Intelligent Security Fabric: SDN-Powered Next- Generation Firewall Architecture for Modern Networks

Abstract

Network security has become critical nowadays due to fast changes happening in the digital environment. In our study, we investigated how a Software Defined Network (SDN) and the Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) are brought together, and we focus mainly on the combined chance of these technologies to change current network security for the better. With SDN, there is a big movement in the sector because it has high programmability and more control, as well as improved flexibility that is vital for building smart networks that react well. Traditional firewalls, which do things like packet filtration and checking states, are not enough anymore for new threats at the levels of application or if the malware changes its form. NGFWs are a big step forward because they have advanced features like deep packet inspection (DPI), can understand application layers, and often include control, along with strong protection against threats like zero-day attacks through Intrusion Detection and Prevention (IDPS). All of this makes NGFW able to find advanced threats, such as zero-day attacks and attackers who persist. Responses to threats can now be automated, allowing the SDN controller to change routes or send new rules to firewall policies for NGFWs, which also enhances a person's ability to visualize and analyze the system. In addition to providing more defense, this method also brings extra flexibility and more intelligence to the network regarding its safety, allowing for quicker adaptation to emerging threats and more effective management of security policies, which is vital to sustaining robust cybersecurity in dynamic environments. In our research, we use the CSE-CIC- IDS2018 dataset, a well-known dataset for studying network intrusion detection systems, along with the KDD'99 dataset, to assess how effectively a Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) can imitate and improve advanced techniques for managing threats.