Users who do not have the appropriate security awareness training are considered a weak link in the security of an enterprise. These untrained users are easier to exploit than finding a flaw or vulnerability in the equipment that an enterprise uses to secure its network. Attackers could convince unsuspecting users to unintentionally provide access to the enterprise network or expose sensitive...

Enterprises today rely on partners and vendors to help manage their data. Some companies depend on third-party infrastructure for day-to-day operations, so understanding the regulations and protection standards that a service provider is promising to uphold is very important.Key Takeaways from Control 15Identify your business needs and create a set of standards that can be used to grade service...

Security configuration management (SCM) is all about making sure your security systems do what you think they’re doing.In tennis, there is something called an unforced error. This is when a player loses points for a mistake they made themselves, not due to the skill of the other opponent. In a big way, security misconfigurations are those unforced errors on the security side or instances in which...

The way in which we interact with applications has changed dramatically over the years. Enterprises use applications in day-to-day operations to manage their most sensitive data and control access to system resources. Instead of traversing a labyrinth of networks and systems, attackers today see an opening to turn an organization's application against it to bypass network security controls and...

DDoS attacks have become an annoyance most companies assume they may have to deal with at some point. While frustrating, minor website disruptions from small-scale hacktivist campaigns rarely create substantial business impacts. However, a particularly insidious DDoS spinoff has emerged over the past decade – one aimed at blackmail.This evolutionary milestone stems from what's called Ransom DDoS ...

The story of cybersecurity involves bad actors and security professionals constantly trying to thwart each other, often using newer and more advanced measures in an attempt to outdo each other. In recent years, especially, cybercriminals have evolved to include sophisticated technology and advanced tactics in their attacks. With the increasing popularity of tools and practices like artificial...

No-one would be bold enough to say that the ransomware problem is receding, but a newly-published report by Microsoft does deliver a slither of encouraging news amongst the gloom. And boy do we need some good news - amid reports that 389 US-based healthcare institutions were hit by ransomware last year - more than one every single day. The 114-page Microsoft Digital Defense Report (MMDR) looks at...

We all know that it is a question of when you will be compromised and not if you will be compromised. It is unavoidable. The goal of CIS Control 17 is to ensure that you are set up for success when that inevitable breach occurs. If an organization is neither equipped nor prepared for that potential data breach, they are not likely to succeed in responding to the threat.Key TakeawaysOne takeaway...

The threat of cyberattacks is at an all-time high. In fact, research shows that worldwide cybercrime costs are anticipated to reach $10.5 trillion annually by 2025. Cybercriminals threaten all, as 43% of cyberattacks target small enterprises. The rise of these threats underscores the importance of a robust cyber defense strategy, and one key way to do that is through layered cybersecurity...

The National Information Assurance (NIA) Policy is a framework for offering organizations a foundation for information security management. It was designed and developed to aid organizations with the necessary steps to ensure information security, from assessing and classifying risk to choosing and implementing controls for mitigation.The NIA policy provides businesses with guidelines to support...

Penetration testing is something that more companies and organizations should be considering as a necessary expense. I say this because, over the years, the cost of data breaches and other forms of malicious intrusions and disruptions are getting costlier. Per IBM Security’s “Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024,” the average cost of a breach has increased 10% year over year, with the healthcare...

What Is Container Security?Container security involves protecting containerized environments and the applications they run. As containers package applications and their dependencies, they offer consistency across different environments. However, this also raises security concerns, such as ensuring the integrity of container images, securing the runtime environment, and managing vulnerabilities in...

Human nature tells us that we’ll go for the low-hanging fruit before climbing a tree. Since threat actors are (after all) human, the same applies to them. Since databases are particularly vulnerable to many lower-level attacks, they are constantly at high risk. From misconfiguration to credential theft, these repositories of sensitive information can be preyed upon by even the most nascent...

Privacy and convenience have always been at odds, especially regarding digital onboarding or online sign-ups. For modern organizations, striking a balance between the two has become increasingly important. At the same time, a recent report said 53% of customers suggest that they would give up their interaction with a brand if it took longer than two minutes, while as many as 87% expect basic...

When discussing the consequences of a data breach for organizations, we usually consider three types of damage: financial, legal, and, somewhat more tenuously, reputational. But what about stock prices? One would assume that stock price—an indicator of a business’s overall health and investor confidence—would plummet after a breach, but is this really the case?Do Stock Prices Fall After Data...

Amid the numerous instruments that have augmented our digital communication and commerce experiences over time, email remains a staple for everything, from confirming purchases to life-changing events like the authorization of financial aid.It comes as no surprise that email scams have been a mainstay of cyberattacks since the earliest days of online correspondence. Worse yet, their scope and...

Securing virtual identities and entry points has become a critical priority as cyber threats grow more sophisticated. A Single Sign-On (SSO) system offers ease and allows multi-functionality with a single set of identity verification, but they are enticing targets for cyber attackers. Organizations need Zero Trust Architecture to alleviate this risk. Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) is a protection...

The upcoming election has brought up conversations about the security of our voting infrastructure. While recent developments have somewhat shifted attention toward more visceral threats such as "death threats against county clerks, polling-place violence, and AI-fueled disinformation," the protection of voting machine security is still a pressing concern.Securing electronic voting infrastructure...

I know when to log outKnow when to log inGet things done In the spirit of David Bowie, let's explore how to navigate the labyrinth of privileged access management without getting "Under Pressure."No one wants to mistype a common command, copy their proprietary data to a public location, or delete their operating system. Having multiple accounts—one for regular activities and specific privileged...

There are many good business, security, and compliance reasons for leveraging the extensive rule and policy engines of Fortra’s Tripwire Enterprise (TE) to implement Security Configuration Management (SCM) capabilities, which have been documented very well in other blogs. In contrast, this article deals more with “how can we fully leverage this capability” technically instead of “why” we use them...