Month: August 2024

The concept of zero trust security has become increasingly popular in recent years, particularly when it comes to Operational Technology (OT) security. As more and more industries continue to integrate new technologies into their critical infrastructure and their manufacturing processes, the need for robust security measures has become essential. Zero trust architecture offers businesses an effective framework for addressing this need, as it helps to protect organisations from the myriad of cyber threats that are targeting them.

Understanding Zero Trust Architecture

Zero trust architecture is a cybersecurity approach that rethinks the more traditional perimeter-based security model. It’s not a brand new approach – the term was first coined in 2009 – but has grown in popularity in recent years. In the past, organisations had to depend on perimeter defences like firewalls to secure their networks and keep cyber criminals out. However, with the increasing sophistication of cyber threats – as well as the widespread adoption of both cloud computing services and remote work, this traditional method of cyber security has proven itself to be insufficient.

At its core, zero trust operates on a straightforward principle – trust no one and nothing by default, whether they’re inside or outside your network. As our partner, CyberArk, explains, “Zero Trust models demand that anyone and everything trying to connect to an organization’s systems must first be verified before access is granted.” Every user, device, and application seeking access must be verified and authenticated every time, regardless of their physical location or their role in the business. Businesses all over the world are recognising the importance of zero trust. In Microsoft’s ‘Zero Trust Adoption Report’ from 2021, 96% of security decision makers said that zero trust had been crucial to their organisations’ success.

Its Significance in OT Security

Operational Technology, or OT, refers to the hardware and software that is used to manage and control industrial operations. This includes critical infrastructure, Industrial Control Systems (ICS), and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems. OT systems are vital for managing processes in industries such as energy, manufacturing, and transportation. In the past, OT systems were kept isolated from external networks to keep them as secure as possible. However, with IT and OT systems becoming increasingly integrated, and industrial environments adopting new technologies like IoT devices and cloud services, the attack surface has expanded and created a host of new vulnerabilities.

Zero trust architecture can play a key role in keeping OT environments secure, by enforcing strict control over who is able to access these systems. By applying zero trust principles to their networks, organisations can limit unauthorised access, reduce the potential damage from security breaches, and improve the visibility of activity on their network at the same time. Every device and user requires authentication, and helps security professionals to monitor the network, detecting and responding to any suspicious activity.

Benefits of Zero Trust in OT Environments

When it comes to OT environments, the biggest benefit of zero trust architecture is that it strengthens cyber defences. One important advantage is the ability to improve defences through micro-segmentation. This breaks down the network into much smaller segments and restricts communication between them, which effectively limits the spread of any threats. The principle of least privilege also ensures that users only have the bare minimum access needed to perform their jobs. Last year, research by Crowdstrike revealed that 55% of identified insider threats involved privilege escalation exploits, and zero trust architecture reduces the chance of these incidents happening. Continuous authentication also boosts security by verifying the identity of users throughout their session. AI-powered analytics can also provide real-time monitoring to detect any unusual behaviour.

Beyond security, however, zero trust architecture helps organisations to meet regulatory compliance and manage risks more effectively. By enforcing strict access controls and maintaining detailed audit trails, organisations can meet regulatory requirements more easily. It also helps mitigate risks from insider threats, external attacks, and human error. Zero trust also supports the dynamic nature of OT environments as it offers organisations the flexibility to adapt their security policies as their infrastructure continues to evolve. This flexibility ensures new technologies and devices – from IAM solutions to AI technology – can be integrated securely, ensuring robust protection across the entire OT environment.

Implementing Zero Trust Architecture

Implementing zero trust architecture in an OT environment requires a collaborative effort between IT and OT teams. The process begins with mapping and classifying critical OT assets to understand associated risks, followed by designing strict access policies based on zero trust principles. Key security controls, such as identity and access management (IAM), multi factor authentication (MFA), encryption, and network segmentation, are all then deployed to enforce these policies. Continuous monitoring and incident response procedures are essential to address potential threats in real-time. IAM solutions, such as the kind we provide at Infosec K2K play an important role in this framework. With IAM, businesses can ensure only verified users and devices have access to their most sensitive systems. At the same time, IAM also simplifies the management of user identities across the entire network.

Zero trust architecture has been a big shift for the cyber security industry. Not only has it been beneficial for protecting OT environments, but more and more businesses have recognised its importance. A recent report by Okta revealed that zero trust is now favoured by 96% of the organisations it surveyed. By assuming that no users can be automatically trusted, and implementing rigorous access controls, businesses can now enhance the security of their critical infrastructure and manufacturing systems.

With threats continuing to evolve, adopting a zero trust approach isn’t just a matter of best practice, but is a necessity for ensuring resilience and continuity in operations. As more and more industries continue to digitise their operations, zero trust will play a key role in protecting OT environments from new threats. By prioritising security and using new technologies, organisations can navigate the complexities of modern OT environments with confidence and resilience.

