These days, cyberattacks have become a lot more sophisticated. And even frequent. The only best thing organisations can do here is, get proactive, instead of taking the reactive approach.
Because when a business takes reactive measures, protecting sensitive data and infrastructure gets difficult. So what could best help here? Network discovery. It’s a foundational component of cybersecurity defense.
It does not just provide visibility, even detecting vulnerabilities gets easier. Wondering how, let’s understand in detail.
What is Network Discovery?
It is a process where all identification and mapping of devices is done. Be it systems or even applications, all within a network. It involves scanning, cataloging, and analyzing everything connected to a network. And with this, businesses often get a comprehensive view of the ecosystem as per Slurp’it!.
Now there are actually two main types of network discovery:
● Active discovery. The network sends queries or probes to devices to gather information.
● Passive discovery. The network traffic without direct interaction with devices.
No matter what type of network discovery you go with – the core goal of each is to create a detailed inventory of connected assets. This can also include endpoints, servers, routers, switches, and IoT devices. With the insights obtained here, businesses will get a transparent view of their network posture.
But, why is it important for cybersecurity?
- Gives visibility across the network
Organizations often lack full visibility of their networks. Especially when they grow and scale. It helps IT teams to identify all devices. Even those that may have been added without authorization. And because of clear visibility – no device goes either unnoticed or unmanaged.
- Identifies issues
Every device on a network may be a potential entry point for attackers. It helps pinpoint outdated firmware. One can even spot unpatched software, or misconfigurations. The ones that often are the causes of exploitation. If the business is able to identify these issues early, they can address them before they become threats as per Slurp’it
- Improves incident response
Time matters much when it comes to cyberattacks. It however provides real-time data.
Specifically of the affected devices and their connections. Hence mitigation can be done quickly, and even the downtime will be reduced.
- Regulatory compliance
Many industries have strict regulations regarding data protection and network security. For example, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI and DSS. Since businesses with network discovery get complete control over their network, they actually stay compliant.
- Preventing shadow IT
Shadow IT basically means the use of unauthorized devices or applications within an organization. This is actually very common; these days. But these unknown elements come with extreme risks as they often lack proper security measures. It helps businesses locate shadow IT. Hence, organisations can easily eliminate unauthorized access points as per Slurp’it.
What are the challenges that come with implementing it?
While the benefits of it are clear above. The implementation does comes with challenges, like
- Large networks with multiple devices can make discovery a tiring task. IoT devices and mobile endpoints add to this complexity.
- Organizations often use multiple security tools. But integrating it with these can be a hurdle.
- Active network discovery methods can sometimes strain network performance. Especially during business hours.
We are not here in just for the challenges, but here are the solutions to above issues:
- Try using tools that are specifically designed for scalability and efficiency
- Opt for passive discovery methods during peak business hours, if you can
- Plan deployments. And it must actually align with existing infrastructure smoothly.
Some best practices you just know if you want it to go effective!
- Manual network discovery is time-consuming and prone to error. Try automating the process. As this will ensure regular and accurate scans. And will even reduce the risk of overlooking vulnerabilities.
- It should work in tandem with tools. For example, Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems, firewalls, and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions, as these will provide a layered defense.
- Networks are dynamic. Hence regularly update your inventories. Make sure that all new devices are accounted for and secured promptly.
- Network segmentation divides the network into smaller segments. As per Slurp’it each segment comes with its own security protocols. This limits the spread of potential threats. And it even gets easier for businesses to monitor and protect specific areas.
Lastly, what are the tools available for network discovery?
Honestly, there are many. And in fact choosing the right tools is quite important. Some popular options you can go for, are:
- An open-source tool known for its scanning capabilities.
- SolarWinds network performance monitor. This one combines discovery with monitoring. Hence gives a comprehensive view of the network.
- PRTG network monitor. This one offers both automated discovery and real-time performance insights, which actually is quite helpful!
So, what are you waiting for? Try out a network discovery tool right now, and do let us know what changes have you seen with the integration. For more information contact us at Slurp’it!
