Flowmon

Old network salts likely know all about network flows and the value of network flow monitoring. As former News Editor for Network World and Editor in Chief of Network Computing, network flows are part of my old stomping grounds. In fact, I remember when Cisco invented NetFlow in the late 1990’s to collect traffic data from its routers and switches so it could be analyzed by network pros.

The network is the heart and soul of your IT infrastructure, and its performance defines the user experience. Key to ensuring this performance is spotting security issues that disrupt its workings. This blog discusses two interrelated approaches: network behavior analysis (NBA) and anomaly detection. In fact, NBA is encompassed within a good anomaly detection system (ADS).

Microsoft has long been a top, perhaps the top, cybercriminal target. Not only is its software ubiquitous, but many hackers just plain don't like the company. And perhaps most important, attacks on Microsoft give hackers one thing they seek most – publicity.

A ransomware attack is one of the effective strategies cybercriminals use to encrypt users’ data and prevent them from accessing it until a ransom amount is paid. While the rate of ransomware attacks is less than other malware types, including viruses and trojans, it can have severe consequences on businesses and individuals alike. Ransomware attacks have been on the rise since 2018, reaching their highest at 68.5% in 2021.