Engagement Options

Network Security Architecture Rapid Assessment

Networks are evolving in ways that offer the enterprise greater flexibility and enable increased mobility and multimedia services. However, enterprises are unable to impose and defend arbitrary borders on networks that may be shared and include untrusted segments. Network security architectures need to change with defenses moving closer to business information technology (IT) assets that are consolidated into secure zones within protected data centers. Network security is one of the principle defenses against data leakage prevention, and your network security architecture must be architected and deployed in such a way as to uncompromisingly protect your organization’s information assets.

How does your organization ‘rate’ when it comes to its network security posture? Do you have or are you putting in place the required components, services and related audit trails to support your legal and fiscal responsibilities?

Burton Group provides a focused assessment of your network security architecture and strategy. Our years of network security expertise has allowed us to create a thorough understanding of network security technology and deployment best practices. We use this wealth of experience and knowledge to thoroughly assess your near-term and long-term strategies for this cornerstone of your security infrastructure.

The outcome of this short-term engagement provides you with a thorough understanding of your organization’s strengths and weaknesses with respect to how your current security architecture measures up against industry best practices. We accomplish this assessment by electronically surveying up to 12 key ‘stakeholders’ drawn from cross-functional groups including network engineering, operations security and Line of Business executives concerned about network security . We will even help you identify the right people to survey.

With this information in hand, Burton Group uses its Reference Architecture methodology designed specifically for network security as a guide in performing our assessment. The Reference Architecture is comprised of a series of organization-specific Technical Positions, as defined further below:

Zones: What zones of trust should your organization establish to protect their information technology (IT) resources on communications networks?
Host Security: What protection posture should your organization take with regard to host security?
Enterprise Firewalls and Perimeter Architecture: What are the roles and types of firewalls you should deploy within zones and segments?
System Placement: How should systems be placed into security zones?
Encryption: What encryption mechanisms should be used to protect information confidentiality?
Network Intrusion Detection and Response in the DMZ: How should network intrusion detection and response (NIDR) capabilities be deployed in the de-militarized zone (DMZ) of a layered security architecture?
Network Intrusion Detection and Response in Restricted Security Zones: How should network intrusion detection and response (NIDR) capabilities be deployed in the restricted security zone of a layered security architecture?
Network Intrusion Detection and Response in Trusted Security Zones: How should network intrusion detection and response (NIDR) capabilities be deployed in the trusted security zone of a layered security architecture?

After receiving the completed surveys and reviewing your documentation, Burton Group consultants will spend one full day on-site with your team to review the survey responses and correlate this information with your documented network security architecture and strategy.

Following the on-site meeting, Burton Group will provide you with a 15 to 20 page written assessment. The assessment will include a series of tactical and strategic recommendations, focused on the specific topics above, to move your network security infrastructure forward. As would be expected, Burton Group recommendations are based on industry best practices, technological capabilities, your organization's unique requirements, and other specific findings of the assessment.

The duration of this engagement is typically between 4 and 6 weeks.

To start this engagement, call Jack Stackhouse at 615-547-1595