, improved security, and better user experience.
• SecOps teams report significantly fewer attacks, with 56% stating they observed over a 20% reduction in security incidences using SSE.

Delving further into the report, ESG provides details explaining why organizations have gravitated towards SSE and achieved significant success. SSE simplifies the security stack, substantially improving protection for remote users, while enhancing hybrid worker satisfaction with easier logins and better performance. It helps avert numerous challenges, from stopping malware spread to shrinking the attack surface.

Here’s some of the added benefits that SSE users see.

Overcome cybersecurity complexity

Among the respondents, more than two-thirds describe their current cybersecurity environment as complex or extremely complex. The top cited source (83%) involved the accelerated use of cloud-based resources and the need to secure access, protect data, and prevent threats. The second most common source of complexity was the number of security point products required (78%) with an average of 63 cybersecurity tools in use. Number three on the hit parade was the need for more granular access policies to support zero trust principles (77%) and the need to apply least privilege policies with user, application, and device controls. Other factors mentioned by wide margins include an expanded attack surface from work-from-home employees, use of unsanctioned applications and a growing number of more sophisticated attacks.

Organizations can offset these challenges by deploying SSE. These protective services reside in the cloud, between the end-user and the cloud-based resources they utilize as opposed to on-premises methods that are ‘out of the loop’. SSE consolidates many security features including Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), Secure Web Gateway (SWG), Firewall as a Service (FWaaS) and Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) with one dashboard to simply operations. With advanced ZTNA with zero trust access (ZTA) authorized users can only connect to specific, approved apps. Discovery and lateral movement by compromised devices or unauthorized users are prevented.

Enhance end-user experience

The report found current application access processes often result in user frustration. Respondents reported their workforce uses a collective average of 1,533 distinct business applications. As these apps typically reside in the cloud, secure usage is no longer straightforward. To support zero trust, many organizations have shifted to more stringent authentication and verification tasks. While good from a security perspective, 52% of respondents indicated their users were frustrated with this practice. Similarly, 50% mentioned user frustration at the number of steps to get to the application they need and 45% at having to choose the method of connection based on the application.

Performance was also cited as an issue, with 43% indicating user frustration. More than one-third (35%) indicated that latency impacting the end-user experience. In some cases, this leads to users circumventing the VPN, which was cited by 38% of respondents. Such user noncompliance can introduce additional risk and the potential for malicious actors to view traffic flows.

VPNs were found to be poorly suited to supporting zero trust principles. They do not allow for granular access policies to be applied (mentioned by 31% of respondents) and are visible on the public internet, allowing attackers a clear entry point to the network and corporate applications (cited by 22%).

By implementing SSE with ZTA administrators can give remote users the same type of straightforward, performant experience as when they are in the office, without IT teams being forced to make a trade-off between security and user satisfaction. ZTA allows users to access all, not some, of the potentially thousands of apps needed. ZTA provides a transparent and seamless ‘one-click’ process to login. Backed by advanced protocols, users can obtain HTTP3 level speeds with reduced latency and more resilient connections. Ultra-granular access with one user to one app ‘micro tunnels’ ensure security while providing resource obfuscation and preventing lateral movement.

Solve hybrid work security challenges

It’s challenging to secure hybrid workforces that include remote workers, contractors, and partners. This new hyper-distributed landscape results in an expanded attack surface, as well as an increase in device types and inconsistent performance. Respondents cited the need to ensure malware does not spread from remote devices to corporate locations and resources (55%) as their most critical concern. The second biggest issue mentioned is the need to check device posture (51%) consistently and continuously. In third place, IT listed defending an expanding attack surface due to users directly accessing cloud-based apps (50%). Other items of note include the lack of visibility into unsanctioned apps (45%) and protecting users as they access cloud apps (40%).

SSE is tailor-made to address these roadblocks to security. Multiple defense-in-depth features from the cloud ensure malware and other malicious activity is routed out and prevents infection before it starts. Continuous, rich posture checks with contextual insights ensure device compliance. Thorough user identification and authentication procedures combined with granular access control policies prevent unauthorized resource access. CASB provides visibility into what applications are being requested and controls access. Remote Browser Isolation (RBI), DNS-filtering, FWaaS and other features protect end users as they use Internet or public cloud services.

