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When it comes to cyber security, quantum computing has emerged as a double-edged sword in recent years. Not only do quantum computers have the power to process vast amounts of data far faster than traditional computers, they could also lead to advancements in everything from healthcare to artificial intelligence. However, quantum computing poses just as many challenges as it does opportunities.

Why Quantum Computing Is a Game Changer

To understand the threat, you first need to grasp what makes quantum computing so different. Traditional computers use bits to process information, which can exist in a state of either 0 or 1. Quantum computers, however, use qubits, or quantum bits. These can exist in multiple states – meaning they can be a 0 and a 1 at the same time. This allows quantum machines to solve certain complex problems much faster than classical computers ever could.

One of those problems is breaking encryption. Most cyber security solutions rely on cryptographic algorithms for securing data, encrypting communications, and verifying identities. These algorithms rely on mathematical problems that are hard for traditional computers to solve, such as factoring large prime numbers. But a quantum computer, using Shor’s Algorithm, could crack these problems in a fraction of the time.

How Quantum Threatens IAM

At the heart of Identity and Access Management (IAM) is trust – it’s all about making sure only the right people can access the right resources. This trust is established through digital certificates, encrypted credentials, and multi-factor authentication (MFA), which depend on secure encryption protocols. However, quantum computing can undermine this foundation. If quantum computers can break the most widely used cryptographic algorithms, then the mechanisms that protect logins, authenticate users, and secure communications may no longer be effective.

If quantum computers become more widespread, and cyber criminals get their hands on them, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), a cornerstone of IAM, could be rendered obsolete. This would leave login credentials and identity federation protocols vulnerable. Even encrypted data that’s secure today could be harvested and decrypted in the future – a threat known as ‘store now, decrypt later.’ Even MFA, which often relies on cryptographic key exchanges, would become ineffective if quantum computers can break those algorithms. In short, if businesses fail to prepare now, IAM systems could be left vulnerable.

The Path Forward

The good news is that cyber security experts aren’t standing still. Work is already underway to develop post-quantum cryptography (PQC) – new algorithms that are resistant to quantum attacks. In fact, organisations like the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are currently working on standardising quantum-resistant algorithms.

IAM systems of the future will need to integrate these new encryption techniques to offer continued protection. Transitioning to PQC won’t happen overnight, especially given the number of systems, applications, and devices that businesses use today – but as we discussed in a recent episode of our podcast, there are steps you can start taking today.

What Businesses Can Do Now

To prepare for the impact of quantum computing, we recommend businesses should start by conducting a comprehensive assessment of their IAM infrastructure. This involves identifying where any weaknesses may lie, and anything that could be vulnerable to quantum computers. It’s also essential to assess third-party integrations, as many IAM platforms rely on external tools and software. Vendors like CyberArk and LevelBlue can provide insights into how your existing tools are evolving to address quantum threats.

Staying informed is also critical. By monitoring guidance from institutions like NIST and ENISA, you keep your business aligned with emerging best practices. Educating employees and stakeholders across departments will also help them to understand quantum computers and the threats they should be looking out for. Finally, consider looking into solutions that combine classical and quantum-resistant algorithms – these could offer an extra layer of protection as the industry transitions to a post-quantum future.

IAM in a Post-Quantum World

While the arrival of quantum computing may still be years away, its implications for IAM are real. Identity security will need to evolve rapidly in response to these threats. As quantum computers become more advanced, IAM vendors and platforms will likely evolve to offer native support for quantum-resistant algorithms. You can also expect to see new models that don’t rely solely on cryptography but include elements like biometrics, continuous authentication, and context-aware access controls.

Of course, as quantum computing develops, it won’t just be a threat – it could also be a tool. Advanced quantum algorithms might eventually help us to identify fraudulent behaviour faster, or analyse patterns of behaviour more effectively and stop hackers in their tracks. But before we can harness those benefits, we need to prepare and build up our defences.

Quantum computing has the potential to change cyber security in unprecedented ways, and IAM is in the crosshairs. However, by preparing now and following industry developments closely, you can ensure your organisation is ready for the future of identity management. The quantum future may be coming fast, but with the right strategy, you and your IAM systems won’t have to be left behind.

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.

