Secure SD-WAN options with robust encryption protocols

Today's world comprises highly evolved digital space; thus, there is a need to protect the data transmitted through Wide Area Networks (WANs). Some of the findings that were established and noted were that organisations that deployed SD-WAN at their branch offices were found to be 1.3 times more likely to have an actual data breach than participants who did not employ SD-WAN. Furthermore, with approximately 85% of network traffic encrypted, the importance of encryption in SD-WAN cannot be overstated. 

This article discusses ways in which encryption is valuable in SD-WAN when highlighting aspects of Secure SD-WAN, analysing key components, certain features provided by vendors, and the effects of encryption on the performance of SD-WAN. In this way, business people can decide how to protect business data and meanwhile how to gain more from SD-WAN investment.

Introduction to secure SD-WAN

SD-WAN is an upgraded version of WAN security with the integrated management of network infrastructures via software-defined solutions along with solutions for bandwidth problems and integrating strong security models. It improves application experience, provides rapid initial value by minimising cost and optimising performance, and guarantees a more robust WAN security edge to the cloud edge. Since SD-WAN is agile, cost-efficient, and secure in comparison to the traditional approaches, secure SD-WAN changes the traditional networking shifts to create new paradigms for organisations to adopt in the emerging digital world seamlessly.

Importance of encryption in SD-WAN

It may sound like a cliché, but it bears repeating that encryption has a vital role to play in SD-WAN. Encryption of data in a WAN firewall means that data is protected while passing through comprehensive area network infrastructures, optimising confidentiality and data integrity. With the freedom to fabricate information routes, SD-WAN ensures data integrity while in transit by protecting what may be malicious or prohibited. 

Some of the guidelines include encrypting all the links all the way to the edge, protecting WAN firewall connections, and having a single management point that will give total control over the entire network. Encryption emerges as one of the essential features of SD-WAN security as it protects vital traffic exchange.

Key components of secure SD-WAN encryption

Let's delve into the key components of SD-WAN encryption protocol and their contributions to WAN network security: 

• Authentication: Security measures can include limiting access to only devices that have been authenticated to work within the SD-WAN overlay network as a way of preventing malicious devices from accessing the network and causing damage to overall SD-WAN operation.

• Encryption: SLA optimisation also ensures that all communication taking place within the SD-WAN infrastructure is encrypted automatically; thus, there will be no need for crucial configuration, and the transmission of data is well protected.

• Integrity: SD-WAN possesses specific characteristics; it does not use server or group keys to manage various aspects, such as ensuring the reliability of the data or information being transferred.

• Control plane security: On the other hand, authentication, encryption, and integrity mechanisms exist in the control plane, while the Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN components are responsible for its security policies.

• Data plane security: In the data plane, SD-WAN devices, encryptions provide security, meaning that information does not flow in the clear over the WAN but is encrypted from one SD-WAN device to the other.

They thereby make up an essential basis of WAN network security to ensure that SD-WANs can enable end-to-end secure communications effectively.

Vendor-specific encryption features and capabilities

Some notable features and capabilities are noteworthy in Vendor-Specific Encryption.

• Vendor-specific and vendor-neutral training in cloud security presents two different avenues by which various organisations can learn to protect their cloud-based systems better.
• Vendor-neutral training is no vendor lock-in and gives an overview of cloud security issues rather than discussing favourable vendors and products. It is most useful for organisations that migrate between various cloud providers.
• This type of training includes aspects like data security, user and system rights, WAN network security, and data breach reaction with the purpose of updating general knowledge within different platforms.
• However, training for a specific vendor goes much deeper into the security of services of a particular cloud vendor or technology to cater to organisations that work with only a specific service provider or intend to do so.
• Vendor-specific training focuses on the security settings of the chosen platform, working with specific vendor tools, and dealing with particular problems related to security features using the result of the platform's potential maximisation.
• Cloud security engineers would be wise to familiarise themselves with both approaches because each ideology has strengths and weaknesses in providing secure measures adapted to organisational requirements.

Performance impact of encryption in SD-WAN

Although encryption of data is essential in SD-WAN, major deployment requires it to impose minimum performance degradation. Tata Communications IZO™ SDWAN solutions exhibit strong security capabilities alongside impressive throughput, ensuring a secure and efficient network environment dissecting the performance impact of encryption in Secure SD-WAN. IZO™ SDWAN exhibits strong security capabilities alongside impressive throughput, ensuring a secure and efficient network environment. 

Let’s dissect the performance impact of encryption in Secure SD-WAN:

Security and SD-WAN evaluation

• Cisco requested Miercom to make an evaluation of the new converged security and SD-WAN products by Cisco Catalyst and Meraki WAN devices.
• Eight subjects were examined: four of Catalyst and four of Meraki, comprising security performance and bandwidth throughput tests.

Security efficacy testing

• The evaluation of Cisco Meraki and Catalyst WAN appliances showed that the software met and, in some cases, even exceeded the industry average in malware detection, which is 25%.
• Phishing and polymorphic malicious URL evaluation yielded positive outcomes as well. Prevention numbers ranged from 95% to 99% on the first time each Cisco appliance encountered the threats to a perfect 100% score on the test retake.

Throughput performance

• WAN firewall appliances here performed the lack of application transaction failure while executing an enterprise mix of traffic or EMIX, even if run in the Secure SD-WAN overlay using IPsec for the interconnection transport encipherment.

Conclusion

SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) solutions provide organisations with secure, simplified, and efficient Extended WAN security required for Multiple presence. As we saw, SD-WAN is equipped with multiple layers of security that make the system secure against cyber threats. Methods used to protect the privacy of traffic include encryption in case data is sensitive and needs protection while in transit. Measures include minimising exposure to public Internet usage and periodic controls to improve security further. Through SD-WAN solutions, Tata Communications gains better control over the networks' appearance and protects them through real-time surveillance and analytical tools, unified management, and Virtualised Network Functions. Sign Up For A Free IZO™ SDWAN Trial today!