NETWORK ACCESS

CONTROL
Contents

NAC DIFFERENCE THE TOP NAC

BETWEEN NAC, SOLUTIONS
FIREWALL AND VPN
Network Access Control(NAC)
■ also known as network admission control, is the process of restricting unauthorized users and
devices from gaining access to a corporate or private network.
■ NAC ensures that only users who are authenticated and devices that are authorized and compliant
with security policies can enter the network.
■ Purpose of NAC
1. Access Control: NAC regulates which devices can connect to the network, ensuring that only
authorized users and devices gain access.
2. Device Compliance Checking: It evaluates the security posture of devices before granting
network access, ensuring that they meet specific security standards (e.g., having the latest
antivirus software or security patches).
3. Threat Mitigation: By enforcing compliance policies and restricting access for non-compliant
devices, NAC helps reduce the risk of malware, data breaches, and other cyber threats.
4. Segmentation of Network: NAC allows for the segmentation of network resources, enabling
organizations to isolate devices based on their security posture or user role, thus limiting the
potential impact of security incidents.
5. Monitoring and Reporting: NAC solutions typically include monitoring capabilities, providing
insights into network activity, device behavior, and compliance status. This information can be
crucial for audits and for identifying potential vulnerabilities.
6. Policy Enforcement: Organizations can define and enforce security policies across the network,
ensuring consistent adherence to security standards.
7. Guest Access Management: NAC can facilitate secure guest access to networks, allowing
visitors to connect without compromising the security of the internal network.
What Are The Advantages of Network Access Control?

■ Network access control comes with a number of benefits for

organizations:
1. Control the users entering the corporate network
2. Control access to the applications and resources users aim to access
3. Allow contractors, partners, and guests to enter the network as
needed but restrict their access
4. Segment employees into groups based on their job function and
build role-based access policies
5. Protect against cyberattacks by putting in place systems and
controls that detect unusual or suspicious activity
6. Automate incidence response.
7. Generate reports and insights on attempted access across the
organization
 What Are The Common Use Cases For Network Access Control?
■ Here are some common use cases:
1. Corporate Network Security: Organizations use 5. Compliance and Regulatory Requirements:
NAC to enforce security policies for devices Organizations in regulated industries (like finance or
accessing their corporate networks. This includes healthcare) can use NAC to demonstrate compliance
ensuring that employee devices are compliant with with industry standards by ensuring that all devices
security standards before granting access. accessing sensitive data meet specific security criteria.
2. Bring Your Own Device (BYOD): With the 6. Automated Response to Threats: NAC solutions can
increasing trend of employees using personal
automatically isolate compromised devices from the
devices for work, NAC helps manage these devices
by assessing their compliance and controlling their
network when suspicious activity is detected,
access based on security policies. preventing potential threats from spreading.
3. Guest Access Management: NAC solutions can 7. Monitoring and Reporting: NAC provides visibility
provide secure guest access to the network while into the devices connected to the network, helping
isolating guests from sensitive resources. This security teams monitor for unauthorized access and
ensures that visitors can use the internet without generate reports for audits or compliance checks.
exposing the internal network to potential threats.
8. Education and Training organization: organizations
4. IoT Device Management: As the number of Internet can use NAC to manage stuffs devices, ensuring they
of Things (IoT) devices grows, NAC can help meet security requirements before accessing
manage and secure these devices, ensuring they
organization resources and protecting sensitive data.
meet security standards before connecting to the
network.
continuing
9. Network access for non-employees: NAC is also helpful for granting
temporary access to non-employees, such as contractors, consultants, and
partners. NAC can allow access to such users so they can connect to the
network seamlessly without having to engage the IT team. Of course, the
policies for non-employees have to be different from those of regular
employees.
10. Network Segmentation: NAC enables organizations to segment their
networks based on the role or function of devices. This helps contain security
incidents by limiting access to sensitive resources.
11. Remote Work: With the rise of remote work, NAC can help ensure that
employees working from home or other locations adhere to security policies
before accessing the corporate network.
What Are The Capabilities Of Network Access Control?

1. Policy life-cycle management: NAC enforces policies for all users and devices across
the organization and adjusts these policies as people, endpoints, and the business
change.

2. Profiling and visibility: NAC authenticates, authorizes, and profiles users and devices.
It also denies access to unauthorized users and devices.

3. Guest networking access: NAC enables an organization to manage and authenticate

temporary users and devices through a self-service portal.

4. Security posture check: It evaluates and classifies security-policy compliance by user,

device, location, operating system, and other criteria.

5. Incidence response: NAC reduces the number of cyber threats by creating and
enforcing policies that block suspicious activity and isolate devices without the
intervention of IT resources.

6. Bi-directional integration: NAC can integrate with other security point products and
network solutions through the open/RESTful application programming interface (API).
What Are The Types of Network Access Control?

1. Pre-admission:
Pre-admission network access control occurs before access is granted. A user
attempting to enter the network makes a request to enter. A pre-admission network
control considers the request and provides access if the device or user can authenticate
their identity.
2. Post-admission:
Post-admission network access control is the process of granting authorization to an
authenticated device or user attempting to enter a new or different area of the network
to which they have not been granted authorization. To receive authorization, a user or
device must verify their identity again.
The top six NAC solutions

1. Here are the top six NAC solutions:

2. NordLayer NAC: Best overall network access control tool
3. Ivanti Policy Secure: Best for core features and compliance
4. Portnox Cloud: Best for pricing accessibility and transparency
5. FortiNAC: Best choice for advanced protection functions
6. Aruba ClearPass: Best for ease of use and administration
7. ForeScout: Best option for diverse network environments