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Beyond Castle Walls: Operational Technology and Zero Trust

Beyond Castle Walls: Operational Technology and Zero Trust

Nov 12, 2024
Throughout history, societies have protected their most valuable assets by building walls, fortresses, and moats. Whether it was a medieval castle or an ancient city-state, security meant keeping threats on the outside and creating barriers around the things that mattered most.  We took these principles with us as we moved into the digital age, designing network security with firewalls, access controls, and gated perimeters to protect digital assets. Firewalls and network devices became our virtual walls, defining trusted and untrusted zones, and keeping the "bad actors" at the gate. For years, this perimeter-based approach was the primary line of defense in the world of cybersecurity, establishing a digital fortress around systems and data. But just as history has shown us that walls and borders can be breached, so too has modern cybersecurity taught us that no perimeter is foolproof. As organizations increasingly connect their IT systems to the wider internet and integrate the...
State of SaaS Security Report: Bold Moves Required to Secure SaaS in 2024 and Beyond

State of SaaS Security Report: Bold Moves Required to Secure SaaS in 2024 and Beyond

Nov 12, 2024
The rapid adoption of SaaS solutions, accelerated by trends such as remote work, cloud computing, big data, and Generative AI (GenAI) has brought significant benefits to organizations. However, this transformation also introduces new attack surfaces and unique challenges for security teams, who must now consider how they can secure the intricate web of SaaS usage across their organization.  Today, the SaaS security landscape is characterized by several key themes and issues: Credential Theft and Stuffing: This trend is fueled by dark web marketplaces where breached credentials are bought, sold, and traded, making it easy for attackers to carry out credential stuffing attacks. Shadow SaaS: The explosion of unauthorized SaaS apps has led to a rise in employees inadvertently exposing sensitive data. Trial or demo accounts are a main source of shadow SaaS.  SaaS Sprawl: In 2023, the average number of SaaS apps used by a business reached 473. Our numbers indicate an increase ...
Master Privileged Access Management: Best Practices to Implement

Master Privileged Access Management: Best Practices to Implement

Oct 14, 2024 Data Security / Risk Management
Nowadays, managing who has privileged access to your most critical data and systems is more important than ever. Privileged access serves as the key to your organization's most sensitive assets, making it a high-value target for malicious actors. Any misstep in securing this access might lead to privilege abuse and serious data breaches. But it's not just about defending against cybercriminals; poor management of privileged access can also result in operational disruptions, costly downtime, and non-compliance with industry regulations. To truly master Privileged Access Management (PAM) , you need more than just basic controls in place. You need a proactive, multi-layered approach that reduces risks without slowing down your operations. Let's discuss what best practices you can use to secure your privileged accounts and stay one step ahead of potential threats. Why is privileged access management so important? Privileged access management is an essential pillar of a robust c...
Will the Small IoT Device OEM Survive?

Will the Small IoT Device OEM Survive?

Oct 07, 2024
After decades of frustration, downstream users are about to get laws and regulations passed to force upstream IoT manufacturers to produce more secure IoT devices. This seems like a good thing, however, we are about to see an enactment of how new laws and regulations work to the advantage of big companies and to the disadvantage of small companies, eventually driving the latter out of business. As presented by Ruchir Sharma in his excellent book [1] , regulations tend to favor large companies for two reasons: (1) large companies can afford the necessary resources to conform to the new laws and regulations and (2) large companies have the necessary resources to shape the new laws and regulations to favor themselves. Although these may be well-intentioned, initially, the eventual result is that smaller companies are forced out of business and only the large companies survive. Are we about to see this scenario play out for IoT device manufacturers? That is the subject of this paper. The...
Security Operations for Non-Human Identities

Security Operations for Non-Human Identities

Sept 28, 2024
Non-Human Identities (NHIs) are an emerging focus for Security Operations Centers (SOCs) in the age of automation and autonomous tooling. With many of the most recent cyber-attacks focused on compromising NHIs such as secrets, machine identities, and OAuth tokens, securing NHIs has become a forefront concern when protecting confidential information and other digital assets. The Problem Findings from recent research from Entro Labs indicate NHIs outnumber human identities in modern enterprises by over 92:1, requiring more extensive visibility and investigation throughout the enterprise to secure than ever before. The rapid proliferation of Non-Human Identities throughout modern enterprises has standardized security exposure as a de-facto practice of most organizations - While Identity Access Management (IAM) tools and Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) processes safeguard human identities and manage their lifecycles (onboarding, offboarding, role changes, etc…), NHI mana...
The Microsoft 365 Backup Game Just Changed: Ransomware Recovery Revolutionized

The Microsoft 365 Backup Game Just Changed: Ransomware Recovery Revolutionized

Sept 19, 2024
In today's hyper-connected digital world, the importance of robust data protection is undeniable. For businesses of all sizes, the need to safeguard critical information has moved from a secondary IT concern to a boardroom-level issue. This heightened urgency is driven by the increasing frequency and complexity of cyberattacks, particularly ransomware, which have the potential to cripple operations, cause catastrophic financial losses, and in some cases, irreparably damage a company's reputation. Ransomware attacks are no longer isolated incidents affecting just a handful of organizations. They have evolved into sophisticated, organized, and relentless operations targeting businesses of every scale and across every industry. With the rise in these attacks, the need for an effective ransomware recovery strategy has become one of the most pressing issues in data protection — and central to this conversation is Microsoft 365, which plays a pivotal role in the day-to-day operations of mi...
How Does Threat Intelligence Apply to SaaS Security? And Why You Should Care

How Does Threat Intelligence Apply to SaaS Security? And Why You Should Care

Sept 16, 2024
In just a few clicks, any SaaS app can turn into a company's go-to system for collaboration, record keeping, CRM, workflow organization, marketing, human resource management, and more. These apps can also act as footholds from which threat actors can pivot into corporate environments and steal critical data.  The rapid adoption of SaaS apps is outpacing the implementation of necessary security measures. The rise in attacks—such as account takeovers and credential leaks—highlights this gap. On the users' end, the responsibilities include taking a security-first approach to account configuration i.e., continuously monitoring for access risks and emerging threats to their data. But with so many users, so many apps and so much data, it's easier said than done.  What leaves companies exposed to data breaches and leaks is the lack of clarity, context, and prompt action. Security teams must make a massive effort to research threats, filter the relevant ones, assess the impact of p...
Privileged Identity Management (PIM): For Many, a False Sense of Security

Privileged Identity Management (PIM): For Many, a False Sense of Security

Sept 09, 2024
Privileged Identity Management (PIM): PIM is described as a service within Microsoft Entra ID, designed to manage, control, and monitor access to crucial organizational resources, encompassing Microsoft Entra ID, Azure, and other Microsoft Online Services like Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Intune. In the cybersecurity landscape, Privileged Identity Management (PIM) emerges as a pivotal element, but its effectiveness in managing privileged access is subject to scrutiny. Integral to the broader identity and access management (IAM) framework, PIM's role in upholding the least privilege and just-in-time access principles is increasingly questioned amidst evolving digital threats. While theoretically vital for risk mitigation and regulatory compliance, the practical application of PIM, especially in complex cloud and IT environments, often reveals limitations in its ability to adapt to sophisticated cyber threats. This dichotomy between PIM's intended role and its real-world effica...
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