NordLayer is a set of instruments for unbreakable enterprise web safety.
Irrespective of the dimensions, companies are the prime goal of cybercriminals. The apparent motive is so many insecure end-points and profitable rewards upon success.
As a matter of truth, 83% of organizations noticed a cyberattack in 2022, as per this IBM report. That’s an enormous quantity by any means. But it’s extra worrying for SMBs as they’re widespread targets, 3 times greater than their bigger counterparts, as per Barracuda Networks, a cloud safety firm.
Consequently, there is just one factor, lackluster safety infrastructure, that explains SMBs being the sitting geese for unhealthy actors.
Let’s cowl that loophole with NordLayer.
In easiest phrases, contemplate NordLayer because the enterprise implementation of NordVPN, a top-of-the-line consumer-side VPN. NordLayer brings all that goodness (and extra) to companies of all sizes to turn out to be a versatile and hassle-free community safety resolution.
Underpinned by networking rules like Secure Access Service Edge and Zero Trust Network Access, it provides safety merchandise similar to Secure Web Gateway (SWG), Firewall as a Service (FWaaS), and Identity Access Management (IAM).
With over 8000+ companies already onboard, NordLayer’s key energy is easy integration and scalability.
Let’s perceive this higher with the next sections.
Table of Contents
NordLayer: A High-Level Overview
Offered by Nord Security Solutions, NordLayer is concerning the cybersafety of enterprise belongings from exterior and inner threats. Its prime USPs are safeguarding distant workforce, imposing granular useful resource entry, exercise monitoring, identification administration, information encryption, and extra.
In addition to NordLayer, its father or mother firm has a wealthy portfolio of safety merchandise, together with NordVPN, NordCross (password supervisor), and NordLocker (encrypted cloud storage).
Launched in 2019 as NordVPN Teams, it was later rebranded as NordLayer 2021.
So what makes NordLayer totally different?
Blazing-fast deployment, 24/7 assist, over 30 world areas, and a product line that’s simple to implement and handle.
It has numerous safety options beneath its hood, similar to:
- Hybrid Work Security
- Business VPN
- SASE
- ZTNA
- Secure Remote Access
- SAAS safety, and so on.
However, on this article, I’ll cowl its Business VPN, SASE, and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA).
Business VPN
Business VPN, in a nutshell, is a compulsory safe gateway for your staff to entry enterprise assets.
And since that is end-to-end encrypted, every bit of knowledge stays nameless and safe from the prying eyes of cybercriminals. The better part is that this safety extends to each inch of your company community and on all units, even when the end-user is on public WiFi.
In addition, that is entry managed, together with passwords and/or multi-factor authentication. And as soon as a consumer will get inside, there are role-based permissions to the enterprise assets based mostly on the username, IP handle, and so on.
But not every part on a consumer machine is top-secret. So, you get split-tunneling to route non-sensitive site visitors with out encryption. This characteristic helps maintain servers free from pointless load whereas prioritizing vital stuff.
Another glorious characteristic is site-to-site connections that are helpful for geographically unfold out firms. This creates an encrypted tunnel for safe information alternate amongst individuals on totally different networks. Besides, NordLayer can work site-to-site in each use instances, intranet and extranet.
NordLayer enterprise VPN integrates with main cloud suppliers, together with Azure, Google Workspace, AWS, Okta, Google Cloud, and so on.
Lastly, that is powered with industry-leading, bank-grade AES 256-bit encryption.
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)
SASE is a cybersecurity blanket that caters to a contemporary, post-pandemic period of a globally dispersed workforce.
Based on a Zero Trust Approach, the thought is to safe all end-points by way of protocols like Firewall as a Service (FWAAS), Secure Web Gateway (SWG), Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), Software-defined WAN (SD-WAN), and so on.
Let’s perceive every of those briefly.
FWAAS
This is a cloud firewall implementation that guards entry to enterprise assets. FWAAS works equally to an on-premise firewall, simply that it operates for the corporate’s cloud and in-house belongings, which inserts many current instances.
The advantages are hardware-less design, simple implementation, and auto-updates. It’s simple to create guidelines relevant to people or groups defining who will get entry to a selected inner or exterior useful resource.
SWG
In a nutshell, NordLayer’s Secure Web Gateway protects units and enterprise functions from malware with its ThreatBlock Technology. This safety is underpinned by its database of malicious web sites and phishing hyperlinks, which restricts any unaware consumer from turning into a sufferer.
This will allow browsers to have separate encrypted connections which conceal site visitors content material, its origin, and vacation spot in case of any cyber assault. In addition to the strong AES 256-bit encryption, it masks a consumer’s IP handle by way of shared or digital personal gateways. Besides, it permits DNS-based filtering and gives devoted servers for unparalleled privateness.
CASB
CASB merely validates entry to work assets and permits or rejects incoming requests accordingly. This integrates menace prevention, information encryption, identification and entry administration (IAM), and single sign-on (SSO) to deliver a useful resource gateway that’s safe but easy.
SD-WAN
SD-WAN optimizes a number of wide-area networks with software-based networking for excessive efficiency and safety. This takes profit of worldwide factors of presence for sooner speeds by way of load balancing.
In addition, this straight routes site visitors to SAAS suppliers from department places of work with out backhauling site visitors to information facilities. This helps in avoiding the wastage of firm assets.
Zero Trust
It’s a strategy of relentless validation of the community entry to inner belongings and information by ruling out any pre-defined belief relationships. This strategy treats inner and exterior site visitors with equal suspicion.
Zero Trust consists of IAM, community entry management, segmentation, and safety.
Its IAM module consists of two-factor authentication, SSO, biometric logins, and so on. Devices safety checks for weak consumer units and notifies the community admin instantly. Likewise, utility entry is managed by way of IP allowlisting and site-to-site devoted connections.
In addition, Zero Trust provides AES-256-bit encryption, diskless servers (i.e., no information storage), and exercise monitoring for 360-degree safety and privateness.
Subscriptions
Nordlayer is available in three subscriptions: Basic, Advanced, and customized.
Both the Basic and Advanced plans require a minimal of 5 customers and supply a 1 Gbps community, limitless customers, limitless information utilization, always-on VPN, ThreatBlock, and so on.
The main differentiators are customized DNS, DNS filtering, biometric authentication, mounted IP, site-to-site connectivity, and extra, that are connected to the Advanced bundle.
As of this writing, the Basic and Advanced plan promote at $9.0 and $11.0 per consumer per 30 days, respectively, with discounted annual packages.
Complete Security Coverage
The cyber menace panorama is ever-evolving, and when you can’t sustain with that tempo, it’s greatest to “outsource” safety. And with Nord Security being a confirmed participant within the cybersecurity realm, going with NordLayer needs to be simple.
This staff has wealthy expertise in growing the most effective VPNs available in the market, which provides one more reason to present it a strive.
So, this completes the high-level options overview of NordLayer.
Next, take a look at methods to effectively safe your small business from cyberattacks.