Digital transformation is more than just a buzzword, despite how people might be using it. It’s changed the way modern businesses operate – they’re more interconnected, they use the cloud, and they can adapt quickly to new trends. While there are of course many benefits to this, it’s unfortunately posted a number of cyber security risks – particularly when it comes to managing user identities and access rights. Businesses need to navigate complex environments and protect the data of users on premises as well as in remote locations. Traditional IAM are no longer enough to ensure security, and this is where Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) comes in.

Why Traditional IAM Is Falling Short

To put it simply, IAM is all about verifying user identities and managing their access to your systems and data. However, these solutions don’t always give you the visibility or control that you might need to enforce policies, or meet compliance requirements. With employees often having multiple roles and responsibilities, and moving between departments, it can become harder to keep track of who has access to what.

Without the proper oversight, you can end up with unused accounts and users with too many privileges, both of which are entry points for attackers or internal threats. This can be even more of an issue in cloud or hybrid environments, where there is room for misconfigurations or human error.

The Role of Identity Governance

IGA is a framework that helps organisations control who has access to what, and why. Unlike traditional IAM, which tends to concentrate on authentication and access provisioning, IGA gives users more visibility into – and control over – user identities, throughout their lifecycle. It allows users to regularly review and validate user access), define roles based on job functions, enforce policies to ensure they’re followed, and automate everything from onboarding to deprovisioning of user identities. Not only do these kinds of features help firms ensure that only the right individuals have access to the right resources at the right time, but they also help you  meet regulatory requirements.

The Importance of PAM

While IGA helps when it comes to managing access across your organisation, Privileged Access Management (PAM) is also key for keeping your most sensitive accounts secure. Unprotected privileged accounts are one of the most common entry points for attackers, since these would give them the ability to bypass security control, make changes, and steal confidential data.

This is why PAM solutions, like those offered by CyberArk, are essential for businesses looking to enforce the principle of least privilege. These solutions allow businesses to implement multi-factor authentication, monitor the activity of privileged accounts, and detect any suspicious behaviour in real time.

When used together, IGA and PAM can give businesses robust identity security. While IGA ensures that access has been appropriately granted across your organisation, PAM protects the accounts at the highest risk, reducing the risk of abuse from internal and external threats.

IGA and Compliance

These days, businesses are under increased pressure to demonstrate that access to their data is not only being controlled, but that it is actively monitored. Regulations like GDPR and NIS2 require businesses to be able to prove they know who has access to their sensitive systems and data – and also justify that this access is appropriate. IGA helps businesses to be compliant by automating access reviews, providing audit trails, and detecting any violations before they can become liabilities. These are vital for sectors like finance and critical infrastructure, where there are severe penalties for non-compliance.

Best Practices for IGA

Implementing IGA requires careful planning, as well as a deep understanding of your organisation’s cyber defences. Before you begin, you should map all users, roles, and access points. Establish clear, role-based access control (RBAC) policies that align with your business’ needs, and automate the provisioning, deprovisioning of users’ privileges wherever possible, as this can reduce human error. It’s also important to integrate your IGA efforts with your PAM  strategy to protect the accounts that are most at risk. Regular reviews of your IGA are also important, so you can stay secure and compliant over time.

How Infosec K2K Can Help

At Infosec K2K, we understand the complexity of managing identities. That’s why we work with leading vendors – including CyberArk and Saviynt – to deliver tailored identity security solutions. Our team can support you with everything from risk assessments and policy design to offering ongoing support. Alongside industry-leading partners, we deliver advanced identity security solutions. 

As a trusted CyberArk partner, we can help you take full advantage of their unified approach to identity security, combining PAM with IGA. This gives you complete control over both high-risk accounts and everyday user access – reducing your exposure to threats while meeting increasingly strict compliance requirements. Our partnership with Saviynt also enhances our ability to support organisations navigating complex hybrid environments. Their powerful, cloud-native IGA platform offers dynamic access controls, automated provisioning, and continuous compliance monitoring – all of which are important for today’s businesses. 

Whether you’re just starting with IGA or looking to enhance your existing cyber security, we can help you design and implement a solution that aligns with your needs and goals. 

In a world where identity is increasingly important, IGA is a critical line of defence. With the right strategy, you can reduce risk and build a more secure future for your business.

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.

