There’s a lot of talk out there about Next Generation security. Some would say much of it is marketing fluff – and rightfully so. Many of the next generation security solutions on the market today are only incrementally more effective than their traditional solution counterparts.
However, the reality is that a dire need exists for real next generation solutions. Why? Because traditional security solutions are not equipped to protect against advanced threats.
To put it bluntly, “next” is NOW. The next generation of threats is already here. Therefore, it’s imperative that the MSSP community as a whole reaches a consensus of what constitutes next generation security.
Through discussions with Gartner, NSS Labs and independent network security experts, my colleagues and I have created a checklist of attributes that define next generation security. Here are several to consider:
- Adaptive: Solutions should be able to quickly adapt to evolving business and network demands
- Dynamic: Solutions should be software-based so that they can be easily updated against emerging threats
- Easily Managed: Solutions should simplify and centralize network management – not exacerbate the issue
- Contextually Aware: Solutions should be able to provide context around security incidents. Where was the user? How were they accessing the network? Which applications were they accessing?
- Protection against advanced threats: Solutions should be able to protect against new breeds of network threats, including AETs and APTs
Readers, please weigh-in. How do you define “next generation” security?
About the Author: Matt McKinley, U.S. director of product development, Stonesoft, a global provider of network security solutions to MSSPs, enterprises and government organizations.