Raising the bar of in-home network security with CloudSight connectivity management

As home networks become more complicated, managing and protecting them from security breaches or identifying unauthorized devices are prerequisites to having a robust in-home network. Patrick Bongaerts, Product Line manager for remote management solutions within Genexis, explains why having a unified view of in-home networks with the cloud management platform CloudSight can help service providers safeguard devices and protect end users from unwanted incidents.

Facing a complex and critical in-home network

Fiber-to-the-home networks are central to everyday life and enable working from home to entertainment. These in-home networks grow more complex as more devices, services, and technologies are used, from Bluetooth and Wi-Fi services like streaming, video, Internet, or voice services to Internet of Things (IoT) and smart home devices. Apart from gaming and entertainment, the network also supports applications for remote health care and monitoring, smart metering, security, and home office environments, to name a few. At home, most of us interact with several devices on a daily basis. Each new device and application may introduce a new security risk if not properly managed throughout its lifecycle.

Overall, networks also play a critical role in our societal infrastructure. For instance, communications service providers and the broadband industry are now recognized and included as a “sector of high criticality” within the Network and Information Security (NIS)2 Directive for the European Union. Under NIS2, Genexis customers are classified as “essential entities.” Adopting proportionate technical, operational, and organizational measures to manage cybersecurity risks is required. This also applies to protecting in-home networks.

Protecting in-home network by taking control and managing devices

To manage the complexity of in-home networks and regulatory security compliance, having visibility of network performance and device management is essential. Genexis helps service providers take control of the network and manage devices throughout its lifecycle with CloudSight, a cloud-based connectivity management platform. It offers a complete suite of management, provisioning and support tools for all aspects of the network while providing a unified single view.

High-level security built-in

CloudSight provides maximum security and a safe and sustainable network environment with:

• Identity device management to set and manage access and ensure authentication and authorization of devices. If an unknown or unregistered device pops up in the network, an alarm will be generated. It doesn’t necessarily mean a security breach, but some attention is needed for this device.
• Remote provisioning of services and software upgrades is a secure way to keep devices safe, updated and optimized. Most in-home networks have a combination of legacy and new devices, and the platform caters to both and future-proofs the network.
• Blacklisting is a feature to “blacklist” or prevent specific devices or groups access. Unauthorized devices are denied access. A two-factor identification is required to access the platform and often is limited based on the person’s role. Customer service or help desk will only have access to the necessary information, which also protects data privacy to comply with GDPR legislation.
• Secure APIs ensure cloud integration. CloudSight connects and interacts securely with other systems, such as a CRM, which involves a lot of personal data. From a data perspective, the platform is a GDPR-proof system with audit trials; every step and every change that has been made is monitored, registered and logged. If there is a security breach, it can be tracked with details of who logged in, at what time, etc.
• Data encryption ensures that all stored, used, imported, and exported data is secure.
• Extended Detection and Response (XDR) are available on the server level. A certified security expert supports this additional layer of security and monitors the CloudSight environment 24/7, 365 days a year. In the event of a serious attack, CloudSight will be quarantined, and the worst will be prevented. An intrusion alarm is generated, followed by immediate actions.

Taking control of network performance

Monitoring the network’s health, performance and topology is also essential from a security perspective. The more you track the use of the devices, services, and in-home network setup, the more you can identify incidents, investigate the root cause, and instantly respond before the end user is impacted. Resolving the problem remotely by restarting, rebooting, or upgrading ensures that network performance is continually optimized and secure.

Overall, Genexis’ cloud management tools streamline in-home networks and protect them from security breaches.

Author: Patrick Bongaerts