Operational Technology (OT) environments are integral to our critical infrastructure, and form the backbone to all kinds of industries including manufacturing, transport, and utilities. OT systems are used to control physical processes and machinery. However, while the world of IT has had to adapt in recent years to cope with the growing number of cyber threats, many OT environments are stuck in the past. Much of our critical infrastructure relies on legacy systems that weren’t designed to deal with modern cyber security needs.

Despite the importance of OT environments, these outdated systems are one of the biggest security risks that today’s businesses are facing. From missing updates to a lack of support, legacy technology is leaving businesses around the world exposed to serious vulnerabilities.

Why Legacy Technology Is Still in Use

There are many reasons why businesses are still using legacy technology in their OT environments. For a start, many of these systems are key parts of critical infrastructure, and have been designed to last for years – or even decades. Replacing them can be expensive, time-consuming, and could result in operational downtime. In industries where downtime could potentially be life-threatening, the thought of replacing these systems can be intimidating, even for big businesses or governments. In fact, a report from Dell found that some businesses spend 60 to 80% of their IT budget on maintaining existing hardware and apps instead of updating them.

A lot of older technology was also designed to run in isolated environments. They were never meant to be connected to the internet or integrated with IT systems. However, with digital transformation on the rise, OT environments and IT systems are becoming increasingly connected, leaving legacy technology exposed to new threats it wasn’t designed to deal with.

The Security Risks of Legacy OT Environments

A lot of legacy technology in OT environments lacks even the most basic security features – features like encryption, user authentication, or secure communication protocols. Some will still have default credentials in place, making them easy targets for hackers if they’re able to  gain access. To make matters even worse, vendors will eventually stop supporting these systems after a couple of years, meaning they no longer receive patches or security updates. When new vulnerabilities are discovered, they won’t be addressed, leaving businesses exposed to threats with no way of plugging these gaps.

In addition to this, because of their outdated architecture, legacy systems can often be incompatible with more modern cyber security tools. This makes it harder for security teams to monitor these systems for threats. Tools like endpoint detection and response (EDR) or network segmentation solutions, for example, might not work properly with older infrastructure. On top of that, failure to meet new compliance requirements because of these limitations could lead to fines and legal issues.

Real-World Consequences

The consequences of a cyber attack in an OT environment could be devastating. Unlike IT systems, where the impact could just be downtime or the loss of data, OT breaches can have real-world impacts. Not only can they damage equipment, but they could also put lives in danger.

For example, in 2021 there was a cyber attack on a water treatment facility in Florida. The hacker tried to increase the amount of sodium hydroxide in the water supply, to ‘dangerous’ levels. The breach was only possible because of outdated systems and poor password practices. Although it was caught before any damage could be done, it highlighted the dangers of legacy technology. This isn’t the only such attack – a recent survey revealed over half of businesses around the world suffered an OT security incident in the past year.

Best Practices for Securing Legacy OT Environments

While completely replacing and updating legacy OT environments  would be ideal, it’s not always possible – especially for industries where downtime or costs are too high. In the meantime, there are a number of steps that businesses can take today to protect themselves. Network segmentation is a crucial first layer of defense. This way, you can isolate your most outdated and vulnerable systems from the rest of your network, and limit the spread of a potential attack. 

Implementing strict access controls – like multi-factor authentication, role-based access control, or session monitoring – also ensures only authorised personnel can interact with any critical infrastructure. To reduce your exposure, firms should also deploy OT-aware monitoring tools. These can detect unusual behaviour, even in OT environments where traditional security software can’t be installed.

At Infosec K2K, we also recommend regular risk assessments. These are essential in order to identify which of your systems may be the most vulnerable, and can help you prioritise your resources more effectively. It’s also important to train your staff on cyber security best practices, and to ensure that your incident response plan covers any legacy technology in your OT environments.

Planning for the Future

Here at Infosec K2K, we understand the unique challenges that businesses often face when securing their OT environments. Our experts can help you assess your legacy systems, identify vulnerabilities, and implement tailored solutions designed to protect your operations without resulting in any unnecessary downtime. Your long-term security depends on gradually replacing legacy OT systems with modern, secure alternatives. We – and our network of cyber partners – understand the requirements of OT environments, and can help you to modernise without disrupting your operations.

Transitioning from legacy technology doesn’t have to happen all at once. With phased upgrades and hybrid setups, you can reduce disruption while improving your cyber security posture bit by bit. Whether you need help with risk assessments, network segmentation, or long-term security, we’re here to support your journey from legacy risk to modern 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.

