Cisco Systems - Self Defending Network

The Cisco Self-Defending Network: The network's ability to identify, prevent, and adapt to threats.

The first phase of the Cisco Self-Defending Network strategy involves integrating security capabilities directly into network elements including routers, switches, wireless access points, and standalone network appliances. The second phase, which includes the industrywide Cisco Network Admission Control (NAC) effort, enables security-enabled network elements to communicate with one another in a collaborative manner, while extending security capabilities to individual user devices that connect to other networks and might infect a corporate network.

Adaptive Threat Defense is the next phase and helps to further minimize network security risks by dynamically addressing threats at multiple layers, enabling tighter control of network traffic, endpoints, users, and applications. It aims to protect every packet and every packet flow on a network.

With the introduction of Adaptive Threat Defense, Cisco has announced more than ten new product and technology innovations to help provide ubiquitous, layered protection and improved operational efficiency of business processes and applications.

Can a network really defend itself?
The short answer is, "Yes, it can." Network security has evolved from independently deployed products such as firewalls into the realm of system-wide solutions. And Cisco Systems® is at the forefront of the technology development that is making self-defending networks a reality.

The following products and technologies are a few components used in a Cisco Self Defending Network:

• NAC
  Network Admission Control is a Cisco Systems sponsored industry initiative that uses the network infrastructure to enforce security policy compliance on all devices.
• CSA
  Cisco Security Agent provides threat protection for server and desktop computing systems, also known as endpoints.
• CS-MARS
  The Cisco Security Monitoring, Analysis and Response System extends the portfolio of security management products for the Cisco Self-Defending Network.
• ASA 5500 Series
  The Cisco ASA 5500 Series is a high-performance, multifunction security appliance family delivering converged firewall, IPS, network anti-virus & VPN services.
• PIX Firewalls
  The Cisco PIX Series delivers robust user & application policy enforcement, mutlivector attack protection, & secure connectivity services.
• ISR Series
  The industry's first portfolio that is engineered for secure, wire-speed delivery of concurrent data, voice, and video services now includes new platforms and wireless.