De-perimeterization and life after the firewall

NO BORDERS

Article from Issue 89/2008
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Enterprises and organizations used to feel protected behind the firewall, but now VPNs, e-commerce, web services, and Web 2.0 have put an end to the comfort. The network perimeter is losing its significance, and the time has come for a new approach to security.

Firewalls used to be the pride of any security department. A welldesigned firewall protected the internal network, and a lot of ports needed to be open on the firewall. Servers advertised their services to anyone on the LAN.
This black and white view of the secure internal network and the evil external network was never really as simple as it looked – identity thieves and disgruntled colleagues have always been a part of the corporate scene – still, the system seemed to work somehow. Without firewalls, the current conception of the Internet – with online shopping, home banking, and VPNs – would be totally unthinkable.

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