Like the name implies, privileged accounts are only designed to be used by those who have been granted permission to use these privileges. Since they have more permissions than standard accounts, they can grant access to critical systems and sensitive data, allow users to bypass security controls, and more. It’s no surprise, then, that they’re prime targets for cyber criminals. If they gain access to privileged accounts, malicious actors would be able to move across networks, and effectively wreak havoc.

With the rise of AI and machine learning in recent years, attackers are now able to automate their efforts, which can make these threats more difficult to detect. Traditional security measures alone are no longer enough, which is why businesses are turning to more modern Privileged Access Management (PAM) solutions.

The Growing Threat to Privileged Accounts

While privileged accounts are useful, it can be dangerous if they fall into the wrong hands. Attackers target them because they can grant access to all of an organisation’s most sensitive systems, from databases of customer information to critical infrastructure. If compromised, these accounts would allow criminals to bypass security controls and move laterally across networks, completely undetected. Without a strong PAM solution in place, businesses could lose money and have their reputation damaged – and in the case of OT networks, an attack could have physical consequences including injuries and death.

Over the past few years, AI has become far more accessible, and cyber criminals have been quick to adopt it. Last month, 87% of security professionals reported that their organisation has encountered an AI-driven cyber attack in the last year. Criminals are increasingly weaponising AI, and using it to make their attacks more efficient and harder to detect. By using AI-driven bots, criminals can quickly test stolen credentials in huge credential-stuffing attacks. AI-generated phishing emails, meanwhile, have become more and more convincing, and can be used to trick employees into sharing their passwords.

Deepfake technology is also being used to impersonate CEOs or other executives, and manipulate other employees into sharing information or granting them unauthorised access. Just last year, the CEO of WPP was targeted by a deepfake scam that used videos and voice recordings. With these attacks becoming more sophisticated, traditional security measures like passwords are no longer enough to keep privileged accounts secure.

How AI-Powered PAM Enhances Security

If they want to stay ahead of cyber criminals using AI, businesses should, essentially, play them at their own game. We recommend adopting modern PAM solutions that use AI and real-time analytics to detect, and respond to attacks. Unlike traditional cyber security systems, AI-powered PAM solutions – like those offered by our partner, CyberArk – can learn from user behaviour, identifying anomalies that could be signs of malicious activity. They can flag unusual login patterns, detect users accessing sensitive systems without authorisation, and even trigger automated responses – dealing with a threat before it can escalate. Since they’re able to analyse huge amounts of data far faster than a human can, AI-driven security tools can help businesses to proactively deal with threats instead of being left to deal with the repercussions of an attack.

AI-powered PAM solutions can improve your security with Just-in-Time (JIT) access control. This gives you the ability to grant users privileged access for a limited time – and only when it’s actually needed. AI can also adjust users’ access levels based on factors such as their behaviour, and their permissions can be automatically revoked. This makes it more difficult for criminals to exploit the credentials of privileged accounts. Organisations can also use adaptive multi-factor authentication (MFA), which requires additional verification from a user, depending on factors such as their location or the file they’re trying to access.

PAM isn’t only useful for controlling who can access your network. They also provide continuous monitoring of your network and automated threat response, helping you stop threats in real time. With these, you can spot suspicious behaviour and revoke users’ access to compromised accounts – even changing their credentials if you need to. AI tools can respond to these threats instantly, helping you to protect your business’ most valuable assets and prevent privilege-related breaches.

Implementing a Strong PAM Strategy

A strong PAM strategy is essential for businesses looking to reduce cyber security risks and protect their critical systems. Here at Infosec K2K, we recommend enforcing least privilege access – in other words, ensuring all of your users only have the permissions they need for their specific tasks. Role-based access control (RBAC) can also help reduce the amount of users with unnecessary access – something often exploited by attackers. Integrating your PAM solution with IAM can also give you a more unified and streamlined approach to your organisations’ identity security.

Automatic password rotation for all privileged accounts helps to reduce the risk of attackers stealing your credentials and gaining unauthorized access. Continuous monitoring and auditing of privileged activity also adds another layer of defense, while AI-driven analytics can detect suspicious behavior in real time. With our managed services, we offer our clients round-the-clock support, so you can rest easy. We also recommend regularly reviewing users’ access, in order to remove any unnecessary privileges.

