Network security is an all-encompassing term covering hardware, software, appliances, policies, processes, and practices to monitor and secure a computer network. By safeguarding the network from unauthorised access, misuse, and proliferation of cyber threats, network security ensures that the integrity of the network is not compromised and that the network's assets are safe for legitimate users.

A network is essential for an organisation to provide goods and services to customers and employees in today’s increasingly digital world. Implementing a solid network security solution can help monitor suspicious network activity, avert data theft, and prevent revenue loss from downtime.

Network security works by providing multiple layers of protection to secure the network. For instance:

• Intrusion detection systems notify network administrators of breaches and suspicious network activity

• Firewalls enforce rules to control who can use the network resources

• Secure web gateways protect users from web-based threats

With the rise of the hybrid working model and increasing use of the cloud, a large majority of enterprise activity is happening beyond the perimeter. Legacy network security tools in the data center provide limited visibility into such activities and can do little to prevent lateral movement if the network is compromised. Additionally, the older data center approach to network security creates significant bottlenecks affecting performance for remote and on-premises users.

There are many different types of network security controls. Here’s a list of a few important ones.

• DDoS protection service: Defend against DDoS attacks in real-time

• Secure web gateway: Protect users from web-based threats.

• Managed Firewall: Get continuous protection against unauthorised network access

• Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA): Implement identity and network segmentation