The next generation network is growing up and the enterprise firewall is more targeted than ever. In fact, the U.S. government has seen about a 680 percent rise in cyber security intrusions or breaches in the past six years. An intrusion detection system is keenly implemented to thwart would be attacks on most sytems and firewalls.
The need for next gen network security rises as firewalls diversify. They now fall into 6 general types consisting of embedded firewalls, the enterprise software firewalls, the enterprise hardware firewalls, SOHO (small office and home office) software and hardware firewalls and finally specialty firewalls. They all benefit from a network security platform.
Even with strides in the next generation network, in 2011 there were more than 42,000 reported incidents of data loss or theft, computer break ins and intrusions, and privacy breaches in the United States. That represents a fraction of the vulnerabilities out there among new entrants to the next generation network and their desire for safe, private data communication.
The Government Accountability Office (or GAO) in the United States saw security breaches go from 13,017 in 2010 to 15,560 in 2011. Again the rise is staggering when individuals, organizations, and businesses can implement firewall software for a few hundred dollars up to thousand of dollars depending on their need and the perceived safety risks discovered with an intrusion prevention system for their existence within the next generation network.