Adopting a Zero Trust security model can improve your security even more, as this requires continuous verification for all users accessing privileged accounts. Every access request to these accounts is carefully considered and validated before being granted. This approach significantly reduces the likelihood of unauthorised access, and helps to prevent privilege-related breaches.

How We Can Help Protect Your Privileged Accounts

Here at Infosec K2K, we provide expert guidance to firms looking to improve their identity security, and our tailored PAM solutions help businesses stay ahead of cyber threats. With AI making cyber criminals’ lives easier, it’s never been more important for businesses to protect their privileged accounts. Unfortunately, traditional security measures are no longer enough. By using modern PAM solutions – like those we offer – organisations can minimise the risk of being hit by AI-driven threats, reduce their attack surfaces, and prevent privilege-related breaches.

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.

Traditionally, IT (information technology) and OT (operational technology) security teams have operated separately within organisations. The two teams often have their own set of priorities and tools, tailored to IT and OT networks. However, as cyber security continues to evolve, and cyber threats grow more sophisticated, the lines between IT and OT security are beginning to blur. There are new threats to watch out for, and today’s organisations need to embrace a security strategy that bridges the gap between IT and OT security.

The Need for Collaboration

In the past, IT teams have been concentrating on protecting data, networks, and digital systems. OT teams, on the other hand, have focused on ensuring physical devices and industrial control systems are operating safely. Over the past few years, however, things have changed. The rise of IoT, automation, and digital transformation has meant that modern OT systems are becoming increasingly connected to IT systems. This has opened up businesses to more vulnerabilities, and exposed them to more risks – criminals are now targeting IT and OT systems at the same time.

The need for a close relationship between IT and OT teams is clear – a breach in an IT network could easily spread to OT systems, disrupting critical operations and causing financial and operational damage. At the same time, a successful attack on OT systems could give criminals a way into IT systems that would have otherwise been completely secure.

What Are The Challenges?

While the risks of a more siloed approach are clear, there are a number of challenges preventing IT and OT security teams from working together. For a start, the two teams have long had different priorities. While IT security mainly focuses on keeping data safe, accurate, and accessible, OT security is more concerned with making sure that physical systems are running safely, reliably, and efficiently. When it comes to OT environments, keeping systems up and running is crucial, as downtime can be expensive – or dangerous.

Since these teams have different priorities, this has led to different security approaches. IT security teams concentrate on protecting software and networks using tools like firewalls, encryption, and antivirus programs. They will always try to use the latest tools and make sure that everything is patched and as up-to-date as possible. OT security teams, on the other hand, keep industrial systems running safely by using specialised protocols like SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) and PLC (Programmable Logic Controllers) to monitor and control equipment. Many OT systems rely on legacy technology, which may not work well with more modern IT security tools.

If OT systems are integrated with IT infrastructure, then the risks of cyber threats spreading between the two can be amplified. For instance, a successful phishing attack on an employee’s workstation could give the hacker access to sensitive data within the IT network, but it could also be an entry point to compromising the OT network. If security isn’t up to scratch, then integration turns into a vulnerability rather than a strength. To address these risks, businesses need to foster collaboration between IT and OT security teams, and there are a number of ways they can do this.

Establish Shared Objectives

The first step in bridging the gap between IT and OT security teams is to establish some common goals. Both teams share the responsibility of protecting the organization’s critical assets, whether that means safeguarding machinery or customer data. For example, IT and OT teams should work together to agree on what constitutes a ‘critical system’ in their organisation. While IT systems are important for handling data, OT systems control physical operations. As these systems are interconnected, teams need to coordinate their efforts to protect both and stop cyber attacks from spreading.

Implement Integrated Security Tools

Another effective strategy is to use integrated security tools that can offer visibility and protection across both IT and OT environments. Traditional IT security tools such as firewalls – while helpful – aren’t always suitable for protecting OT networks. Instead, organisations should invest in security solutions that are designed to protect all kinds of networks.

With centralised monitoring, threat detection, and incident response capabilities, an integrated SIEM system can protect both IT and OT systems. It can provide real-time alerts on any suspicious activity, so security teams can quickly identify and deal with potential threats. Businesses should also consider cyber security solutions that address the unique needs of OT environments, such as tools that can monitor SCADA systems.

