Rapid digitization means that organizations are now more connected than ever. Most organizations now host a combination of interconnected IT, OT, IoT and sometimes IoMT devices in their networks, which has increased their attack surface. Forescout’s data shows that around 24% of connected devices in every organization are no longer traditional IT.

The last decade has seen a notable step in the evolution of network security and operations as companies move to a Software Defined Network (SDN) model, centralising control of switches, routers, VPN concentrators, load balancers and SD-WAN devices. This simplifies the management and operation of the network, driving down operational costs and reducing risk through better patch and update management.

It’s a familiar nightmare you’ve heard of and might even face as a developer or security engineer: alerts firing in all directions warning that your company’s VPN and firewall — that supposedly “safe” defensive perimeter around your infrastructure — has been breached. And the scariest part is that you find out after the fact — after access credentials and customer assets have been stolen.

Recently, Gartner® refreshed one of its foundational cybersecurity research, “The 6 Principles of Successful Network Segmentation Strategies.”1 The principles covered in the research are tried and true. Segmenting networks to improve security and performance is nothing new to security teams, yet the same challenges persist year after year.

TLDR – watch our presentation on the Tech Field Day YouTube Channel. How many times have you been asked to improve efficiency, do more with less, or work with fewer staff than needed due to talent shortages or resource constraints? Throughout my decades-long IT career, the network has been the backbone of the business – yet our teams are always expected to do more with less and to be bulletproof while we’re doing it. And somehow, we always rise to the challenge.

In our new threat briefing, Forescout’s Vedere Labs details tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) commonly adopted by ransomware groups and provides specific mitigation recommendations. In addition to basic cyber hygiene practices, we recommend using Forescout XDR for extended detection and response. Its 1,500+ detection rules cover hundreds of the TTPs most commonly used by ransomware.