Network Security

Why it matters

Most organisations built their network security around a perimeter. Everything inside the network was trusted. Everything outside was suspect. You needed to be on the VPN or in the office to access applications. That approach made sense when offices were concentrated and applications lived on-premises. That perimeter doesn’t exist anymore. People work from coffee shops, home, regional offices. Applications live in Azure, AWS, Salesforce, Google Workspace. Contractors and partners need access from outside the network. The old model forces you to protect against trusted users trying to reach untrusted locations and untrusted users trying to reach trusted applications. It creates friction, slowness and a false sense of security.

Zero Trust Network Architecture flips this. Instead of trusting everything inside the network, you verify everything. Every access request (from a user, a device, an application) is evaluated against policy. Users and devices are only allowed access to what they’re specifically authorised for, not everything on the network. Guests can access guest resources. Employees can access their tools. Contractors can access their project. No one sees traffic they don’t need to see.

0

Organisations with network segmentation reduce breach damage scope by 75% compared to flat networks, limiting lateral movement and containing compromised accounts to isolated segments.

0

Direct-to-cloud access through Zero Trust Network Access improves application responsiveness by 40% on average, eliminating unnecessary backhauling through data centre firewalls.

Key features

Network access control and device profiling

Before a device connects to your network, we verify it. Is it a known device? Is it up to date with security patches? Does it meet your security baseline? Devices that don’t meet requirements are isolated until they do. This happens automatically and invisibly to the user. Legitimate devices connect instantly. Non-compliant devices are blocked before they can cause harm.

Network segmentation and isolation

Your network is divided into isolated segments with strict controls between them. Employees can’t access guest networks. Guests can’t reach production systems. If one segment is compromised, the damage is contained. This isn’t complex firewall rules. It’s architectural. Traffic between segments is denied by default. Only explicitly allowed traffic flows across segment boundaries.

Network anomaly detection

Continuous monitoring watches for unusual patterns in network behaviour. A user accessing data they normally don’t touch. A device generating traffic to an unexpected destination. A sudden spike in connection attempts from a single user. These anomalies are flagged for investigation. This catches compromises that would otherwise go unnoticed until serious damage is done.

SASE (Secure Access Service Edge)

A modern architecture that converges SD-WAN, Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), secure web gateway technology, cloud access security broker (CASB) and firewall-as-a-service. Instead of managing separate tools, SASE lets you enforce security at a single point. Users connect to the SASE edge, security policies are applied and they reach their destination.

How it works

Step 1

Security assessment and baseline

We start by understanding your current network security posture. What devices connect to your network? What access controls are in place? Where are the obvious gaps? We also understand what regulations or compliance requirements apply to your organisation. By the end of this step, you have a clear picture of where you are and what your security baseline should be.

Step 2

Zero Trust policy design

Based on the assessment, we design Zero Trust policies. What user types need to exist? (Employees, contractors, guests, partners.) What resources does each type access? What’s the authentication method – password, MFA, certificate? How do you verify device compliance? We design policies that are stronger than your current approach but achievable without enormous overhead.

Step 3

Identity integration and automation

Security policies are most effective when integrated with your identity system. We connect to your Active Directory, Azure AD or identity provider of choice. User roles and group memberships become the foundation of security policy. When someone joins your organisation, they’re automatically assigned the right access level. When they leave, access is automatically revoked.

Step 4

Implementation and testing

We implement the security platform, typically Cisco ISE (Identity Services Engine) or Fortinet FortiGate. We test policies with non-critical users first. We verify that legitimate access works and illegitimate access is blocked. We check that guests can access guest resources but nothing else. We confirm that a compromised user account can’t move laterally.

Step 5

Continuous monitoring and policy evolution

Security isn’t static. We monitor your network continuously for anomalies and threats. As your organisation changes (new applications, new locations, new user types) we evolve policies. Software updates keep your platform current. We handle the operational complexity so your IT team can focus on enablement rather than firefighting.

Partners

We work with leading network security vendors to design and implement Zero Trust and SASE architectures across your environment.

Cisco’s Identity Services Engine (ISE) is the market leader in network access control and Zero Trust. ISE integrates with your identity systems and devices to enforce policy at the network layer. Cisco’s broader security platform includes firewall, web gateway and cloud security, giving you options for SASE convergence.

Fortinet’s FortiGate provides SD-WAN, Zero Trust Network Access, firewall and threat prevention in a single platform. FortiGate is designed for organisations that want security and networking decisions aligned from the start. It’s particularly strong for organisations building SASE from the ground up.

HP switches and fabric provide the infrastructure layer for network segmentation. By integrating with security platforms like ISE or FortiGate, HP networking infrastructure becomes part of your Zero Trust enforcement.

Awards and accreditations

Our accreditations confirm technical expertise in network security, Zero Trust architecture and vendor platform implementation.

This recognises our expertise in Cisco Identity Services Engine, Catalyst switches and security platforms. We can design and implement Cisco security solutions without vendor bottlenecks.

Our partnership with Fortinet confirms expertise in FortiGate and Fortinet security platforms. We can move quickly on Fortinet implementations and have access to Fortinet’s technical resources for complex deployments.

Network security that doesn’t slow users down requires rethinking the architecture from scratch

If you’re managing security with increasingly complex firewall rules, or if you’re struggling to balance guest access with security, or if regulations are pushing you toward stronger controls, we can help you understand what Zero Trust means for your organisation. Start with an honest assessment of your current security posture and what your regulations actually demand. From there, the path to a modern approach becomes clear.

Speak to a specialist

Woman holding a tablet deep in conversation with another woman with the SCC sail graphic in the background.

FAQs

Why is Zero Trust network access better than traditional firewalls and VPNs?

Traditional firewalls make a binary decision: is the request coming from inside the network (trusted) or outside (untrusted)? Zero Trust doesn’t trust anything by default. Every request (from inside or outside) is verified. Who is this user? What device are they using? Is the device compliant with security policies? Is this user authorised for this specific resource? This approach catches compromises that traditional firewalls miss. It also works better for hybrid work because the network perimeter doesn’t exist anymore.

How do you implement Zero Trust without breaking productivity?

The key is alignment. Security policies are designed around what users actually need, not around what’s easiest to restrict. An employee needs to access their files and collaboration tools. That’s what they’re authorised for. A guest needs to access meeting rooms and shared documents. That’s what they’re authorised for. When access policies match actual work patterns, Zero Trust feels transparent to legitimate users. It only blocks things that shouldn’t happen anyway.

What’s the difference between segmentation and traditional network isolation?

Traditional isolation uses VLANs and firewalls to separate networks. Segmentation is more granular and policy-driven. Instead of separating departments or locations, segmentation is built around access policies. A user can only reach resources they’re specifically authorised for, regardless of where they are. This is more effective at containing breaches and more flexible as your organisation changes.

How do we manage guest and contractor access securely?

Guest and contractor access is managed through policy. Guests and contractors are identified in your access system (usually through a portal). They’re granted access to specific resources only. Their traffic is segregated from employee traffic at the network level. If a contractor account is compromised, the attacker can only access the contractor’s project resources, not your entire network. This gives you the ability to offer productive access without creating security risk.

Can you implement Zero Trust in an existing network, or do we need to redesign everything?

You can implement Zero Trust incrementally. Start with the most critical applications and user types. Prove the approach works. Expand to other areas. You don’t need to rip out your existing infrastructure. Instead, we add Zero Trust security on top of what you have and you retire old approaches as new ones prove themselves.