Network operations and security are critical components of any organization’s IT infrastructure but are often undervalued, underfunded, and underserved. As a result, cybersecurity threats continue to pose a significant risk to businesses worldwide. In a recent survey of network operations and network security professionals commissioned by Wakefield Research, the majority (62%) of respondents stated that their leadership prioritizes cybersecurity spending on prevention over response. However, the survey also revealed that a vast majority of respondents (92%) feels overlooked compared to IT teams in their contributions to ensuring company security, and 93% are dissatisfied with their company’s current approach to automation, which doesn’t enable them to be as proactive as they could be.
Undervaluation of network operations and network security professionals
Despite the importance of network operations and security, professionals in these areas continue to feel undervalued and their contributions are often overlooked. The survey revealed that 92% of respondents believe they are overlooked compared to IT teams. This sentiment underscores the significance of valuing all members of the IT organization and understanding that network operations and security are just as important as other IT functions.
Furthermore, 93% of respondents are dissatisfied with their companies’ current approach to automation. While automation is essential for achieving greater efficiency, it is only effective when it is properly aligned with business needs and can adapt to changes in the landscape. The reasons for dissatisfaction cited by respondents include difficulty in adding new automations, partial network coverage, compliance concerns, poor integration, piecemeal approaches, and too much manual interaction required.
Known vulnerabilities and ineffective upgrade frequencies
In the network operations and security field, vulnerabilities are equivalent to ticking time bombs that need to be addressed promptly to prevent breaches. Unfortunately, according to the survey, more than half (56%) of respondents reported that the last time their company experienced a cybersecurity breach, it was due to a known vulnerability being exploited. This statistic is alarming for two reasons: firstly, known vulnerabilities should be remedied as soon as they are discovered. Secondly, the longer vulnerabilities remain unaddressed, the more likely they are to be exploited.
Also, 61% of companies upgrade their network and security devices quarterly or less frequently, leaving critical components of the network exposed to threats. These results suggest that to prevent breaches, organizations need to prioritize frequent upgrades and remediation of known vulnerabilities.
The Need for Network Automation
According to the survey, the current approach to network automation requires manpower and skill sets that network teams don’t have to spare. This approach is not sustainable or effective in the long run, particularly since threats are increasing in frequency and complexity. Fortunately, a network automation platform can improve network operations and security, and provide best practices and automation capabilities that help teams be more proactive and aligned with business goals.
Proactive prevention through understanding the network
Proactively preventing network security threats begins with a full understanding of the network and how it changes over time. This involves gathering real-time data and analyzing it to detect potential threats before they have a chance to cause damage. Understanding network changes can also help teams identify opportunities to improve automation and identify potential vulnerabilities in the network.
More Effective Approaches to Automation
For network automation to be effective, it needs to allow proactive vulnerability management and timely upgrades without manual intervention. Automating routine tasks such as backups and updates frees up NetOps teams to focus on critical security aspects like risk assessment and response planning. More effective automation also enables teams to scale these capabilities as the growth of virtual networks has resulted in an increase of devices that require monitoring and management, making automation essential.
Compliance validation and management capabilities
Compliance is an essential component of network security and governance. Complying with regulations such as GDPR and HIPAA can be challenging, especially for large organizations that manage multiple networks. Compliance validation and management capabilities include comparing collected configurations with corporate standards and regulatory compliance requirements, notifying when gaps are detected, and automating remediation. In this case, automation can help network teams save time and costs, minimize compliance risks, and focus on more complex tasks.
The role of NetOps in threat prevention
NetOps teams play a vital role in maintaining the security of the network. They have the skills and knowledge to recognize suspicious activities and address network issues promptly, but to be more proactive, they need to be equipped with an approach to network automation that includes automated critical tasks and more advanced automations around compliance and risk management. By giving NetOps teams more control and visibility into the network, they can develop a more proactive approach to threat prevention and collaborate more effectively with IT teams.
The survey results reveal that cybersecurity spending needs to prioritize prevention and protection rather than just response. Moreover, network operations and security teams are essential in keeping business networks secure and need recognition and investment. Long-term network automation offers the ability to be more proactive, so it is critical to invest in technologies that fit and enable more efficient operations and maintenance. By understanding the network structure, implementing effective automation, and empowering NetOps teams, companies can minimize the potential for data breaches while improving overall network performance.