Cisco touts body-like network security

Cisco chief John Chambers stressed the importance of security integrated throughout the network

Cisco chief executive John Chambers has predicted the end of the road for "pin-point" security applications addressing specific vulnerabilities, arguing that security has to be integrated throughout the network to defeat online threats.

"[Security] has to be like the human body [where] the network protects each element. Not as pieces, but with an architectural approach," Chambers told delegates at the RSA Conference in San José.

"You have to visualise how each of these plays together, not today but in three and five and seven years out. You are going to see many security products moving more into the network fabric."

Chambers claimed that security implemented by individual products will fail to keep up with network developments as devices, users, companies and networks become ever more tightly integrated.

Some security vendors, for instance, are developing applications that specifically target emerging technologies such as VoIP.

"Data, voice and video must have exactly the same approach to security, because they are packets," Chambers predicted.

"You cannot design your security requirements for voice differently from data or video because these are going to be completely converged in the future."

Cisco unveiled its Content Security and Control Security services module earlier this week, along with an updated Cisco Security Management Suite. The products will allow enterprises to tag attacks exploiting unpatched flaws by analysing network traffic and looking for abnormal patterns.

Network managers will be able to instruct other devices in the infrastructure, such as switches and routers, to stop all traffic that is specific to a new worm, for example. Cisco promised that this process will become fully automated over time.

'Security' is one of Cisco's 'advanced technologies', a segment where the company aims to achieve significant growth in the coming years.

As such, security is deemed part of a product group that has the potential to reach $1bn in annual sales, and will see a focus of the company's investments in research, acquisitions and partnerships.

Other advanced technologies include internet television, home networking, optical, storage area networks, IP telephony and wireless.