Application Delivery Controllers (ADCs): The Security Tool You Didnt Know You Needed

Application Delivery Controllers (ADCs): The Security Tool You Didnt Know You Needed

Application Delivery Controllers (ADCs): The Security Tool You Didnt Know You NeededDowntime for even a few minutes can have a major impact on businesses’ bottom line and image. Businesses suffering from server downtime are subject to potential loss in sales, profits, productivity and customer satisfaction. In fact, the U.S. per record cost of data breach averages $194, according to Ponemon Institute.

Another unfortunate result of network outages and downtime is severe data loss, forcing businesses to cope with the cost of recreating data and the cost of notifying users in the event their data is compromised. As customers rely on access to a business’ website for purchases, support, information and services, 100 percent connectivity, 24/7 is imperative to businesses’ customer satisfaction.

Hackers and other security attacks are a source of server downtime and have consequently become a major concern for businesses. Fortunately, there are several preventative measures businesses can take to secure and protect their network against hackers and network infrastructure attacks. For example, application delivery controllers (ADCs), which are used primarily for traffic management and to ensure optimal application performance, are also equipped with security features that protect against the most common types of network attacks, meaning that businesses can utilize tools they already have to protect against oncoming threats.

Protecting Against Hackers

Hackers are a serious security threat for business of all sizes. Hackers are generally exploiting the network to discover the identity of the network content servers. After the hacker physically identifies the servers, he begins to work on cracking the security screen. This type of unauthorized access to sensitive data has the potential to cause serious consequences to businesses.

Fortunately, ADCs are equipped with several security features to protect networks against this type of attach. ADCs enhanced security capabilities prevent hackers from obtaining IP addresses of the network content servers by utilizing the NAT (Network Address Translation). The NAT protects the real IP address of the server that holds outside users in a DMZ, protecting the server from potential harm from the hackers.Application Delivery Controllers (ADCs): The Security Tool You Didnt Know You Needed

Network Infrastructure Attacks

Network infrastructure attacks generate large volumes of traffic to overwhelm the network appliances. These types of attacks are typically a planned and well-synchronized massive generation of incoming traffic that is aimed at the edge devices in a businesses’ network infrastructure. Network infrastructure attacks will penetrate as deep into the network as possible, with razor sharp focus on the network content servers.

ADCs add a layer of protection to the network infrastructure by mitigating attack vectors and monitoring all incoming requests. IPS/IDS and basic firewall functionality ensure that malicious attempts are not passed through to application instances. ADCs lie between the Internet and the application environment, putting them in a prime position to perform these functions.

For a complete implementation that can not only scale and withstand attacks, geographic site load balancers work in conjunction with local application delivery controllers to intelligently distribute user application traffic across dispersed data centers. Real time site monitoring coupled with configurable business-rule driven traffic steering algorithms results in the optimal use of a global data center fabric. In the case of multi-tier applications where an administrator is alerted to server resources requesting other servers through the ADC, and one random server exhibits anomalous traffic patterns, the ADC can block access to the offending server and act as an additional layer of protection against DDoS attacks.

Another common window of vulnerability in terms of application security is Missing Function Access Level Control exploits (a top 10 OWASP web app security concern). When developers create web interfaces, they have to restrict which users can see various links, buttons, forms, and pages but graphic design layers on top of HTML in terms of the web page look and feel often hide the exposed URLs.

ADCs can restrict which hosts and users can access fronted resources, as well as dictate which directories can even successfully be accessed. For most deployments the only successful traffic flow will be one that traverses the ADC for the request and the response, which helps to mitigate the amount of attack vectors that malicious efforts proffer. Additionally, as a reverse proxy, ADCs terminate TCP traffic, acting as a basic firewall in the strictest sense and only allowing explicitly allowed connections to ever make it through to the application infrastructure.

ADCs: A Key Security Tool

ADCs, while usually relied upon to improve the scalability and performance of business-critical applications running on the network, also serve as a key tool against network attacks. By utilizing the security features of ADCs, businesses can protect their networks against hackers and network infrastructure attacks to avoid any downtime while making the most of existing IT tools.

About the Author

Atchison Frazer is the CMO at KEMP Technologies.

Featured

  • The Key to Wellbeing in the Office

    A few years ago, all we saw in the news was the ‘great resignation.’ Now we have another ‘great’ to deal with. According to CBRE, 2023 was the start of the ‘great return’ as office workers returned to their normal offices after working from home. The data shows that two-thirds of all U.S office buildings were more than 90% leased as of Q2 2023. Read Now

  • Failed Cybersecurity Controls Costing U.S. Businesses $30 Billion Yearly

    Panaseer recently released ControlWatch and the Continuous Controls Battle: Panaseer 2025 Security Leaders Report examining the cost of cybersecurity control failures and the impact of growing personal liability for security failings on security leaders. The report analyzes the findings of a survey of 400 security decision makers (SDMs) across the US and UK. It shows that security leaders feel under increasing pressure to provide assurances around cybersecurity, exposing them to greater personal risk – yet many lack the data and resources to accurately report and close cybersecurity gaps. Read Now

  • The Business Case for Video Analytics: Understanding the Real ROI

    For security professionals who may be hesitant to invest in video analytics, now's the time to reconsider. In a newly released Omdia report commissioned by BriefCam (now Milestone Systems), the research firm uncovered a compelling story: more than 85% of North American and European organizations that use video analytics achieve a return on investment within just one year. The study, which surveyed 140 end users across multiple industries, demonstrates that security technology is no longer just for security — it's a cross-organizational tool that delivers measurable business value far beyond traditional safety applications. Read Now

  • Survey: 54% of Organizations Cite Technical Debt as Top Hurdle to Identity System Modernization

    Modernizing identity systems is proving difficult for organizations due to two key challenges: decades of accumulated Identity and Access Management (IAM) technical debt and the complexity of managing access across multiple identity providers (IDPs). These findings come from the new Strata Identity-commissioned report, State of Multi-Cloud Identity: Insights and Trends for 2025. The report, based on survey data from the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), highlights trends and challenges in securing cloud environments. The CSA is the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings. 3

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file. 3

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening. 3