Why Network Security Matters

Company networks serve as crucial zones where trust between computers and devices plays a pivotal role. Within these networks lie valuable company data and resources that must remain accessible only to properly authenticated and authorized individuals.

The need to protect company networks is similar to safeguarding individual computers. Two compelling reasons underscore the significance of network security:

Evolving Threat Landscape

In today's rapidly changing world, an increasing number of devices with different operating systems and applications connect to company networks. Simultaneously, hacking tools have become exceedingly sophisticated. In theory, every new device in a network could be exploited by less skilled individuals to launch attacks on the entire network, causing damage, stealing information, or even blackmailing. Furthermore, due to the ever-expanding reach of the internet, attacks can originate from anywhere in the world.

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Vulnerability within Trusted Networks

What many people may not realise is that computers often lower their security defences when operating within a trusted network. This increased vulnerability means that if even one device in the network is compromised, the problem can easily spread to other devices within the network that would otherwise have remained protected.

Persisting Vulnerabilities

Despite advances in technology, some networks remain vulnerable, primarily due to two key factors:

1 Complexity

For most IT departments, fully comprehending risks and developing strategies to mitigate them is a daunting task. There are myriad factors to consider, and many administrators tend to focus either solely on defending the network perimeter or on continuous monitoring of all network traffic. While these approaches are relatively common, they may not address all risks. In many scenarios, additional measures are required, and these solutions can sometimes be less well-known or deemed overly complex to implement.

2 Cost and Vendor Lock-in

Another challenge lies in the fact that many additional network security solutions come as integrated packages offered by a single vendor. While larger corporations that fully embrace a vendor's security approach and can bear associated costs may find this acceptable, organizations seeking a best-of-breed strategy face limitations in their choice of security solutions.

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Minimising Risks: Embracing Network Access Control (NAC)

In today's landscape, characterised by the rise of hybrid working and evolving attack vectors, a new approach is needed to secure the future of work. Network Access Control (NAC) plays a pivotal role in this strategy.

NAC provides the mechanism for ensuring only authenticated users can access the private company network. Once granted access, NAC enforces policies to regulate the areas of the network users can access while continuously monitoring and logging their activity.

Key Principles of NAC:

Authentication: Who are you? Can you prove you are who you say you are?
Authorization: What are you allowed to do on the network?
Accounting: What are you doing, and for how long?

Soliton's Network Access Solution

Soliton' network access control solution aims to empower administrators with greater control over their networks. Throughout the design phase of all our solutions, we have kept affordability, ease of implementation, and maintenance at the forefront. Equally important, we have diligently strived to strike the ideal balance between security and usability—a challenging trade-off, as implementing security measures often impacts user satisfaction. Since 2001, Soliton designed an all-in-one NAC solution to simplify network access control and remove complexity. Its key features:

Fast Deployment

Initial setup in under 5 minutes, with full NAC functionality up and running in 30 minutes (depending on infrastructure).

Authentication, Authorization
and Accounting

Acts as a dedicated or subordinate Certificate Authority (CA) and integrates with existing PKI.

User & Guest Access

Granular control for both users and guests, ensuring time-limited and secure access to individually encrypted Wi-Fi channels.

Policy Control

Agentless, role- and device-based secure network access control for employees, contractors, and guests across multi-vendor network infrastructure.

Wizard-Guided Installation/Management

Simplified setup and maintenance with a questionnaire-based approach and context-based manuals.

Universal Deployment

A unified deployment process for distributing and installing digital certificates on any device or operating system, ensuring consistency and security.

Vendor Agnostic

Industry-standard authentication technologies to avoid vendor lock-in.

Full Backup and Redundancy

Rapid backup and restoration, with automatic sharing of configurations between redundant installations.

Scalability

Scales seamlessly from 100 to
100,000 devices.

NAC: Essential Now and in the Future

The growing demand for Network Access Control (NAC) is driven by several factors:

BYOD Threats: The challenge of securing Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) environments.
Role-Based Network Access: Delivering role-based network access.
APTs and Security Risks: Mitigating the risk from advanced persistent threats (APTs).
Resource Limitations: Addressing the lack of dedicated personnel.
Regulatory Compliance: Meeting government security and regulatory goals.

NAC provides the ability to enforce Zero Trust for Wired, Wireless, and VPN Networks.

Strengthening Security with IEEE 802.1X Framework

Soliton relies on the fundamental IEEE 802.1X framework at the heart of our NAC solution, enhancing network security and user experiences. Explore how IEEE 802.1X advances network integrity.