How does network segmentation help prevent breaches?

Segmentation creates isolated network zones, so even if an attacker compromises one segment, they cannot freely move to others. This limits the blast radius of any single compromise and buys time for detection and response before critical assets are reached.

Can you inspect encrypted traffic without breaking it?

Yes. We deploy SSL/TLS inspection at strategic network points using enterprise certificate management. This allows deep packet inspection of encrypted traffic for threat detection while maintaining privacy through data masking and role-based access to decrypted content.

What is zero-trust network architecture?

Zero-trust eliminates implicit trust based on network location. Every connection is verified regardless of whether it originates inside or outside the network. This means micro-segmentation, continuous authentication, and least-privilege access at every layer.

How do you handle legacy systems that can't be segmented?

We implement compensating controls for legacy systems including enhanced monitoring, application-layer gateways, host-based firewalls, and virtual patching. Each legacy system receives a tailored security treatment based on its capabilities and risk profile.

Do you support SD-WAN and SASE architectures?

Absolutely. We have extensive experience designing and securing SD-WAN deployments and implementing SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) frameworks that converge network and security functions.

How do you detect DNS-based data exfiltration?

We deploy DNS monitoring with analytics that detect anomalous query patterns, unusually long subdomains, high-entropy domain names, and communication with known C2 domains. These techniques identify DNS tunneling and covert channels used for data theft.

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Perimeter & Beyond

Network Security

Defend your network infrastructure from intrusion, lateral movement, and data exfiltration

Network Security protects the connectivity layer that binds your organization together. From next-generation firewalls and micro-segmentation to zero-trust network architecture, we design, implement, and monitor defenses that protect data in transit and control access between network segments.

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0.7%

Threat block rate

0ms

Average detection latency

Segmentation coverage

Network security certifications

Compliance Frameworks

Aligned with industry standards trusted by governments and enterprises

NIST SP 800-53

SC-7 Boundary Protection controls

CIS Controls v8

Controls 12 and 13: Network Infrastructure

Zero Trust Architecture (NIST 800-207)

Zero trust network reference architecture

SABSA

Sherwood Applied Business Security Architecture

Overview

What is Network Security?

What

Network Security encompasses the policies, architectures, and technologies that protect network infrastructure, control traffic flow, and detect anomalous communication patterns. It spans perimeter defense, internal segmentation, encrypted traffic inspection, and network-level threat detection.

Why

The network is the primary attack surface for lateral movement and data exfiltration. Once inside, attackers traverse networks freely without proper segmentation and monitoring. A compromised endpoint can lead to full network compromise in minutes without network-level controls.

Common risks we find

Flat networks allow unrestricted lateral movement after initial compromise
Unmonitored east-west traffic misses internal attacker activity
Unencrypted traffic exposes sensitive data to network sniffing
Misconfigured firewalls create unintended exposure paths
Rogue devices and unauthorized access points expand the attack surface
DNS-based attacks bypass perimeter defenses undetected

Business impact of vulnerabilities

Network segmentation reduces blast radius by 83% in breach scenarios (SANS 2024)
Organizations with network monitoring detect threats 6x faster
Zero-trust architectures reduce insider threat risk by 50%
Encrypted traffic inspection catches 34% more malware than endpoint-only detection
Micro-segmentation limits lateral movement to single network segments in 91% of cases
Network-level detection provides visibility that endpoint-only solutions miss

Programs

What we offer in this category

Network Architecture Design

Design resilient, segmented network architectures based on zero-trust principles. Includes network topology planning, VLAN design, firewall rule optimization, and DMZ architecture.

Organizations building new infrastructure or modernizing existing networks

Consulting engagement with implementation support, 4-8 weeks

Network Penetration Testing

Simulate network-based attacks including VLAN hopping, man-in-the-middle, ARP poisoning, DNS hijacking, and lateral movement across internal and external network segments.

Organizations requiring validation of network security controls

On-site and remote testing, 2-4 week engagement

Network Monitoring & Detection

Deploy and manage network detection and response (NDR) solutions for continuous traffic analysis, anomaly detection, and threat identification across all network segments.

Enterprises requiring deep network visibility

Managed monitoring with 24/7 alerting and monthly reporting

Network Segmentation

Implement micro-segmentation policies to isolate critical assets, limit lateral movement, and enforce least-privilege network access. Includes firewall rule optimization and access control lists.

Organizations with flat or poorly segmented networks

Assessment, design, and implementation, 6-12 weeks

Wireless Security Assessment

Evaluate wireless network security including encryption protocols, rogue AP detection, client isolation, and WPA3 implementation. Includes physical site survey and RF analysis.

Organizations with wireless infrastructure

On-site assessment, 1-2 weeks

Services included

Complete service catalog

Firewall Configuration & Management

Deployment, configuration, and ongoing management of firewall appliances and virtual firewalls including rule optimization and policy enforcement.

