Identity Management | Breaking Cybersecurity News | The Hacker News

Microsoft on Monday announced that it has moved the Microsoft Account (MSA) signing service to Azure confidential virtual machines (VMs) and that it's also in the process of migrating the Entra ID signing service as well. The disclosure comes about seven months after the tech giant said it completed updates to Microsoft Entra ID and MS for both public and United States government clouds to generate, store, and automatically rotate access token signing keys using the Azure Managed Hardware Security Module (HSM) service. "Each of these improvements helps mitigate the attack vectors that we suspect the actor used in the 2023 Storm-0558 attack on Microsoft," Charlie Bell, Executive Vice President for Microsoft Security, said in a post shared with The Hacker News ahead of publication. Microsoft also noted that 90% of identity tokens from Microsoft Entra ID for Microsoft apps are validated by a hardened identity Software Development Kit (SDK) and that 92% of employee pr...

Blockchain is best known for its use in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, but it also holds significant applications for online authentication. As businesses in varying sectors increasingly embrace blockchain-based security tools, could the technology one day replace passwords? How blockchain works  Blockchain is a secure way to maintain, encrypt, and exchange digital records of transactions. Its security benefits stem from its decentralized nature: this distributed ledger can be accessed by participants across various nodes , and is unalterable. All users retain control as a group, meaning no single person can change the ledger. How could this provide security benefits? One advantage is the ability to create a 'self-sovereign ID' that alters the way that a user identifies themselves online. Essentially, it creates a private ID for a user that they control, rather than relying on a centralized institution : they can logon to a particular website or service using their identity on...

The problem is simple: all breaches start with initial access, and initial access comes down to two primary attack vectors – credentials and devices. This is not news; every report you can find on the threat landscape depicts the same picture.  The solution is more complex. For this article, we'll focus on the device threat vector. The risk they pose is significant, which is why device management tools like Mobile Device Management (MDM) and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) are essential components of an organization's security infrastructure. However, relying solely on these tools to manage device risk actually creates a false sense of security. Instead of the blunt tools of device management, organizations are looking for solutions that deliver device trust . Device trust provides a comprehensive, risk-based approach to device security enforcement, closing the large gaps left behind by traditional device management solutions. Here are 5 of those limitations and how to ov...

Intro: Why hack in when you can log in? SaaS applications are the backbone of modern organizations, powering productivity and operational efficiency. But every new app introduces critical security risks through app integrations and multiple users, creating easy access points for threat actors. As a result, SaaS breaches have increased, and according to a May 2024 XM Cyber report, identity and credential misconfigurations caused 80% of security exposures. Subtle signs of a compromise get lost in the noise, and then multi-stage attacks unfold undetected due to siloed solutions. Think of an account takeover in Entra ID, then privilege escalation in GitHub, along with data exfiltration from Slack. Each seems unrelated when viewed in isolation, but in a connected timeline of events, it's a dangerous breach. Wing Security's SaaS platform is a multi-layered solution that combines posture management with real-time identity threat detection and response. This allows organizations to get a ...

AI agents have rapidly evolved from experimental technology to essential business tools. The OWASP framework explicitly recognizes that Non-Human Identities play a key role in agentic AI security. Their analysis highlights how these autonomous software entities can make decisions, chain complex actions together, and operate continuously without human intervention. They're no longer just tools, but an integral and significant part of your organization's workforce. Consider this reality: Today's AI agents can analyze customer data, generate reports, manage system resources, and even deploy code, all without a human clicking a single button. This shift represents both tremendous opportunity and unprecedented risk. AI Agents are only as secure as their NHIs Here's what security leaders are not necessarily considering: AI agents don't operate in isolation . To function, they need access to data, systems, and resources. This highly privileged, often overlooked acces...

Whether it's CRMs, project management tools, payment processors, or lead management tools - your workforce is using SaaS applications by the pound. Organizations often rely on traditional CASB solutions for protecting against malicious access and data exfiltration, but these fall short for protecting against shadow SaaS, data damage, and more. A new report, Understanding SaaS Security Risks: Why CASB Solutions Fail to Cover 'Shadow' SaaS and SaaS Governance , highlighting the pressing security challenges faced by enterprises using SaaS applications. The research underscores the growing inefficacy of traditional CASB solutions and introduces a revolutionary browser-based approach to SaaS security that ensures full visibility and real-time protection against threats. Below, we bring the main highlights of the report. Read the full report here . Why Enterprises Need SaaS Security - The Risks of SaaS SaaS applications have become the backbone of modern enterprises, but security teams ...

