Infrastructure is aging, networks are expanding, and more devices are connecting. The Cisco 2016 Midyear Cybersecurity Report finds that attackers are remaining active and undetected for weeks, months, or even longer by taking advantage of well-known vulnerabilities that organizations should have addressed long ago. It isn't unusual to find organizations using software and systems with vulnerabilities that have been known for five years or longer. As more devices connect to the network every day -it's estimated that up to 300 billion devices will be connected to the Internet by 2030 -the attack surface will continue to expand.

Meanwhile, reducing opportunities for attackers to accomplish their mission is becoming increasingly difficult. Adding one point solution after another to protect a dynamic environment is compounding complexity. And throwing more people at the problem isn't an option. New global research conducted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) finds that 82 percent of respondents admit to a shortage of cybersecurity skills, with 71 percent citing this shortage as responsible for direct and measurable damage as they are more desirable hacking targets.

Cisco is committed to providing organizations with the visibility and context they need to stop threats from getting in or spreading throughout the network. We believe that for security to be effective you need solutions and services that are automated, open, and simple to use. Frost & Sullivan has lauded our approach to effective security by recognizing Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) with the 2016 Global Network Access Control (NAC) Market Leadership Award. Here are a few examples of recent innovations that allow Cisco ISE to excel.

• Open -Leveraging the power of Cisco pxGrid, the ISE technology partner ecosystem continues to expand, reducing the complexity and fragmentation of security products that don't normally work together and allowing you to get more value from the tools you most need to keep your company safe.
• Simple -Easy Connect simplifies network access authorization from any endpoint -wired or wireless. A streamlined visibility wizard provides the visibility and context you need about every device and user connected to your network without even deploying 801.1x.
• Automated -Cisco ISE integrates with other Cisco solutions like Stealthwatch, Web Security Appliance, Firepower Management Center, AMP, as well as 40+ Cisco networking platforms with embedded Cisco TrustSec technology. By seeing and sharing data about users, devices, and your environment it allows you to automatically stop threats from getting in and spreading, dynamically enforce and update access policies based on the security posture of endpoints, and maintain consistent segmentation.

Frost & Sullivan cites Cisco ISE as the leading next-generation NAC solution with four points of competitive differentiation: Best Security Features in a NAC, Best Access Controls, Best Innovation Initiated in 2015, and Rapid Threat Containment. While Cisco ISE stands out on its own, it is vastly more powerful than other NAC offerings because it is integrated into our security architecture and standards-based to work with complementary, third-party security technologies. As part of an integrated approach to threat defense it removes the burden from your security team and enables faster times to detect and respond to threats and vulnerabilities. Download the Frost & Sullivan report to learn the details.