What Is a Secure Router?
A secure router is a next-generation gateway that integrates routing functions with advanced security features. Compared with traditional access routers, it not only provides basic routing functions, but also integrates a range of security functions to protect networks from unauthorized access, malicious attacks, and data leakage. It also supports technologies such as SD-WAN, 5G access, VPN, MPLS, and third-party SASE deployment, ensuring secure, reliable, and efficient connectivity and management for enterprises.
Why Do We Need Secure Routers?
As enterprise networks expand and services diversify, network security threats escalate rapidly. Traditional access routers can no longer meet enterprises' security requirements. For example, as enterprises move their applications to the cloud, branch services can directly access these applications through the Internet, as shown in the following figure. This exposes networks to Internet attacks. While SD-WAN offers clear advantages for branch interconnection and cloud access, it also introduces new security risks.
SD-WAN service scenario
SD-WAN mainly faces the following security challenges:
- Unauthorized access
Unauthorized CPEs may register with the network controller and access the network, presenting severe security risks.
- Data breach
Communication between components, as well as user service data, traverses public networks like the Internet. The data may be stolen or tampered with.
- Network attacks
External-facing interfaces are vulnerable to attacks and intrusions such as traffic-based and application-layer attacks, impacting system availability.
- Service interruption
Direct Internet access (DIA) at branch sites can facilitate the spread of malware, ransomware, and malicious files, which may impact services.
To address these challenges, Huawei has introduced next-generation secure routers. These devices integrate diverse security functions to deliver layered protection across the network. They also offer robust access capabilities, supporting 5G, LTE, VDSL, Wi-Fi 7, and PoE++, meeting enterprise demands for high-speed, stable connectivity.
How Does a Secure Router Work?
Secure routers adopt the X.805 security architecture and deliver end-to-end security protection across four dimensions: device layer, network layer, application layer, and cloud.
Device-Layer Security
Device-layer security serves as the foundation of the security architecture, ensuring that physical devices and embedded systems are inherently secure and trustworthy. It enables a comprehensive, full-lifecycle security protection framework for network elements—spanning initial deployment, secure boot, and runtime operations. Key capabilities include data protection across hardware and software, security isolation, access control, and host intrusion prevention to block unauthorized access to the device's operating system.
In the security protection framework, the secure boot function prohibits system boot when system software is damaged, improving system security and reliability.
Secure boot
Network-Layer Security
In terms of network-layer security, secure routers ensure secure data transmission and protect against unauthorized access, theft, tampering, and disruption.
- On the LAN side, secure routers use MAC security (MACsec) to encrypt internal traffic, ensuring data confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
- On the WAN side, secure routers use IPsec overlay to encrypt packets transmitted between enterprise networks to protect data.
Network-layer security
Application-Layer Security
- IPS: analyzes traffic patterns to detect intrusions, including buffer overflow attacks, Trojan horses, and worms, and blocks them in real time to protect enterprise systems and network infrastructure.
- Antivirus: uses large-scale, continuously updated virus signature databases to identify and block virus-infected files, preventing damage to system data. Deployed at the network ingress, secure routers protect enterprise networks against viruses.
- URL filtering: regulates online behaviors by controlling which URLs users can access, permitting or denying user access to specified web page resources.
Application-layer security
Cloud Security
Secure routers can connect to Huawei Cloud and third-party cloud security gateways (such as Zscaler and Forcepoint). By inspecting traffic from enterprise sites to public clouds and SaaS applications, secure routers deliver Security-as-a-Service (SECaaS).
Cloud security
Typical Application Scenarios of Secure Routers
SaaS Application Access
Enterprise branch users can access SaaS applications either locally via DIA, or through the headquarters. In both cases, secure routers provide end-to-end protection using device layer, network layer, application layer, and cloud to ensure secure connectivity.
SaaS application access
SD-WAN Branch Interconnection
On an SD-WAN branch interconnection network, secure routers leverage 5G access and comprehensive security features, including device-layer security, network-layer security, application-layer security, and cloud security, to deliver high-speed, reliable, and secure WAN connectivity and support enterprise digital transformation.
SD-WAN branch interconnection
- Author： Li Jiyuan
- Updated on： 2025-12-05
- Views： 1119
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