Prediction One:  2019 is the year that network and security operations unite 

Dubai, UAE, December 26, 2018:  In 2018, DDoS mitigation and prevention techniques became a lot smarter, due to advancements in DDoS cyber security solutions and network and application assurance technologies. In 2019, we’re going to see a similar thing happen at an organizational level as network operations teams share their visibility and insights with security teams. As security teams learn more about the treasure trove of insights already existing within enterprise infrastructure, they will become smarter about integrating that existing visibility into their processes to neutralize threats.  

The number of malicious attacks targeting the enterprise, the service provider space, and critical national infrastructure is rising exponentially. The alarming regularity of DDoS attacks is forcing CISOs and security architects to consider new strategies and solutions to protect key digital infrastructure. This includes the ability to detect DDoS attacks early, before these attacks cause significant damage to productivity, business performance, and reputation. The goal is to be able to mitigate attacks and ultimately prevent them from happening at all.  

The latter (prevention) is a challenge for even the most experienced CISO, because cyber criminals will always look to circumnavigate any form of defense put in their way. The rapid growth of business migration to hybrid cloud and multi-cloud architecture exacerbates the problem by increasing IT network and infrastructure complexity, thereby expanding the attack surface and exposing new vulnerabilities. Security teams have enough on their plate already without having to worry about cloud adoption and the integration of new services and applications. However, that’s all about to change as the boundaries that once separated security operations from network operations begin to blur, allowing teams to collaborate and share intelligence.  

Implication of trend: Shared visibility will lead to shared success

For many years, both the network and security teams have shared very similar capabilities. Both are charged with policing enterprise networks, services, and applications, looking for system faults or anomalies that could be the result of failures or malicious activity.  

The integration of the network operations center and the security operations center will produce tangible benefits for the enterprise. The two departments will operate in tandem, successfully managing, monitoring, and defending enterprise networks. They will be able to communicate and coordinate seamlessly, which will increase efficiencies, optimize resources, and lower costs.  

The worlds of assurance and DDoS security are finally coming together to provide in-house security and network operations teams with a platform that provides the highest degree of visibility possible on the market today. This combined proposition is underpinned by smart data and analytics that will provide security and network teams with comprehensive visibility of what is happening across their entire IT infrastructure in real time, empowering them to make decisions that will have an immediate impact.