Benefits derived through SSE

The survey clearly demonstrates that many organizations who are utilizing SSE solutions are reaping a broad set of benefits. These can be categorized in three pillars: increased user and resource security, simplified operations, and enhanced user experience. When respondents were asked if they felt their initial expected benefits were subsequently realized once SSE was deployed, over 73% reported achieving at least ten critical advantages. A partial list of these factors include:

• Simplified security operations/increased efficiency with ease of configuration and management
• Improved security specifically for remote/hybrid workforce
• Enacting principles of least privilege by allowing remote access only to approved resources
• Superior end-user access experience
• Prevention of malware spread from remote users to corporate resources
• Increased visibility into remote device posture assessment

Cisco leads the way in SSE

Cisco’s SSE solution goes way beyond standard protection. In addition to the four principal features previously listed (ZTNA, SWG, FWaaS, CASB), our Cisco Secure Access includes RBI, DNS filtering, advanced malware protection, Intrusion Prevention System (IPS), VPN as a Service (VPNaaS), multimode Data Loss Prevention (DLP), sandboxing and digital experience monitoring (DEM). This feature rich array is backed by the industry-leading threat intelligence group, Cisco Talos, giving security teams a distinct advantage in detecting and preventing threats.

With Secure Access:

• Authorized users can access any app, including non-standard or custom, regardless of the underlying protocols involved.
• Security teams can employ a safer, layered approach to security, with multiple techniques to ensure granular access control.
• Confidential resources remain hidden from public view with discovery and lateral movement prevented.
• Performance is optimized with the use of next-gen protocols, MASQUE and QUIC, to realize HTTP3 speeds
• Administrators can quickly deploy and manage with a unified console, single agent and one policy engine.
• Compliance is maintained via continuous in-depth user authentication and posture checks.

Source: cisco.com

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The Evolution of Oil & Gas Industry

The Oil & Gas industry has changed a lot. From Upstream through to Downstream, advancements in technology have made operations safer and more productive. Those who work in the industry have a front row seat to these changes but most of us see the industry through mainstream information channels and miss some of the significant changes happening behind the scenes. Below are just a few examples of how the Oil & Gas industry has changed.

Exploration and Drilling:

Past: In the past, oil and gas exploration was largely based on geological surveys, seismic data, and educated guesswork. Drilling technology was less advanced, and there was a higher risk of drilling dry wells.

Now: Modern technology, such as 3D seismic imaging and advanced drilling techniques, has greatly improved the success rate of exploration. Companies now use more data-driven and scientific approaches to identify and extract hydrocarbons.

Reserves Replacement:

Past: Oil and gas companies focused on finding and extracting easily accessible reserves, often in known fields. Reserves replacement was a less pressing concern.

Now: As existing reserves are depleted, companies are increasingly focused on finding and developing new reserves to replace what they extract. This has led to more extensive exploration efforts and investments in unconventional resources like shale oil and gas.

Environmental Awareness:

Past: Environmental concerns and regulations were less prominent. Companies had fewer incentives to minimize their environmental impact, leading to more pollution and ecological damage.

Now: Environmental considerations are paramount. Companies face stricter regulations and public pressure to reduce their environmental footprint. Many are investing in cleaner technologies, carbon capture, and renewable energy as part of their operations.

Technology and Automation:

Past: Manual labor and basic machinery were used for drilling, extraction, and processing. Automation was limited.

Now: Automation and digital technology play a crucial role in optimizing operations. Robotics, AI, and IoT (Internet of Things) devices are used for drilling, monitoring, and maintenance, improving efficiency and safety.

Globalization:

Past: Oil and gas operations were often concentrated in a few key regions, and companies were mainly national or multinational corporations.

Now: The industry has become more globalized. Companies operate in diverse geographic regions, and the supply chain is highly interconnected, with a more significant presence in emerging markets.

Energy Transition:

Past: Oil and gas companies were primarily focused on fossil fuels, with limited diversification into alternative energy sources.

Now: Many oil and gas companies are investing in renewable energy, such as wind, solar, and hydrogen, as they adapt to the energy transition and a growing demand for cleaner energy sources.

Social Responsibility:

Past: Social responsibility was less emphasized, and there was less concern for the social impacts of operations.

Now: Companies are increasingly expected to contribute positively to the communities where they operate by adhering to ethical and sustainable business practices.

As the energy sector continues to evolve, from a focus on traditional exploration and drilling to a more technologically advanced, environmentally conscious, and diversified approach that encompasses alternative energy sources, Cisco can be a key partner for customers looking to thrive in this dynamic environment.

