{"id":52808,"date":"2023-07-17T18:43:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-17T18:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.networkworld.com\/article\/3702908\/cisco-hosts-containerized-firewall-on-catalyst-switches-to-protect-mixed-itot-networks.html#tk.rss_security"},"modified":"2023-07-17T18:43:00","modified_gmt":"2023-07-17T18:43:00","slug":"cisco-hosts-containerized-firewall-on-catalyst-switches-to-protect-mixed-it-ot-networks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.threatshub.org\/blog\/cisco-hosts-containerized-firewall-on-catalyst-switches-to-protect-mixed-it-ot-networks\/","title":{"rendered":"Cisco hosts containerized firewall on Catalyst switches to protect mixed IT\/OT networks"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Cisco announced a containerized firewall package for its venerable Catalyst switch family that\u2019s designed to help enterprise customers with mixed IT and OT systems more easily segment network resources and save money by consolidating network and security deployments.<\/p>\n

Specifically, Cisco built a Docker-based container for its Secure Firewall Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) that can be hosted on its Catalyst 9300 access switches. Cisco Secure Firewall ASA combines firewall, antivirus, intrusion prevention, encryption and virtual private network (VPN) support.<\/p>\n

The firewall supports up to 10 logical interfaces, which can be used for segmentation. This segmentation helps limit the ability of an attacker to move laterally within the network by containing any breach to a specific zone, wrote Pal Lakatos-Toth, an engineering product manager with Cisco\u2019s security business group, in a blog<\/a> about the news.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe integration of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) systems, also known as IT\/OT integration, is a crucial process in industries such as manufacturing, energy, and utilities. While IT systems handle data management, OT systems manage physical processes and control systems for critical infrastructure such as power grids, water treatment plants, and manufacturing equipment,\u201d Lakatos-Toth wrote.<\/p>\n

Digital transformation and smart manufacturing initiatives have accelerated the convergence of IT and OT networks, and \u201cwhile this integration can bring significant benefits such as increased efficiency, improved visibility, and better decision-making, it can also increase the risk of cyber-attacks,\u201d Lakatos-Toth stated.<\/p>\n

By hosting the containerized Secure Firewall ASA on Catalyst 9300 access switches, organizations can reduce the complexity of steering traffic to centralized firewalls using complex tunnels, Lakatos-Toth stated. It positions firewall services nearer to the source, offering a cost-effective and efficient way of securing IT\/OT converged networks. It also minimizes the latency for time-sensitive applications by enforcing the policies near the source where the devices connect to the network, Lakatos-Toth stated.<\/p>\n