Palo Alto Networks is addressing the growing threat of lateral movement within private and public cloud environments by introducing PAN traffic Redirector for creating a Micro-perimeter around your critical workloads. This solution enables organizations to establish granular security directly around high-value "crown jewel" workloads, such as databases storing sensitive intellectual property, personal health information (PHI) or personally identifiable information (PII). By deploying a lightweight Panredirect module on Linux workloads, organizations can intelligently redirect all inbound and outbound traffic through a GENEVE tunnel to a software firewall for deep packet inspection. This approach ensures that critical data remains protected even if an attacker breaches the initial network boundary, fulfilling fundamental Zero Trust requirements without requiring complex network re-architectures.
Traditional segmentation relies heavily on Layer 3 and Layer 4 controls—such as IP addresses and ports—which are too broad to effectively counter modern application-layer exploits. These legacy approaches often leave internal networks vulnerable once a perimeter is breached, allowing attackers to move laterally across the data center. You can mitigate this risk by implementing Layer 7-aware microsegmentation that provides context-rich visibility and precise control over application behavior and data flows.
The Panredirect Module creates a precisely defined security boundary directly at the workload level, regardless of your existing network topology. This mechanism ensures that every single packet—including intra-VLAN and inter-subnet traffic—undergoes rigorous inspection by your firewall infrastructure. By placing protection as close to the data as possible, you proactively stop threats from traversing the network and compromising high-value applications.
This solution can be enabled on your existing Prisma AIRS firewalls to apply advanced features like deep packet inspection and application-level filtering to internal traffic flows. The redirection process uses a Geneve tunnel to a Palo Alto Networks software firewall, which inspects the traffic and returns it to the workload for final delivery. You maintain full control over which workloads require redirection, allowing you to scale security enforcement without disrupting broader network operations.
The lightweight Panredirect module minimizes CPU and memory footprints on your servers, ensuring that enhanced security does not degrade workload performance. You can automate large-scale deployments through integration with standard management tools such as Ansible, Puppet, and Chef, reducing the manual overhead typically associated with microsegmentation. This streamlined approach helps you meet stringent regulatory requirements—including PCI, NIST, and HIPAA—while maintaining the agility needed for business innovation.
To understand where your organization is most vulnerable to lateral movement, we recommend taking a proactive step to visualize your current security posture. Run a complimentary CLARA assessment to map your critical workloads and identify existing gaps in your East-West protection.
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