Perimeter firewalls analyze incoming traffic and filter emails, malicious web pages or external connection attempts at the interface between the local network and the Internet. But if an attacker succeeds in infecting a computer inside the network, he can move freely from there to the network.

An impressive example of this was the WannaCry crypto tower in 2017, which paralyzed not only hospitals and universities but also the media boards in Frankfurt’s station. WannaCry spreads over a vulnerability in the software that allows file access to other computers on the Windows network. Each computer with this vulnerability was directly accessible to neighboring computers. So WannaCry could spread in no time in the affected networks.

Effective protection against this type of attack is provided by splitting networks into segments limited in their ability to share data. The connection points monitor and control the permitted traffic. A worm scattered within such a segment can damage neighboring systems. However, it usually does not manage to move across segment boundaries.

In medium and large corporate networks, the IT department is responsible for breaking the network into segments for the different departments. For example, the administration’s network segment is separate from R&D or production.

With the introduction of Microwall, Wiesemann & Theis follows a similar approach: Instead of merely creating segments for entire departments, systems that are potentially vulnerable or motionless are isolated in a separate network segment using Microwall. These include e.g. IoT devices and intelligent home workers – but also CNC milling or old control computers.

Each functional unit is assigned its own network segment – a secure island where allowed data traffic with this segment is limited to those absolutely necessary for operation. If a milling machine e.g. Accepting production data via TCP port 9000, Microwall only allows connections through this port. If an attacker is now trying to exploit a vulnerability in another service, the connection is already blocked by Microwall and logged. On the other hand, devices on the same island can continue to communicate with each other unhindered.

Microwall is a 2-port firewall router. Configuration is straightforward via a web-based user interface. After setup, the configuration interface can be permanently disabled, requiring physical access to the reconfiguration device. Microwall is now available at a net price of 398.00 € / 2985.00 DKK. Commercial users can test the product for free for a period of four weeks.

Read more about Microwall during applications: Click here