North-south traffic refers to the flow of data in and out of a network, typically between internal resources and the internet. To secure this type of traffic, Palo Alto Networks recommends specific CDSS subscriptions in addition to DNS Security:

A. SaaS Security

SaaS Security is designed for monitoring and securing SaaS application usage but is not essential for handling typical north-south traffic.

B. Advanced WildFire

Advanced WildFire provides cloud-based malware analysis and sandboxing to detect and block zero-day threats. It is a critical component for securing north-south traffic against advanced malware.

C. Enterprise DLP

Enterprise DLP focuses on data loss prevention, primarily for protecting sensitive data. While important, it is not a minimum recommendation for securing north-south traffic.

D. Advanced Threat Prevention

Advanced Threat Prevention (ATP) replaces traditional IPS and provides inline detection and prevention of evasive threats in north-south traffic. It is a crucial recommendation for protecting against sophisticated threats.

E. Advanced URL Filtering

Advanced URL Filtering prevents access to malicious or harmful URLs. It complements DNS Security to provide comprehensive web protection for north-south traffic.

Key Takeaways:

Advanced WildFire, Advanced Threat Prevention, and Advanced URL Filtering are minimum recommendations for NGFWs handling north-south traffic, alongside DNS Security.

SaaS Security and Enterprise DLP, while valuable, are not minimum requirements for this use case.