Cisco’s technologies play a pivotal role in ensuring that operations are efficient, secure, and sustainable with a portfolio of business outcomes that reflects the evolving demands of society, technology, and the energy market.

The Cisco Portfolio Explorer for Oil & Gas is an interactive tool that builds the bridge between business priorities and technology solutions by showcasing use cases and architectures to solve your greatest business challenges. The tool has four themes that cover primary areas of Oil & Gas operations including: Plant and Field Operations, Secure Connected Workforce, Industrial Safety and Security, and Energy Transition. Within each theme you will find three to five use cases that dive deeper, explaining the business and technical application in the industry. It also provides case studies and partners as well as showcasing demos, financing options and links to industry experts so you can transform your business with security and trust.

Source: cisco.com

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Bridging the IT Skills Gap Through SASE: A Path to Radical Simplification and Transformation

Imagine a world where IT isn’t a labyrinth of complexity but instead a streamlined highway to innovation. That world isn’t a pipe dream—it’s a SASE-enabled reality.

As we navigate the complexities of a constantly evolving digital world, a telling remark from a customer onstage with me at Cisco Live in June lingers: “We don’t have time to manage management tools.” This sentiment is universal, cutting across sectors and organizations. An overwhelming 82% of U.S. businesses, according to a Deloitte survey, were prevented from pursuing digital transformation projects because of a lack of IT resources and skills. Without the right experts to get the job done, teams are often entangled in complex, disparate systems and tools that require specific skills to operate.

The IT talent crunch

Today’s tech landscape presents a challenge that IT leaders can’t ignore: complex IT needs combined with a fiercely competitive talent market. Internally, teams are overwhelmed, often struggling to keep up with ever-evolving technical demands. In fact, many teams are strapped and rely on early-in-career staff to fill wide gaps left behind by more experienced predecessors. And the problem is only going to get worse.

For experienced IT workers, it’s an attractive time to entertain new opportunities. According to a global Deloitte study, 72% of U.S. tech employees are considering leaving their jobs for better roles. Interestingly, a mere 13% of employers said they were able to hire and retain the tech talent they most needed.

Now more than ever, organizations must rethink their approach to talent management and technology adoption to stay ahead of the curve.

Convergence as a catalyst for transformation

In an era where time is a premium and complexity is the norm, the need for convergence has never been more apparent. Technical skills, while essential, are not enough. The real game-changers are adaptability, cross-functional collaboration, and strategic foresight. And yet, these “soft skills” can’t be optimally used if teams are entangled in complex, disparate systems and tools that require specialized skills to manage and operate.

So how do organizations tackle this dilemma? How do they not just keep the lights on but also innovate, improve, and lead? In a word: convergence. Unifying siloed network and security teams as well as systems and tools with a simplified IT strategy is key to breaking through complexity.

A platform to radically simplify networking and security

Secure access service edge (SASE) is more than just an architecture; it’s a vision for the future where the worlds of networking and security are not siloed and become one. Cisco takes a unified approach to SASE, where industry-leading SD-WAN meets industry-leading cloud security capabilities in one, robust platform to make managing networking and security easy.

Figure 1. SASE architecture converging networking and security domains

Unified SASE converges the two domains into one, streamlining operations across premises and cloud. Admins from both domains gain end-to-end visibility into every connection, making it easier to optimize the application experience for users, providing seamless access to critical resources wherever work happens. This converged approach to secure connectivity through SASE delivers real outcomes that matter to resource-strapped organizations.

Simplify IT operations and increase productivity

◉ Administrators find it easier to manage networking and security when they are consolidated

◉ 73% reduction in application latency improves collaboration and enhances overall productivity

◉ 40% faster performance on Microsoft 365 improves employee experience

Do more with less

◉ 60% lower TCO for zero-trust security enables budget reallocation to strategic initiatives3

◉ 65% reduction in connectivity costs helps ease the burden on IT budgets3

Enhance security without adding complexity

◉ Simplify day-2 operations with centralized policy management, which makes it easier for IT teams to execute

◉ Improve security posture through consistent enforcement—from endpoints and on-premises infrastructure to cloud—across your organization

Scale and adapt

◉ Cloud-native architecture supports scaling and addresses the challenges of rapidly evolving IT landscapes

◉ Prepares your organization for changes, reducing the need for constant upskilling or reskilling in IT teams

Organizations can use SASE architecture to advance their technological frameworks and strategically address the IT skills gap, leading to long-term business success.

