USE CASES

Segment
‍Flat Networks

TLDR: Software Defined Segmentation Beats Hardware Segmentation Every Day

OT Security should take advantage of software agility, not be stuck with hardware rigidity. Software-defined segmentation liberates you from the limitations of traditional firewalls. Instead of costly hardware upgrades and complex physical reconfigurations, you gain the power to create and modify network segments instantly, with a few clicks.

Challenge Met: Segmentation Contains Threats and Minimizes Attacks

Network segmentation significantly reduces the attack surface and contains threats by dividing the network into isolated zones. This limits lateral movement, preventing an attacker who has gained initial access from traversing the entire infrastructure.  By enforcing strict access control policies between segments, organizations can restrict communication to only necessary traffic flows, effectively containing malware propagation and minimizing the impact of a breach. This granular control enhances security posture and translates directly into business value by protecting critical assets, ensuring operational continuity, and reducing the potential for costly data breaches and regulatory fines. Segmentation transforms a monolithic, vulnerable network into a series of fortified micro-perimeters, bolstering resilience and preserving business integrity.

The Ideal World: Segment to meet business needs

Picture this: granular control at your fingertips. You can micro-segment your network based on business needs, risk profiles, or even individual device vulnerabilities, without the constraints of physical cabling or appliance limitations. Need to isolate a compromised device? Done. Need to create a secure enclave for a new project? Instantly done.  

This isn't just about saving money and time; it's about gaining unparalleled flexibility and responsiveness. Hardware firewalls are static, slow to adapt, and often create bottlenecks. Software-defined segmentation is dynamic, agile, and scalable. It's about empowering your security team to respond to real-time threats without disrupting operations. It's about building a security architecture that evolves with your business, not against it. It's OT cybersecurity security, redefined.

How We do It:

Configuring Port Isolation and Software-Defined Segmentation with a Managed Switch and BlastShield

This details the technical steps for configuring port isolation on a managed switch, followed by enabling software-defined segmentation (SDS) using a BlastShield device. This approach offers enhanced security by isolating ports and applying granular access control through BlastShield.

Components:

  • Managed Switch: Supporting port isolation, VLANs, and trunking.
  • BlastShield Device: Acting as a Zero Trust controller for micro-segmentation.
  • Endpoints: Devices to be isolated and segmented.

Port Isolation on the Managed Switch

  • Implement Private VLANs (Recommended):
    • Private VLANs provide Layer 2 isolation. Ports are designated as primary, isolated, or community.  
    • Isolated ports can only communicate with the primary port (BlastShield uplink).
    • Repeat for all ports needing isolation, associating them with the appropriate isolated VLAN.
  • Alternative: Protected Ports (If Private VLANs are not supported):
    • Protected ports prevent communication between other protected ports on the same switch.  
    • This is less granular than private VLANs but provides basic isolation.

BlastShield Integration

  • Trunk Port Configuration: Configure the switch port connected to the BlastShield device as a trunk port. This allows all necessary VLANs (including the primary VLAN of private VLANs, or the native VLAN) to pass.
  • BlastShield Network Interface Configuration: Configure the BlastShield device's network interface to handle VLAN tagging, matching the trunk port configuration on the switch.
  • VLAN/Segment Mapping: Within the BlastShield management console, create network segments corresponding to the VLANs used for isolation.
  • Enable Zero Trust Authentication: Activate BlastShield’s passwordless authentication or integrate BlastShield with an IdP (e.g., Active Directory, Azure AD) for user authentication and authorization.
  • Policy Creation: Define microsegmentation policies within BlastShield, specifying which resources users or devices can access.
    • Use zero-trust principles: default deny, least privilege, and context-aware access.
    • Example: Only authorized OT engineers can access specific OT devices within the isolated segment.‍
  • Policy Deployment: Deploy the BlastShield policies to the BlastShield device.

Endpoint Configuration

  • Default Gateway: Set the BlastShield device as the default gateway for all endpoints within the isolated segments.
  • BlastShield Client (Optional): Install the BlastShield client on endpoints for enhanced security features and identity-based access.

Verification and Testing

  • Port Isolation Verification: Verify that endpoints on isolated ports cannot communicate with each other directly.
  • BlastShield Policy Verification: Test the BlastShield policies by attempting to access resources from authorized and unauthorized endpoints.
  • Network Connectivity Testing: Verify that authorized endpoints can access resources through the BlastShield device.
  • Logging and Monitoring: Review switch and BlastShield logs for policy enforcement and network traffic analysis.

Key Considerations:

  • Private VLANs vs. Protected Ports: Private VLANs offer more granular isolation and are generally preferred.
  • BlastShield Placement: Ensure the BlastShield device is placed where it can inspect and control all traffic between isolated segments.
  • Performance: Evaluate the performance impact of BlastShield on network traffic.
  • Redundancy: Implement redundancy for critical components to minimize downtime.
  • Documentation: Maintain detailed documentation of the configuration.
  • Regular Audits: Conduct regular security audits to ensure ongoing compliance and effectiveness.

This configuration provides a strong foundation for securing sensitive network segments. The specific commands and options may vary depending on the vendor and model of the managed switch and BlastShield device.

Getting started with BlastShield is easy and free.

Getting started with BlastShield is easy and free. Follow the three steps below and get up and running fast.

Create a Free Trial
Account

Download the BlastShield Authenticator & Client

Make Your Host Invisible
In Minutes

Schedule A Demo
Company

Our Privacy Policy applies.

Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | © 2025 BlastWave, Inc. All Rights Reserved