The conventional monitoring solution focussed primarily on analyzing the performance of the network. Gradually, the scope of such tools increased and they are now packed with a host of security features. Focus is now more towards Forensic analysis, security threats analyzer, TCP analyzer, Firewall monitoring, Auditing and Compliances. 

So, how do you know which network security monitoring tool is essential for you? Which technique will provide the best ROI for your business? Here we have listed out some of the best tools available to ensure that your system network is secured from all ends.

Forensic analysis

One of the most important features for network security management is computer forensic analysis. Essentially, it is the collection and analysis of network segments, done with an attempt to trace the source of network security attacks. The goal of the process is to collect evidence from network security attacks, and identify the intrusion patterns. 

While the main focus is on the activities of the attacker, how does this concept actually work? It achieves these objectives by using two methods. The first method includes analyzing network traffic data, across different sites and network equipment like firewalls. The second method includes monitoring the network to identify the nature of attack. 

The whole process is conducted in the following order: 

Identification –> Preservation –> Collection –> Examination –> Analysis –> Presentation –> Incident Response. 

Auditing and Compliances

Conducting network audits and maintaining compliances are essential components of network security monitoring. These are important for carrying out internal investigations when you notice any discrepancy or anomalies within the network system. Analyzing the system for compliances by regular audits is highly important. This has two-fold benefits. 

The first advantage involves using the findings for litigation or legal proceedings when some wrongdoing is suspected. In the other situation, these procedures prove important to strengthen the internal control system to prevent future attacks. The importance of a network security audit lies in identifying security gaps and conducting gap analyses. 

The whole process works on five essential keys. These include identifying the sensitive data, limiting the access of data for the authorized users only, making use of firewalls to protect information within the system, making it a control for human error, and for monitoring the network.

Security Threats Analyzer

A security threat analyser is often your strong weapon against cyberattacks on your network security. This can prove to be an important network security software for you. With the help of this tool, you will be able to easily identify potential breaches or threats within the system. 

More often than not, such a security threat analyser will come with a threat intelligence feed. This helps identify bad IP addresses, malware and other such harmful threats. In short, the process adopted by a security threat analyser works by matching data about system vulnerabilities against real cyberattack threats. 

In effect, this forms a combination of vulnerability testing and risk assessment. Moreover, these tools are usually customizable in nature as per your requirements. In other words, you can set up custom security rules to be alerted by the software in the event of a breach in the system. 

TCP Analyzer

A TCP analyser is the perfect tool to analyse network traces of TCP. What exactly happens in a TCP analyser? Studies are conducted on the captured TCP connection. Effectively this provides you with reports generated from such an analysis along with performance statistics to understand how the TCP connection works. 

Apart from the statistics, you also have access to visualizations including time sequence graphs, round trip measurement and many other plots. But that is not all that you get from a TCP analyser. The analysis engine present in the network security software provides a detailed report.

The report gives an insight about which factors contribute to the declining performance of that particular connection. You can either use the default TCP connection or choose a connection of your liking. Thus, a TCP analyser assesses how your TCP network performs and highlights the pain points to you. 

Firewall Monitoring

When it comes to network security monitoring processes, firewall monitoring is a mandate. It involves the process of tracking certain firewall metrics that contribute towards effective firewall performances. Why is this important in the context of network security? To understand that, let us first understand what a firewall actually is. 

This essentially controls what goes in and comes out of a network. How efficient a firewall is depends on its processing speed and the rules governing the firewall. In effect, there are some loopholes that are present in firewalls that give the hackers a chance to swoop in. 

One of the first problems includes outdated firewall rules followed by issues caused by internal errors. Apart from that, unencrypted data and Shadow IT are some of the other issues in firewalls. Hence, in order to cater to these discrepancies and resolve them, firewall monitoring is an important concept of security monitoring. 

SW-Router Monitoring

One of the best ways to identify intrusions within your network is by analysing the router performance. In other words, this forms one of the easiest ways to make your way through another network. In this context, router monitoring is a useful concept where you can spot users with unauthorized access in your network. 

There might be a situation where suspicious users get access to your network, taking up bandwidth space. In effect, any kind of wrongdoing with the network could lead to issues with the router. That, in turn, would adversely affect a number of users within the system. 

Thus, router monitoring is an important method to monitor your network security to get accurate data on traffic sources and network activities. With sufficient information on network activities and traffic sources, you would be able to visualize the potential pain points and troubleshoot the issues in advance with real-time monitoring.

A monitoring software from VirtualMetric can help you resolve all your network monitoring issues. How do you benefit from this tool? VirtualMetric Network Monitoring tool notifies you of any potential threat in your network, provides a detailed dashboard with historic server performance data, engages in database monitoring, application monitoring, and the likes. 

The intuitive dashboard can help you have a holistic view of the network and its requirements and threats. Network security monitoring tools have greatly evolved over time. Now, there are different methods by which you can automate the process of network security management, test servers, and network systems within the organizations.