Leveraging Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) as a Shield: Defending Active Web Endpoints Under Attack

In today’s digital landscape, the ever-looming threat of cyberattacks is a reality that businesses must confront, especially concerning web-based endpoints. With these endpoints serving as critical gateways to valuable data and resources, they often find themselves prime targets for malicious actors. When faced with an ongoing attack on active web endpoints, the knee-jerk reaction might be to take them offline for investigation. However, there’s a more strategic and proactive approach: leveraging Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) as a shield.

Understanding the Endpoint Conundrum
Web-based endpoints, whether servers or applications, are the frontline defenders of an organization’s digital infrastructure. However, their exposure to the internet makes them susceptible to various forms of attacks, including DDoS attacks, CVE exploitations, and 0-days attempts. When a web endpoint comes under attack, the instinctive response might be to isolate it from the network to prevent further damage and facilitate investigation.

Example representation of an usual attack flow

The Pitfalls of Traditional Approaches
While isolating a compromised web endpoint seems like a prudent move, it comes with its own set of challenges and drawbacks. Taking a web endpoint offline disrupts normal operations, potentially causing downtime and affecting productivity. Moreover, it doesn’t address the root cause of the attack or prevent similar incidents in the future. Additionally, investigations conducted in isolation may not provide a comprehensive understanding of the attack vector or the extent of the damage.

Example representation of endpoint isolation after an identified attack

Enter Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP)
Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) emerges as a compelling solution to the dilemma of defending active web endpoints under attack. At its core, IAP is a security layer that controls access to web applications and services based on the user’s identity and context. By integrating IAP into the infrastructure, organizations can enforce fine-grained access controls and mitigate the risk posed by unauthorized access attempts. This adds an extra layer of authentication in case of an ongoing attack.

Leveraging IAP as a Defense Mechanism
When faced with an ongoing attack on an active web endpoint, organizations can employ IAP to protect the endpoint and its resources without resorting to outright isolation. Here’s how:

Example representation of IAP enforcement after an identified attack

1. Immediate Protection: Instead of taking the web endpoint offline, organizations can place it behind an IAP, effectively shielding it from direct access by unauthorized users. This ensures that only authenticated and authorized users can interact with the endpoint, reducing the risk of further exploitation.
2. Seamless Incident Response: By leveraging IAP, organizations can seamlessly conduct incident response activities while the web endpoint remains operational. Authorized personnel can continue to access the endpoint for investigation, analysis, and remediation purposes without disrupting critical business processes.
3. Granular Access Controls: With IAP, organizations can enforce granular access controls based on user identities, roles, and contextual factors such as device posture and location. This enables administrators to restrict access to sensitive resources and functionalities, minimizing the attack surface and thwarting malicious actors.
4. Real-time Monitoring and Logging: IAP provides robust monitoring and logging capabilities, allowing organizations to track user access patterns, detect anomalous behavior, and generate actionable insights in real-time. This visibility into user activity enhances situational awareness and facilitates proactive threat detection and response.

Exploring Alternative Solutions: Forward Auth Proxy
While Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) presents an ideal solution for defending active web endpoints under attack, it’s essential to acknowledge that not all organizations may have IAP configured within their infrastructure. In such cases, alternative approaches, such as Forward Authentication (Forward Auth) Proxy, can serve as viable alternatives to bolster web endpoint security and mitigate ongoing attacks.

Understanding Forward Auth Proxy
Forward Authentication (Forward Auth) Proxy is a method commonly used in conjunction with reverse proxies to authenticate users before granting access to protected web resources. Unlike IAP, which integrates directly with cloud platforms and services to enforce access controls based on user identity and context, Forward Auth Proxy operates at the network level, intercepting incoming requests and redirecting users to an authentication mechanism before allowing access to the desired web endpoint.

Implementing Forward Auth Proxy for Web Endpoint Defense
In scenarios where IAP isn’t readily available or feasible for implementation, organizations can leverage Forward Auth Proxy to achieve similar outcomes in defending active web endpoints under attack. Here’s how Forward Auth Proxy can be utilized:

Example representation of forward auth proxy enforcement with SSO/federation after an identified attack

1. Proxy Integration: Organizations can deploy a reverse proxy (if not already in place), such as NGINX or Traefik, in front of the targeted web endpoint to intercept incoming traffic. The reverse proxy acts as a gatekeeper, intercepting requests and enforcing authentication before allowing them to reach the endpoint.
2. Authentication Mechanism: With Forward Auth Proxy, organizations can implement various authentication mechanisms, including Single Sign-On (SSO), OAuth, or LDAP, depending on their existing infrastructure and security requirements. Users attempting to access the web endpoint are redirected to the authentication mechanism, where they must provide valid credentials or undergo Federation/Social Login before gaining access.
3. Access Controls: Similar to IAP, Forward Auth Proxy enables organizations to enforce granular access controls based on user identities, roles, and permissions. Administrators can define access policies to restrict access to specific web endpoints or resources, ensuring that only authorized users can interact with the protected assets.
4. Logging and Monitoring: Forward Auth solutions typically provide logging and monitoring capabilities, allowing organizations to track user access attempts, detect suspicious behavior, and generate audit trails for compliance and incident response purposes. Real-time visibility into user activity enables proactive threat detection and response, enhancing overall security posture.

Choosing the Right Defense Mechanism
While Forward Auth Proxy offers a viable alternative for organizations without IAP capabilities, it’s essential to evaluate the suitability of each approach based on specific security requirements, infrastructure constraints, and operational considerations. Organizations must weigh factors such as ease of implementation, scalability, and compatibility with existing systems before choosing the most appropriate defense mechanism for mitigating ongoing attacks on active web endpoints.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the defense of active web endpoints under attack demands a multifaceted approach that considers both the availability of existing infrastructure and the urgency of safeguarding critical assets. While Identity-Aware Proxy (IAP) provides a comprehensive solution by seamlessly integrating with cloud platforms and enforcing granular access controls based on user identity and context, organizations without IAP capabilities can still bolster their defenses using Forward Authentication (Forward Auth) Proxy. By leveraging Forward Auth in conjunction with reverse proxies and authentication mechanisms, organizations can authenticate users, enforce access controls, and mitigate the risk posed by ongoing attacks on active web endpoints. Whether through the sophisticated capabilities of IAP or the pragmatic alternative of Forward Auth Proxy, organizations must prioritize proactive measures to defend their digital infrastructure and safeguard against the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats. This adds an extra layer of authentication in case of an ongoing attack.