Shifting gears: Unifying, simplifying, innovating

SASE is not merely a technological evolution; it’s a paradigm shift in how we approach IT management. This lets IT admins focus less on tool management and more on driving business innovation, enriching user experiences, and evolving in tune with market demands.

Figure 2. Introducing unified SASE with Cisco+ Secure Connect, a better way to manage networking and security

The path ahead with unified SASE from Cisco

Cisco offers a unified, cloud-managed SASE solution, Cisco+ Secure Connect. From on-premises to cloud, this comprehensive SASE solution delivers simplicity and operational consistency, unlocking secure hybrid work for employees wherever they choose to work. The beauty of Cisco’s unified SASE solution lies in the principle of interconnecting everything with security everywhere–if it is connected, it is protected. It’s that easy.

Source: cisco.com

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The myth of the long-tail vulnerability

Modern-day vulnerability management tends to follow a straightforward procedure. From a high level, this can be summed up in the following steps:

• Identify the vulnerabilities in your environment
• Prioritize which vulnerabilities to address
• Remediate the vulnerabilities

When high-profile vulnerabilities are disclosed, they tend to be prioritized due to concerns that your organization will be hammered with exploit attempts. The general impression is that this malicious activity is highest shortly after disclosure, then decreases as workarounds and patches are applied. The idea is that we eventually reach a critical mass, where enough systems are patched that the exploit is no longer worth attempting.

In this scenario, if we were to graph malicious activity and time, we end up with what is often referred to as a long-tail distribution. Most of the activity occurs early on, then drops off over time to form a long tail. This looks something like the following:

A long tail distribution of exploit attempts sounds reasonable in theory. The window of usefulness for an exploit is widest right after disclosure, then closes over time until bad actors move on to other, more recent vulnerabilities.

But is this how exploitation attempts really play out? Do attackers abandon exploits after a certain stage, moving on to newer and more fruitful vulnerabilities? And if not, how do attackers approach vulnerability exploitation?

Our approach

To answer these questions, we’ll look at Snort data from Cisco Secure Firewall. Many Snort rules protect against the exploitation of vulnerabilities, making this a good data set to examine as we attempt to answer these questions.

We’ll group Snort rules by the CVEs mentioned in the rule documentation, and then look at CVEs that see frequent exploit attempts. Since CVEs are disclosed on different dates, and we’re looking at alerts over time, the specific time frame will vary. In some cases, the disclosure date is earlier than the range our data set covers. While we won’t be able to examine the initial disclosure period for these, we’ll look at a few of these as well for signs of a long tail.

Finally, looking at a count of rule triggers can be misleading—a few organizations can see many alerts for one rule in a short time frame, making the numbers look larger than they are across all orgs. Instead, we’ll look at the percentage of organizations that saw an alert. We’ll then break this out on a month-to-month basis.

Log4J: The 800-pound gorilla

The Log4J vulnerability has dominated our vulnerability metrics since it was disclosed in December 2021. However, looking at the percentage of exploit attempts each month since, there was neither a spike in use right after disclosure, nor a long tail afterwards.

That first month, 27 percent of organizations saw alerts for Log4J. Since then, alerts have neither dropped off nor skyrocketed from one month to the next. The percent of organizations seeing alerts range from 25-34 percent through June 2023, averaging out at 28 percent per month.

Perhaps Log4J is an exception to the rule. It’s an extremely common software component and a very popular target. A better approach might be to look at a lesser-known vulnerability to see how the curve looks.

Spring4Shell: The Log4J that wasn’t

Spring4Shell was disclosed at the end of March 2022. This was a vulnerability in the Spring Java framework that managed to resurrect an older vulnerability in JDK9, which had initially been discovered and patched in 2010. At the time of Spring4Shell’s disclosure there was speculation that this could be the next Log4J, hence the similarity in naming. Such predictions failed to materialize.

We did see a decent amount of Spring4Shell activity immediately after the disclosure, where 23 percent of organizations saw alerts. After this honeymoon period, the percentage did decline. But instead of exhibiting the curve of a long tail, the percentages have remained between 14-19 percent a month.

