By Richard Arneson

An 18-month-old study by the Ponemon Institute, an independent research and education organization that works to advance privacy management practices for businesses and government agencies, discovered that, even though malicious insiders compose the largest, most costly source of security breaches, over seventy-five percent (75%) of businesses largely remain unprotected from them. That’s astounding, especially considering the exponential growth of IoT and BYOD. Actually, though, that growth is part of the issue, and it’s due to two (2) issues—there is reduced visibility into these devices and security-related resources haven’t adjusted accordingly. Sure, everybody loves anytime, always-on connectivity, but without a secure Network Access Control (NAC) solution, you may need to include “…and anyone can hop on our network” after anytime and always-on.
Many organizations make their decision easier by selecting the same vendor they’re already using for their infrastructure. Or, worse, they’ve taken a We’ll get to that later, let’s first just worry about getting everybody connected approach. The former gives the illusion of security, even though it can be fraught with security gaps, but the latter doesn’t even suggest illusion, but delusion.

ClearPass – the secure gateway

Aruba, the 16-year-old, Santa Clara-based wireless networking company purchased by HPE three (3) years ago, developed ClearPass to provide NAC and cybersecurity policy management that discovers, profiles, authenticates and authorizes any device—IoT, BYOD, or otherwise–that needs to access customers’ networks. In addition, it can integrate with Aruba’s IntroSpect behavioral analytics solution, and it can be deployed in any network, regardless of vendor.
Whether networks are accessed through wireless, wired, or a VPN solution, ClearPass can meet those needs while providing real-time data that can be utilized to create policies to satisfy the most mobile of workforces.

ClearPass Guest

Designed to meet the needs of facility visitors, ClearPass Guest provides secure, automated guess access to accommodate wireless or wired networks, regardless of mobile device. Whether a self-registration or sponsor-involved option is selected, credentials and pre-authorized access privileges can be enforced for short- or long-term guests. Credentials can be delivered by text, email or printed badges, and can be set to automatically provide access for a specified amount of time.

ClearPass Onboard

Regardless of the mobile device used—Windows, IOS, Android, macOS, Chromebook, and others—ClearPass Onboard can automatically configure and provision them, and ensures they’re securely connected to the network. ClearPass Onboard is a perfect way to address BYOD security, allowing administrators to easily configure wireless, wired or VPN settings, and apply per device certificates and profiles to ensure users can securely connect to 801.11x-enabled networks. In addition, it greatly enhances the ability to troubleshoot device- and user-based policies. As a result, workflows are streamlined, which allows IT helpdesk personnel to better automate processes to alleviate IT burdens while also enhancing the user experience.

ClearPass QuickConnect

ClearPass QuickConnect is another great security solution for BYOD environments. It addresses one (1) of the most challenging and complicated aspects of remote access—configurations related to 801.11x access. A user-driven configuration wizard can be accessed from anywhere, which walks them through step-by-step procedures for configuring SSIDs or 802.11x settings, regardless of the device being used.

It’s no wonder they’re a leader in IoT and BYOD security

Enterprise-grade security, greater controls, a customized guest access portal, multi-vendor capabilities, automated device provisioning to address IoT and BYOD initiatives, industry-leading and first-to-market features, proofs of concept—these, and many others, are the reasons Aruba ClearPass delivers clear, unique and proven differentiators in the world of IT security.

Got questions on security related to IoT and BYOD? Call on the Security experts

To find out more about how to secure your IoT and BYOD initiatives, contact GDT’s tenured and talented security analysts at SOC@GDT.com. From their Security- and Network Operations Centers, they manage, monitor and protect the networks of some of the most notable enterprises, service providers, healthcare organizations and government agencies in the world. They’d love to hear from you.
 

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