In
network security, deperimeterization is a strategy for protecting a company's
data on multiple levels by using encryption and dynamic data-level
authentication.
In the past, network devices were
placed behind a firewall, and security efforts were focused on protecting
company data at the perimeter and keeping intruders out. With the advent of
ubiquitous connectivity and a mobile workforce, however, administrators began
to question whether the traditional border model of IT security was practical.
The concept of deperimeterization
was recognized early on by Paul Simmonds of the Jericho Forum, a non-profit
group dedicated to "the development of open standards to enable secure,
boundaryless information flows across organizations." As early as 2004,
Simmonds foresaw that a hardened perimeter security strategy would be
impossible to sustain and was fundamentally at odds with an agile business
model.
He pointed out that in the early
days of the internet, it would take a network administrator from one to six
months to set up a new branch office. Tasks involved designing an extension to
the corporate wide area network (WAN), negotiating contracts with telecom and
Internet service providers (ISPs), installing a local area network (LAN),
setting up a virtual private network (VPN) and installing telephones and
desktop PCs to get the office up and running.
In contrast, with a
deperimeterization model, the administrator simply needs to connect desktop PCs
and VoIP telephones to the Internet. This approach follows the principle of
least privilege (PoLP). Clients are given authorization to access specific
pieces of encrypted data within the company's network on an as-needed basis.
Comments
Post a Comment