When people think of cybersecurity threats, they often picture external hackers breaking into networks. However, some of the most damaging breaches stem from within organizations. Whether through negligence or malicious intent, insiders can expose your organization to significant cybersecurity risks. According to Verizon's 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report , 57% of companies experience over 20 insider-related security incidents a year, with human error involved in 68% of data breaches. With that, insider attacks result in the highest costs, averaging USD 4.99 million per attack, as per the 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report by IBM Security.  What are insider threats? An insider threat originates from within an organization – it's the potential for anyone with authorized access to your critical systems to misuse their access, harming your organization. The worst part is that insiders are already within your IT perimeter and are familiar with your internal security prot...

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, weak identity security isn't just a flaw—it's a major risk that can expose your business to breaches and costly downtime. Many organizations are overwhelmed by an excess of user identities and aging systems, making them vulnerable to attacks. Without a strategic plan, these security gaps can quickly turn into expensive liabilities. Join us for " Building Resilient Identity: Reducing Security Debt in 2025 " and discover smart, actionable strategies to protect your business against modern cyber threats. This webinar offers you a chance to cut through the complexity of identity security with clear, practical solutions. Our seasoned experts will show you how to detect risks early, optimize your resources, and upgrade your systems to stay ahead of emerging threats. What You'll Learn: Spot Hidden Risks: Uncover how weaknesses in identity security can lead to significant breaches and extra costs. Step-by-Step Solutions: Follo...

AI is everywhere now, transforming how businesses operate and how users engage with apps, devices, and services. A lot of applications now have some Artificial Intelligence inside, whether supporting a chat interface, intelligently analyzing data or matching user preferences. No question AI benefits users, but it also brings new security challenges, especially Identity-related security challenges. Let's explore what these challenges are and what you can do to face them with Okta. Which AI? Everyone talks about AI, but this term is very general, and several technologies fall under this umbrella. For example, symbolic AI uses technologies such as logic programming, expert systems, and semantic networks. Other approaches use neural networks, Bayesian networks, and other tools. Newer Generative AI uses Machine Learning (ML) and Large Language Models (LLM) as core technologies to generate content such as text, images, video, audio, etc. Many of the applications we use most often toda...

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) has quickly become the standard for securing business accounts. Once a niche security measure, adoption is on the rise across industries. But while it's undeniably effective at keeping bad actors out, the implementation of MFA solutions can be a tangled mess of competing designs and ideas. For businesses and employees, the reality is that MFA sometimes feels like too much of a good thing. Here are a few reasons why MFA isn't implemented more universally. 1. Businesses see MFA as a cost center MFA for businesses isn't free, and the costs of MFA can add up over time. Third-party MFA solutions come with subscription costs, typically charged per user. Even built-in options like Microsoft 365's MFA features can cost extra depending on your Microsoft Entra license. Plus, there's the cost of training employees to use MFA and the time IT takes to enroll them. If MFA increases help desk calls, support costs go up too. While these expenses are far less t...

The Open Web Application Security Project has recently introduced a new Top 10 project - the Non-Human Identity (NHI) Top 10. For years, OWASP has provided security professionals and developers with essential guidance and actionable frameworks through its Top 10 projects, including the widely used API and Web Application security lists.  Non-human identity security represents an emerging interest in the cybersecurity industry, encompassing the risks and lack of oversight associated with API keys, service accounts , OAuth apps, SSH keys, IAM roles, secrets, and other machine credentials and workload identities.  Considering that the flagship OWASP Top 10 projects already cover a broad range of security risks developers should focus on, one might ask - do we really need the NHI Top 10? The short answer is - yes . Let's see why, and explore the top 10 NHI risks.  Why we need the NHI Top 10 While other OWASP projects might touch on related vulnerabilities, such as secret...

What do identity risks, data security risks and third-party risks all have in common? They are all made much worse by SaaS sprawl. Every new SaaS account adds a new identity to secure, a new place where sensitive data can end up, and a new source of third party risk. Learn how you can protect this sprawling attack surface in 2025. What do identity risks, data security risks and third-party risks all have in common? They are all made much worse by SaaS sprawl. Every new SaaS account adds a new identity to secure, a new place where sensitive data can end up, and a new source of third-party risk. And, this growing attack surface, much of which is unknown or unmanaged in most orgs, has become an attractive target for attackers. So, why should you prioritize securing your SaaS attack surface in 2025? Here are 4 reasons. ‍ 1. Modern work runs on SaaS. When's the last time you used something other than a cloud-based app to do your work? Can't remember? You're not alone.  Outside of ...