Network Access ControlThis newsletter is sponsored by Nevis NetworksNetwork World's Network Access Control Newsletter, 06/28/07NAC users driven by regulatory complianceBy Tim GreeneIncreasingly, businesses deploying NAC are worried about proving to regulators that they are following appropriate industry and governmental guidelines for protecting data. Specifically, they want to be able to show that those who accessed data were properly authorized, and this is something that NAC can help with. By authenticating users and their machines and checking that the devices assume an acceptable security posture, businesses can demonstrate that they restrict access to just authorized users. Further, by restricting the access that is granted, they can show that authorized users access only a limited set of data.
Post-admission NAC monitors whether users maintain their security posture and checks that their network use doesn’t stray from what is acceptable. Post-admission NAC can also shut down access for those whose behavior looks suspicious. Regulators want more. For instance they are concerned that sensitive data doesn’t travel outside the network and if it does, that it is appropriately protected via encryption, but other technologies handle. Still, more than half of those planning to deploy NAC say they are driven by the need to demonstrate regulatory compliance, and that number is growing, according to Infonetics Research. Those considering NAC as a compliance tool should evaluate the reporting capabilities of the products they test. Do they keep comprehensive logs of who is granted access to what and whether they adhere to policies? Are these logs readily converted into reports useful to addressing the demands of regulators? If chosen carefully, NAC can be an important component for answering regulators.
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Contact the author: Tim Greene is a senior editor at Network World, covering network access control, virtual private networking gear, remote access, WAN acceleration and aspects of VoIP technology. You can reach him at tgreene@nww.com. This newsletter is sponsored by Nevis NetworksARCHIVEArchive of the Network Access Control Newsletter. BONUS FEATUREIT PRODUCT RESEARCH AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Get detailed information on thousands of products, conduct side-by-side comparisons and read product test and review results with Network World’s IT Buyer’s Guides. Find the best solution faster than ever with over 100 distinct categories across the security, storage, management, wireless, infrastructure and convergence markets. Click here for details. PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE International subscribers, click here. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICESTo subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World newsletter, change your e-mail address or contact us, click here. This message was sent to: networking.world@gmail.com. Please use this address when modifying your subscription. Advertising information: Write to Associate Publisher Online Susan Cardoza Network World, Inc., 118 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772 Copyright Network World, Inc., 2007 |
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