Few businesses use network segmentation to guard against breaches

Security segmentation limits the ability for attacks to move laterally inside an organization by breaking data center and campus networks or clouds into smaller segments. But a new study reveals that only 19 percent currently implement segmentation solutions today.

The study of 300 IT professionals carried out by Virtual Intelligence Briefing for Illumio also shows that while approximately 25 percent are actively planning a project, more than half are not protecting with segmentation at all or planning to in the next six months.

"The results from this survey confirm what we have long known," says Matt Glenn, VP of product management at Illumio. "Despite the fact that organizations realize the likelihood of a security incident is high, they do not leverage segmentation because it is too hard and costly to implement, especially with firewalls, preventing wider adoption. This is why we have spent years developing a purpose-built segmentation solution used for security. It is simpler, more effective and drives the cost out of segmentation projects so organizations can consider a future free of high-profile breaches."

There are some bright spots in the results, 45 percent of respondents currently have a segmentation project underway or are planning to begin one in the next six months.

Of those who are planning a project, the survey finds that 81 percent will use firewalls for segmentation, despite the fact that they are slow to implement, don't adapt, are complex to work with, and were not built to serve this function. Although businesses still rely on firewalls for perimeter security, most cite difficulties with how costly they are to implement and manage for segmentation.

You can find out more in the full report on the Illumio site.

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