5 Benefits Of Microsegmentation – And Why You Should Consider It

Microsegmentation

[https://unsplash.com/photos/6Gp87Et3N-A]

Organisations across the world have a lot to consider going into 2023, one of which – and arguably the most important – is cybersecurity.

In 2022 alone, there was a network attack reported every 39 seconds, and one of the reasons hacks are so widespread and common is due to the amount of organisations that do not have the appropriate precautions in place. According to recent statistics, 59% of organisations who suffered data breaches did not have a response plan to fight against them.

But there is a response strategy that can protect your organisation going into 2023. Known as micro segmentation, this is a cybersecurity protocol which effectively cuts up a network into a number of mini-segments, each one of which has its own security and protections.

This is being used by 80% of the top cybersecurity leaders and its popularity is only set to grow as more companies become aware of the threats they face and the initiative they need to prevent them.

With this in mind, here are five benefits of microsegmentation that will demonstrate why your own organisation should consider it:

Microsegmentation Halts Attackers From Moving Laterally

As mentioned before, one of the biggest issues is the ease at which hackers can move through a network. Segmenting your data into a number of mini-networks will stop attackers from moving laterally and – if they were to breach one wall – they would not be able to breach the whole system (nor is the rest of the system compromised by the breach).

Microsegmentation Stops Ransomware

With ransomware becoming one of the biggest cybersecurity threats – growing up to 92.7% in 2021 – it is important to focus your organisation on preventing it. Many API security protocols focus on north-to-south traffic, but the east-to-west protocol of microsegmentation can halt the spread of ransomware and put out the fire before it gets worse.

Microsegmentation Offers Heightened Visibility

It may sound like cutting up a network into segments will decrease visibility, but if you are efficiently implementing microsegmentation, then you will actually heighten the visibility of data. It does this through centralised visibility, which provides in-depth views of cross-segment traffic and resources.

Microsegmentation Means Simplified Security

One of the best things about microsegmentation is the fact that it allows organisations to reuse security policies and boosts the ease of communication across workloads. Once again, many organisations may be concerned that spliced networks will drag out communication between different environments. But despite the complex security system, no manual configuration is needed and organisations can apply uniform security with strong communication across the board.

Microsegmentation Ensures Cyber Insurance Compliance

Despite the system and protection protocols that organisations have in place, compliance is not exactly easy. Microsegmentation, however, can simplify the cybersecurity compliance regulations and help companies reach the required standards. One of the reasons it is used by 80% of cybersecurity leaders is not only due to the protection it gives, but the ability to enable automated and auditable processes which takes the pressure off organisations and ensures refined, necessary compliance.