Network Security Audits

Comprehensive review of network architecture, segmentation, access controls, and device configurations to identify security gaps and compliance issues.

VPN Deployment & Management

Implementation and management of secure remote access VPN solutions including site-to-site tunnels, client configurations, and certificate-based authentication.

Network Segmentation

Design and implementation of micro-segmentation and network zoning strategies to limit lateral movement and contain potential breaches.

Secure Remote Access Solutions

Zero-trust network access (ZTNA) and secure access service edge (SASE) implementations to provide controlled remote connectivity to corporate resources.

Intrusion Detection & Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS)

Deployment and tuning of network-based and host-based intrusion detection and prevention systems to monitor traffic and block malicious activity.

Methodology

Our approach

Network Discovery & Mapping

Complete inventory and topology mapping of all network assets and segments.

Active and passive host discovery
Network topology diagram creation
Asset inventory with criticality classification
Traffic flow analysis between segments
Identification of unauthorized network connections

Vulnerability Assessment

Identify network-level vulnerabilities across devices, protocols, and configurations.

Firewall rule analysis and optimization review
Switch and router configuration auditing
VPN and remote access security evaluation
DNS infrastructure security assessment
Network protocol vulnerability scanning

Architecture Hardening

Implement defense-in-depth controls and zero-trust principles.

Micro-segmentation deployment
Zero-trust network access implementation
Network detection and response deployment
Encrypted traffic inspection configuration
Wireless security hardening

Continuous Monitoring

Deploy ongoing network monitoring and threat detection capabilities.

Network traffic baseline establishment
Anomaly detection rule configuration
East-west traffic monitoring
Network performance and security dashboards
Automated alerting and escalation procedures

Process

Our engagement process

Network Assessment

Evaluate current network architecture, identify gaps, and benchmark security posture.

Network security assessment report

Network Assessment

Evaluate current network architecture, identify gaps, and benchmark security posture.

Network security assessment report

Architecture Design

Design target network architecture with segmentation, monitoring, and access control.

Network architecture blueprint and implementation plan

Architecture Design

Design target network architecture with segmentation, monitoring, and access control.

Network architecture blueprint and implementation plan

Implementation

Deploy network security controls, segmentation rules, and monitoring infrastructure.

Configured and tested network security infrastructure

Implementation

Deploy network security controls, segmentation rules, and monitoring infrastructure.

Configured and tested network security infrastructure

Testing & Validation

Validate network controls through penetration testing and traffic analysis.

Validation test results and gap remediation

Testing & Validation

Validate network controls through penetration testing and traffic analysis.

Validation test results and gap remediation

Monitoring Activation

Enable continuous network monitoring and threat detection with 24/7 alerting.

Network monitoring dashboards and alert configurations

Monitoring Activation

Enable continuous network monitoring and threat detection with 24/7 alerting.

Network monitoring dashboards and alert configurations

Optimization

Tune detection rules, refine segmentation policies, and optimize performance.

Monthly network security optimization reports

Optimization

Tune detection rules, refine segmentation policies, and optimize performance.

Monthly network security optimization reports

Deliverables

What you receive

Network Architecture Documentation

Comprehensive network diagrams, data flow maps, and segmentation policies.

Firewall Rule Audit Report

Analysis of all firewall rules with optimization recommendations and unused rule identification.

Segmentation Policy Matrix

Defined access control policies between network segments with business justification for each rule.

Network Traffic Analysis Report

Baseline traffic patterns, anomaly detection results, and identified suspicious communications.

Zero Trust Implementation Plan

Roadmap for implementing zero-trust network architecture with prioritized milestones.

Wireless Security Report

Assessment of wireless infrastructure security including encryption, access control, and rogue AP findings.

Benefits

Results you can count on

Reduced Attack Surface

Segmented networks limit the exposure of critical assets and reduce the number of exploitable pathways.

Lateral Movement Prevention

Micro-segmentation contains breaches to individual network segments, preventing enterprise-wide compromise.

Deep Traffic Visibility

Network detection and response provides visibility into encrypted traffic, DNS tunnels, and covert channels.

Compliance Alignment

Network security controls satisfy PCI DSS, HIPAA, and NIST requirements for data protection.

Operational Resilience

Redundant network architectures and failover mechanisms ensure continuous availability during attacks.

Threat Intelligence Integration

Network-level IOCs and traffic analysis enhance overall threat detection and response capabilities.

Metrics

Key metrics

99.7%

Threat block rate

Percentage of known threats blocked by network security controls

83%

Blast radius reduction

Reduction in potential damage scope through network segmentation

Faster threat detection

Detection speed improvement with network-level monitoring

34%

Additional malware caught

Malware detected through encrypted traffic inspection vs endpoint-only

Engagement Formats

How we work

2 weeks