One can try and define human beings using gazillion different adjectives, but none would actually do a job as well as the mention of our growth-oriented tendencies. These tendencies, on their part, has already fetched the world some huge milestones, with technology appearing as a rather unique member of the stated group. The reason why technology’s credentials are so anomalous is purposed around its skill-set, which was unprecedented enough to realize all the possibilities for us that we couldn’t have imagined otherwise. Nevertheless, a closer look should be able to reveal how the whole runner was also very much inspired from the way we applied those skills across a real world environment. The latter component was, in fact, what gave the creation a spectrum-wide presence and made it the ultimate centerpiece of every horizon. Now, having such a powerful tool run the show did expand our experience in many different directions, but even after reaching so far ahead, this prodigious concept called technology will somehow keep on delivering the right goods. The same has grown to become a lot more evident in recent times, and assuming one new GRC-themed development pans out just like we envision, it will only propel that trend towards greater heights over the near future and beyond.
BackBox, a leader in security-centric automation for network teams, has officially announced the launch of its new Zero Trust Network Operations (ZTNO) solution. According to certain reports, the stated solution delivers at our disposal a best practice framework, complimented through six actionable pillars, to automate cybersecurity considerations at the network layer for NetOps teams. Compliant with the Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA), as defined in NIST document 800-207, BackBox’s new ZTNO offering comes at the perfect time, given that federal agencies across the board and their contractors are currently facing a September 2024 mandate to implement Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA). But how will the solution actively improve their security posture? Well, for that, we must discuss those six actionable pillars on which the solution is built. To begin with, we can get into how BackBox’s ZTNO will help you establish an outright secure access, irrespective of whether you are accessing the solution through API, WebURL, or CLI. Leveraging a unique API of its own, the solution is able to do so by also integrating with different credential vaults. Next up, it makes a point to inform you whenever changes are made in an immutable log. This, in particular, is achieved on the back of auditing and recording all logins. Furthermore, the solution also ensures that privilege is centrally controlled on a BackBox server. Beyond delivering the stated piece of value, such a mechanism can also go a long distance when the agenda is to give administrators only those permissions which they might need to get their jobs done. Then, there is the prospect of remediating device configurations before device onboarding. Markedly enough, the solution here takes the help of policy enforcement to configure the appropriate compliance setting. Quite similar to the way it does the job of conceiving complete compliance, BackBox’s ZTNO offering further evaluates the device before onboarding for ruling out any possible security issues. Hence, if the device found as susceptible to any vulnerabilities, the solution is able to instantly set in motion a comprehensive patching protocol. Now, while carrying out such inspections at onboarding is critical to say the least, the development in question lets you conduct continuous grooming and remediation to ensure configuration and compliance in a more ongoing manner. The last of BackBox’s six pillars talks to rich reporting and visibility, including actionable data about the current vulnerability level of network devices.
“ZTNO makes zero trust actionable; NetOps teams can follow the framework to create a Zero Trust NetOps environment to complement the organization’s Zero Trust Architecture,” said Josh Stephens, CTO of BackBox. “It ensures the network remains secure without limiting a network engineer’s ability to get things done.”
Having covered its innate capabilities, we can now touch on all the by-products that are likely to emerge from this solution. For instance, in the context of use cases like privileged access, continuous compliance on discovery, and vulnerability management and mitigation, BackBox’s product will boast a rapid time-to-value function. Alongside speed, it will offer integration with a broad range of network and security devices, and adding to this universal theme would be its no-code automation capabilities that don’t ask for a specialized developer skillset to implement zero trust. Furthermore, considering it’s built for a whole network of unique security devices, the solution can be used to manage configurations across various vendors and device types. Rounding up the highlights is how the offering’s API-first approach to automation will pave the way for any concivable automation type to get integrated into a NetOps workflow.
“BackBox’s introduction of Zero Trust Network Operations (ZTNO) marks a significant advancement in network security, aligning NetOps with Zero Trust principles in a user-friendly, efficient, and comprehensive manner,” said Andrew Kahl, CEO of BackBox. “It stands as a testament to BackBox’s leadership and innovation in network automation.”
Founded back in 2009, BackBox has today reached a point where its Network and Security Device Automation Platform supports more than 180 vendors, with thousands of pre-built automations presented alongside a scripting-free way to build newer ones. These automations, on their part, are made to be flexible, scalable, and contextually-aware enough to replace admins’ manual work obligations in a more sustainable manner. From access management, inventory management, configuration compliance to OS upgrades, vulnerability management, and recovery, BackBox has made for itself a wide product assortment. The company’s excellence in what it does can also be understood once you consider it has already served more than 500 global customers, all while boasting over 57 partners.