Whatever solution you’re looking for, we can help. The experts at Infosec K2K can offer you specialist guidance, and help you find the product that’s the best fit for you.

Get in touch with us to find out more about how we can help you.

Insider threats have become one of the most challenging cyber security issues that businesses face today. Whether they’re the result of intentional actions, or unintentional mistakes, they can have far-reaching consequences, including data breaches. By understanding the nature of insider threats, however, and implementing robust IAM strategies, businesses can proactively defend themselves and keep their sensitive data secure.

Understanding Insider Threats

Just like the name implies, insider threats originate from within an organisation, and there are several different types. Malicious intent involves employees or contractors who choose to deliberately misuse their access privileges in order to steal data, sabotage systems, or inflict harm on the organisation they work for. Insider threats aren’t always caused by people acting maliciously. Negligence occurs when accidental actions such as clicking on phishing links or mishandling sensitive information. When this happens, employees can unwittingly expose their organisation to security risks. The third source, meanwhile, is compromised accounts. When user credentials are stolen, attackers can gain unauthorised access and operate undetected in the network. While there, they can do a lot of damage as well as steal data. Last year, it was reported that there was a 51% increase in the number of phishing emails sent from compromised accounts.

Real-World Impact of Insider Threats

As well as resulting in data breaches, insider threats can damage an organisation’s reputation with customers and stakeholders, and lead to financial losses. Earlier this year, Security Magazine reported that breaches caused by insiders cost an average of $15 million. Over the past few years, a number of high-profile incidents have underscored the repercussions that insider threats can have. In February 2022, Yahoo accused their former research scientist, Qian Sang, of stealing intellectual property to benefit competitor The Trade Desk. Sang, who had received a job offer from The Trade Desk, allegedly downloaded 570,000 sensitive files, including Yahoo’s AdLearn source code and strategic plans. A forensic investigation revealed that Sang had transferred the data to his personal storage devices and discussed using a cloud backup on WeChat.

In May last year, Tesla was also affected by an insider threat after two former Tesla employees leaked over 23,000 internal documents, totaling nearly 100 gigabytes, to a German news outlet. The stolen data included employees’ personal information, customer financial information, production secrets, and customer complaints. The breach exposed the personal data of 75,000 people, potentially resulting in a $3.3 billion GDPR fine for Tesla. Tesla has filed lawsuits against the two ex-employees, but specifics on how they were able to access the data remain undisclosed.

Role of IAM in Mitigating Insider Threats

IAM plays a key role when it comes to protecting your business from insider threats – as well as reducing the impact of any incidents. With IAM solutions such as the ones that we offer here at Infosec K2K, you can implement strict access controls and implement the principle of least privilege. By using strong authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication, businesses can ensure that the only users with access to sensitive data are those with the correct level of authorisation.

IAM solutions also allow organisations to set access permissions that have been uniquely tailored to specific job roles and responsibilities. Round-the-clock monitoring of users’ activities, paired with real-time alerts of any suspicious behaviour, also allows organisations to detect any suspicious behaviour and deal with it promptly. With our partners such as CyberArk, we offer a range of IAM solutions. Taking a proactive approach with IAM helps businesses to identify insider threats before they can cause any significant damage.

Best Practices for Mitigating Insider Threats

There are a number of ways in which businesses can strengthen their cyber defences and better protect themselves, which we’ve rounded up below. Adopting the principle of least privilege helps to reduce the impact of insider threats, as it limits users’ access rights to the absolute minimum that is necessary for them to perform their job. Conducting periodic reviews of user access permissions is also recommended. This way, you can be sure that ex-employees don’t still have access rights, or that users don’t have any unnecessary privileges.

Advanced analytics are useful for detecting anomalies in user behaviour. Unusual access patterns, or suspicious data transfers, can be indications of potential insider threats. Regular training programs to raise awareness about cyber security risks and best practices can also emphasise the importance of safeguarding sensitive information. Finally, regularly updating your organisation’s incident response plan is viral. You should make sure that it includes procedures for addressing insider threats and reducing any potential damage.

Insider threats present a major challenge for organisations of all sizes. Modern businesses require proactive measures to protect their sensitive data and critical systems. With the help of comprehensive IAM solutions, you can mitigate these risks, strengthen your defences, and maintain stakeholders’ trust. Combining strong authentication, access controls, and continuous monitoring, you can reduce the likelihood and impact of insider threats. At Infosec K2K, we specialise in tailored IAM solutions to effectively mitigate insider threats. With the cyber threat landscape constantly changing, IAM solutions are crucial for long-term cyber resilience.

Whatever solution you’re looking for, we can help. The experts at Infosec K2K can offer you specialist guidance, and help you find the product that’s the best fit for you.

Get in touch with us to find out more about how we can help you.