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The threat from anonymous networks

Eliminating anonymous traffic on corporate networks is vital to securing infrastructure, according to experts.

Speaking at a panel debate at the NetEvents conference in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Roger Hockaday, director of EMEA marketing at DNS security company Infoblox, said that anonymous traffic and anonymous networks had to be eliminated to create trusted domains within corporate infrastructure and increase security.

"We have silos of identity, and because of that, these networks are anonymous," said Hockaday. "To resolve that anonymity you have to tie in all these and make it federated in order to make it trusted."

Greg Fitzgerald, vice president of marketing at IPS security company TippingPoint, said that with the traditional perimeter in most organizations' infrastructure disappearing, not only must users be authorized but they must be monitored as well.

"You have to look at not just who is on the network but you also have to look at the packets themselves and what people are doing on the network," said Fitzgerald.

Souheil Badran, Europe, Middle East and Afraica vice president at Verisign, said that there was a need for enterprises to increase collaboration between different departments to eliminate anonymous networks.

John McHugh, general manager at HP ProCurve Networking, said many companies still believe that isolated networks are inherently trusted networks. He said that too many networks are created without adequate security. He called on the industry to make sure that security in the network is there from the start.

"When you buy an automobile, you buy the security as well - it is integrated into the car. A trusted domain has to be the same, the security has to be inherent and intelligently designed into the infrastructure," he said.

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