Since 2008, the CIS Controls have been through many iterations of refinement and improvement leading up to what we are presented with today in CIS Controls version 8.1.CIS Controls reflect the combined knowledge of experts from every part of the ecosystem (companies, governments, and individuals). The controls reflect consideration by people in many different roles, such as threat analysts,...

In December 2024, Malaysia passed its Data Sharing Bill 2024, a new piece of legislation aimed at streamlining data-sharing across federal government agencies. This bill promises to revolutionize how data is managed, shared, and secured within Malaysia's government, fueling a more efficient, innovative, and secure public sector.By enabling seamless data exchange between federal entities while...

In today’s dynamic IT environments, securing and maintaining the integrity of your systems is critical. Fortra’s Tripwire Enterprise is a robust tool designed to help organizations ensure compliance and security by continuously monitoring the configuration and behavior of their IT assets.When deploying Tripwire, a common question arises: should you prioritize monitoring applications, operating...

Security experts have warned that a cybercriminal group has been running a malicious and inventive phishing campaign since August 2024 to break into organizations across Europe, North America, Africa, and the Middle East.The Russian group, known as Storm-2372, has targeted government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as well as firms working in IT, defence, telecoms, health, and the...

Today, I will be going over Control 2 from version 8.1 of the top 18 CIS Controls – Inventory and Control of Software Assets. I will go over the seven safeguards and offer my thoughts on what I’ve found.Key Takeaways for Control 2Reusability. The tools that were mentioned in Control 1 will be used in Control 2 as well. Reusing tools that accomplish goals for both Controls 1 and 2 can help cut...

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s February 2025 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1143 as soon as coverage is completed. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEsCVE-2025-21391A vulnerability in Windows Storage could lead to elevation of privilege, however, it is important to note that this would not give complete access to the file...

Building a vulnerability management (VM) program from the ground up is no small feat. It requires technical expertise, organizational buy-in, and a clear roadmap. In recent months, I’ve been working with a client who had to discard their legacy approach and start afresh. We came to realize just how many components have to come together to get a decent start on a VM project while also showing value...

Key Takeaways for Control 3At the heart of a strong data management plan is awareness surrounding the 'Five Ws' of the enterprise's data:What data does the enterprise store or handle?Who should have access to it?Where is it stored or accessed?When should it be deleted?Why does it need protection?A comprehensive data management plan incorporates the answers to these questions with policy decisions...

Tripwire's January 2025 Patch Priority Index (PPI) brings together important vulnerabilities for Microsoft.First on the list are patches for the Microsoft office platform, including Word, Access, Visio, Excel, OneNote, and Outlook. These patches resolve 13 issues such as remote code execution and security feature bypass vulnerabilities.Next are patches that affect components of the core Windows...

Key Takeaways for Control 4Most fresh installs of operating systems or applications come with preconfigured settings that are usually insecure or not properly configured with security in mind. Use the leverage provided by multiple frameworks such as CIS Benchmarks or NIST NCP to find out if your organization needs to augment or adjust any baselines to become better aligned with the policies your...

In the early part of 2024, the Center for Internet Security (CIS) released the latest version of the well-respected Critical Security Controls (CSC). The new version, 8.1, adds contours to the prior versions, making it more comprehensive and timely in today’s challenging cybersecurity environment.The CIS CSC has been a valued source of guidance for many organizations since its initial release in...

Can you imagine a modern working world without Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications? Productivity, communication, and project management solutions have transformed the modern workplace, enabling hybrid and remote working, helping to cut costs, and offering unprecedented opportunities for collaboration and innovation. Without them, the business world would grind to a halt.But these...

Knowing who has credentials, how those credentials are granted, and how they are being used is the foundation of any secure environment. It begins with user accounts and the credentials they use. Maintaining a thorough inventory of all accounts and verifying any changes to those accounts as authorized and intentional vs unintended is paramount to establishing a secure environment, and this...

Recently, I looked at Microsoft’s assigned CVSS v3.1 scores for Patch Tuesday vulnerabilities alongside the Microsoft assigned severity ratings. I wanted to revisit these numbers and see just how closely CVSS aligns with Microsoft’s opinion of severity.Disclaimer: I’m aware that CVSS v4.0 exists. However, Microsoft has not yet adopted it, and I wanted an apples-to-apples comparison.What Is CVSS v3...

The energy sector is the cornerstone of modern infrastructure, powering essential services and supporting the daily operations of economies worldwide. However, it also faces unique cybersecurity challenges, particularly in complying with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation's Critical Infrastructure Protection (NERC CIP) standards.Cyber threats keep growing in sophistication and...

Remote work isn’t just a temporary trend anymore; it has become a permanent fixture. What began as a quick response during the pandemic has evolved into the new normal for businesses worldwide. In America, 20% of people now work from home.While this has its advantages (flexibility for workers and cost savings for businesses), it’s not without its complications, having cracked open a host of issues...

Fortra’s Tripwire has always been widely known as a File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) solution, and a very good one at that. The good news is that it still is - only when you look closely, it’s a lot more. And it always has been.Besides its traditionally known role as an integrity and security configuration management tool, Tripwire’s powerful capabilities make it a comprehensive cybersecurity...

CIS Control 6 merges some aspects of CIS Control 4 (admin privileges) and CIS Control 14 (access on a need-to-know basis) into a single access control management group. Access control management is a critical component in maintaining information and system security, restricting access to assets based on role and need. It is important to grant, refuse, and remove access in a standardized, timely,...

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s January 2025 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1139 as soon as coverage is completed.In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEsCVE-2025-21333The first of three Hyper-V vulnerabilities this month is a heap-based buffer overflow that leads to privilege escalation to SYSTEM. Microsoft has reported this...

Enterprise networks frequently experience changes in endpoint devices, software, and files, which can introduce risk to the organization. To mitigate this, companies can implement foundational security controls like file integrity monitoring (FIM), which tracks changes to essential files and helps restore them if unauthorized. Additionally, organizations may use these controls to monitor for...