Keen readers will notice the activity in the graph above that occurs prior to disclosure. These alerts are for rules covering the initial, more-than-a-decade-old Java vulnerability, CVE-2010-1622. This is interesting in two ways:

1. The fact that these rules were still triggering monthly on a 13-year-old vulnerability prior to Spring4Shell’s disclosure provides the first signs of a potential long tail.

2. It turns out that Spring4Shell was so similar to the previous vulnerability that the older Snort rules alerted on it.

Unfortunately, the time frame of our alert data isn’t long enough to say what the initial disclosure phase for CVE-2010-1622 looked like. So since we don’t have enough information here to draw a conclusion, what about other older vulnerabilities that we know were in heavy rotation?

ShellShock: A classic

It’s hard to believe, but the ShellShock vulnerability recently turned nine. By software development standards this qualifies it for senior citizen status, making it a perfect candidate to examine. While we don’t have the initial disclosure phase, activity remains high to this day.

Our data set begins approximately seven years after disclosure, but the percentage of organizations seeing alerts ranges from 12-23 percent. On average across this timeframe, about one in five organizations see ShellShock alerts in a month.

A pattern emerges

While we’ve showcased 3-4 examples here, a pattern does emerge when looking at other vulnerabilities, both old and new. For example, here is CVE-2022-26134, a vulnerability discovered in Atlassian Confluence in June 2022.

Here is ProxyShell, which was initially discovered in August 2021, followed by two more related vulnerabilities in September 2022.

And here is another older, commonly targeted vulnerability in PHPUnit, originally disclosed in June 2017.

Is the long tail wagging the dog?

What emerges from looking at vulnerability alerts over time is that, while there is sometimes an initial spike in usage, they don’t appear to decline to a negligible level. Instead, vulnerabilities stick around for years after their initial disclosure.

So why do old vulnerabilities remain in use? One reason is that many of these exploitation attempts are automated attacks. Bad actors routinely leverage scripts and applications that allow them to quickly run exploit code against a large swaths of IP addresses in the hopes of finding vulnerable machines.

This is further evidenced by looking at the concentration of alerts by organization. In many cases we see sudden spikes in the total number of alerts seen each month. If we break these months down by organization, we regularly see that alerts at one or two organizations are responsible for the spikes.

For example, take a look at the total number of Snort alerts for an arbitrary vulnerability. In this example, December was in line with the months that preceded it. Then in January, the total number of alerts began to grow, peaking in February, before declining back to average levels.

The cause of the sudden spike, highlighted in light blue, is one organization that was hammered by alerts for this vulnerability. The organization saw little-to-no alerts in December before a wave hit that lasted from January through March. It then completely disappeared by April.

This is a common phenomenon seen in overall counts (and why we don’t draw trends from this data alone). This could be the result of automated scans by bad actors. These attackers may have found one such vulnerable system at this organization, then proceeded to hammer it with exploit attempts in the months that followed.

So is the long tail a myth when it comes to vulnerabilities? It certainly appears so—at least when it comes to the types of attacks that target the perimeter of an organization. The public facing applications that reside here present a large attack surface. Public proof-of-concept exploits are often readily available and are relatively easy to fold into attacker’s existing automated exploitation frameworks. There’s little risk for an attacker involved in automated exploit attempts, leaving little incentive to remove exploits once they’ve been added to an attack toolkit.

What is left to explore is whether long-tail vulnerabilities exist in other attack surfaces. The fact is that there are different classes of vulnerabilities that can be leveraged in different ways. We’ll explore more of these facets in the future.

It only takes one

Finding that one vulnerable, public-facing system at an organization is a needle-in-a-haystack operation for attackers, requiring regular scanning to find it. But all it takes is one new system without the latest patches applied to give the attackers an opportunity to gain a foothold.

The silver lining here is that a firewall with an intrusion prevention system, like Cisco Secure Firewall, is designed specifically to prevent successful attacks.  Beyond IPS prevention of these attacks, the recently introduced Cisco Secure Firewall 4200 appliance and 7.4 OS bring enterprise-class performance and a host of new features including SD-WAN, ZTNA, and the ability to detect apps and threats in encrypted traffic without decryption.

Also, if you’re looking for a solution to assist you with vulnerability management, Cisco Vulnerability Management has you covered. Cisco Vulnerability Management equips you with the contextual insight and threat intelligence needed to intercept the next exploit and respond with precision.

Source: cisco.com

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