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Weighing the future of firewalls in a zero-trust world
This article is part of the Information Security issue of November 2020, Vol. 21, No. 4
In a classic, darkly comedic scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, a cart passes through a small medieval village collecting plague victims for burial. "I'm not dead," insists an elderly gentleman in a nightshirt, as a younger man loads him on the cart. "I feel fine! I'm getting better!" The moment has arguably become less funny in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it neatly illustrates the longstanding plight of the firewall. Cybersecurity experts have been announcing its imminent demise for at least a decade, but the device is still with us. And according to John Burke, CIO and principal analyst at Nemertes Research, based in Mokena, Ill., the firewall actually will keep "getting better" in its role as a key player within zero-trust networks. Information Security magazine spoke with Burke to discuss how he imagines the future of firewalls unfolding in tomorrow's zero-trust, software-defined world. Editor's note: This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity. How do you view the future of firewalls as ...
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5 steps to get IoT cybersecurity and third parties in sync
Third parties often prove to be the weak links when it comes to IoT cybersecurity. Learn what you can do to minimize the risk while reaping the benefits that outside vendors bring.
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Columns in this issue
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Cybersecurity for remote workers: Lessons from the front
Tackle the security challenges COVID-19 wrought by using this playbook from an experienced disaster-zone responder.
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Weighing the future of firewalls in a zero-trust world
Cybersecurity pros have been predicting the firewall's demise for years, yet the device is still with us. But does it have a place in zero-trust networks? One analyst says yes.