Highlights from the Gartner® Hype Cycle™ for Workload and Network Security, 2023 and Enterprise Networking, 2024
Why two security categories included in the "innovation trigger" section - ASCA and Network Digital Twin - are an important element of any organization's ability to control their hybrid networks security
To improve enterprise security and mitigate risks associated with misconfigurations, organizations should consider implementing Automated Security Control Assessment (ASCA) processes and technologies. ASCA analyzes and remediates misconfigurations across various security controls, such as network firewalls, endpoint protection, and cloud infrastructure management, ensuring consistent security configurations. By continuously verifying configurations, ASCA helps organizations address security vulnerabilities caused by configuration drift or human errors, strengthening their overall security posture.
The adoption of ASCA solutions offers significant business benefits, including enhanced operational efficiency, reduced exposure to preventable attacks, and improved resilience during periods of staff turnover or organizational change. By addressing misconfigurations proactively, organizations can reduce gaps in their security controls that often lead to successful cyberattacks. ASCA also reduces the reliance on manual, siloed, or infrequent security assessments, providing a more continuous and automated approach to identifying and fixing high-risk exposures.
Drivers for adopting ASCA technologies include the growing complexity of security environments, the proliferation of new security tools, and the high turnover of IT staff, all of which contribute to an increased attack surface. With ASCA, organizations can move away from manual processes and periodic assessments, allowing them to maintain secure configurations more effectively and continuously, minimizing risks associated with evolving threats. Furthermore, ASCA is vital for organizations with heterogeneous infrastructure that cannot rely on vendor consolidation for simplification.
A network digital twin offers a transformative approach to managing and optimizing complex enterprise networks. By creating a software-based model that mirrors the behavior of network components in environments like offices, SD-WAN, or data centers, a network digital twin enables IT teams to validate configurations and security policies without disrupting live operations. This model stays synchronized with the production network, allowing real-time testing, troubleshooting, and validation of changes. Given the increasing complexity of networks, adopting a network digital twin can significantly enhance operational efficiency and reduce the risks associated with manual configuration errors.
For organizations facing the challenge of frequent network updates and limited skilled resources, a network digital twin provides a highly automated solution. This technology automates testing and validation processes, reducing reliance on shadow IT and duplicate systems while speeding up network changes. It allows IT teams to safely implement changes, ensure configurations are accurate, and test security policies—leading to improved network reliability. Furthermore, by validating network changes virtually, the twin reduces downtime, which is critical for maintaining business continuity and operational agility.
The business case for adopting a network digital twin is clear: it reduces costs, minimizes risks, and shortens delivery times for network updates by up to 20%. In environments where network complexity and configuration errors are frequent, over 80% of problems arise from improper configurations. Digital twins allow IT teams to avoid these costly mistakes while enhancing their ability to keep pace with the rapid release cycles of new software and applications. By providing a controlled, low-risk environment, digital twins also support employee training, improving skills without jeopardizing the production network.
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