​Nearly Half of Enterprises Either Have Implemented or are Planning to Implement Microsegmentation Security, According to New Study Commissioned by Unisys

Survey also finds fast, broad adoption of microsegmentation, resulting in improved security and fewer breaches

London, UK, November 6, 2018 – New research from Forrester Consulting[1] and commissioned by Unisys Corporation found broad acceptance and adoption of microsegmentation cybersecurity solutions among IT professionals surveyed. According to the study, nearly half of those surveyed reported they either had adopted microsegmentation in their enterprises or were planning to do so.  

Forrester defined microsegmentation as technology that "divides a network at a granular level, allowing…security teams the flexibility to apply the right level of protection to a given workload based on sensitivity and value to the business." 

The survey of 164 IT professionals in North America at companies with at least 1,000 employees found that 26 percent of respondents had either implemented or were expanding implementation of microsegmentation to create a software-defined perimeter within their organisations. An additional 22 percent reported they were planning to implement microsegmentation within the next 12 months. 

Respondents who had already implemented microsegmentation reported security improvements such as reduced frequency of data breaches, improved performance and an ability to limit the lateral spread of threats through improved containment of network problems. 

The findings illustrate the extent to which IT professionals are increasingly recognising the value that microsegmentation brings to a zero-trust approach to security. Zero-trust means that, in light of today's increasing cyber threats, organisations cannot afford to trust internal network traffic as legitimate, nor can they trust employees and partners to always be well-meaning and careful with systems and data. As the survey revealed, 58 percent of respondents agreed that "the network perimeter is indefensible in today's technology ecosystem of distributed cloud workloads and mobile/remote users." Consequently, they are embracing a more identity- and data-centric approach based on network segmentation, data obfuscation, security analytics and automation. 

The survey found that more than three-quarters of respondents (77 percent) said their organisations had invested in security and privacy technologies as part of their digital transformation strategies. And 84 percent agreed with the statement that, "digital transformation necessitates adjustments to traditional perimeter-based security strategies." 

"In our view, the survey proves there is broad recognition among IT professionals that zero-trust security is integral to digital transformation and that microsegmentation is one of the most effective ingredients in a zero-trust security model," said Jonathan Goldberger, vice president and general manager, Unisys Security Solutions. "Products like Unisys Stealth^® protect an organisation's critical assets with identity-driven microsegmentation and prevent and minimise the impact of cyberattacks across networks, environments and devices from inside and outside the perimeter." 

Unisys Security Solutions protect critical assets by establishing digital trust and providing secure access to trusted users. Unisys solutions help enterprises reduce their attack surface, more easily comply with regulations and simplify the complexity of today's network security. Combining expert consultants, advanced software and managed security services, Unisys helps enterprises build security into the fabric of their digital transformation.

To read a white paper based on the Forrester survey, click here. For more information on Unisys security solutions, visit www.unisys.com/business-drivers/security-transformation. For information on Unisys Stealth^® microsegmentation products and services, visit https://www.unisys.com/stealth.

About Unisys

Unisys is a global information technology company that builds high-performance, security-centric solutions for the most demanding businesses and governments on Earth. Unisys offerings include security software and services; digital transformation and workplace services; industry applications and services; and innovative software operating environments for high-intensity enterprise computing. For more information on how Unisys builds better outcomes securely for its clients across the Government, Financial Services and Commercial markets, visit www.unisys.com.    

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[1] Build Your Zero Trust Security Strategy With Microsegmentation, a September 2018 commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Unisys