Share Knowledge

To create a more unified security approach, IT and OT teams should educate each other. IT security professionals need to understand OT systems better – and at the same time, OT security experts should learn more about IT infrastructure and tools. Regular joint training sessions, workshops, and exercises can help to build trust and strengthen their working relationship. Forming a security team with members from both teams could also help to improve ongoing communication and coordination.

Develop Unified Incident Response Plans

A key step in closing the gap between IT and OT security teams is making sure that your business has a shared incident response plan. In the event of a cyber attack, both teams will need to work together to respond quickly and effectively. If you have a clear, well-practiced plan in place, this will help everyone understand their roles, reducing confusion and delays. By involving both teams in developing and implementing this plan, organisations can respond to threats quickly and efficiently.

The need for collaboration between IT and OT security teams is more important than ever. Cyber threats are no longer confined to just IT or OT systems, and businesses need a unified approach to their cyber security. Bridging the gap between your IT and OT security teams isn’t just best practice – it ensures your digital and physical assets are as protected as possible.

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.

Modern businesses have to put up with an onslaught of cyber security challenges every day – whether they’re facing increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks or making sure they’re keeping up with new regulatory requirements. In order to manage security risks, organisations need tools that can give them real-time visibility of their network, as well as threat detection and response capabilities. That’s where Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) helps. In recent years, SIEM systems have grown to become an indispensable part of modern cyber security, helping firms to monitor and respond to new threats more efficiently than ever before.

The Evolution of SIEM

SIEM solutions have evolved significantly since the early 2000s, when they were first used. At first, SIEM systems were designed simply to collect and store security logs from various sources, which was mainly for compliance purposes. However, as cyber threats became more and more complex, SIEM platforms expanded their capabilities, giving users abilities such real-time threat detection, analytics, and even automation to help security teams respond quickly and effectively to any threats.

Modern SIEM solutions now make use of machine learning, behavioural analytics, and AI to find anomalies and deal with potential threats before they escalate. Instead of simply collecting logs, today’s SIEM tools correlate data from multiple sources, apply threat intelligence, and give users actionable insights, helping organisations to deal with threats in real-time.

Threat Detection and Visibility

SIEM systems play a key role in enhanced threat detection and response. They allow businesses to monitor security incidents in real time, across firewalls, endpoints, cloud services, and more. By identifying suspicious patterns, SIEM systems help to detect potential breaches, insider threats, and other cyber risks. Whenever a threat is identified, SIEM can automatically trigger alerts, prioritise risks, and even initiate incident response actions, reducing the time it can normally take to detect and contain cyber threats.

Another advantage of SIEM is its ability to give users more visibility across different environments – something especially important as organisations rely on cloud services, remote work solutions, IoT devices and more to do their business. With a centralised security dashboard, SIEM systems allows businesses to monitor activity across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments – all in one unified view. This level of visibility helps security teams quickly identify vulnerabilities, detect anomalies, and respond proactively to any threats they might find.

Enhancing Compliance and Visibility with SIEM

These days, businesses in all kinds of industries and sectors need to adhere to strict regulatory requirements such as GDPR, NIS2, and the EU’s AI Act. SIEM systems make it easier to comply with these by automating log collection, storing data, securely, and generating detailed reports. With the help of built-in reporting and forensic analysis capabilities, businesses can avoid legal penalties, pass audits, and protect their reputation as well as their data.

SIEM systems also incident response through automation. With the help of Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) tools, businesses can handle security incidents efficiently. By automating tasks such as blocking malicious IPs, SIEM can reduce response times and make things easier for cybersecurity teams. By adding threat intelligence platforms like DomainTools to your SIEM, you can connect security events with real-time data from across your network, making it easier to spot potential risks faster, and cut down on false alarms.

Infosec K2K’s Commitment to Seamless Security

Here at Infosec K2K, we’ve partnered with leading cyber security providers to offer our clients the best tools to protect their digital assets. LevelBlue offers advanced SIEM solutions. Their scalable, cloud-based security monitoring adapts to businesses’ growing needs, while their AI-powered analytics accurately detect cyber threats. They also offer seamless integration of third-party tools, offering you expert insights and a faster response to incidents – all from a centralised platform.

Infosec K2K also works with DomainTools, a leader in threat intelligence. By integrating DomainTools with your SIEM systems, you can get access to real-time domain reputation scoring, and detect and block malicious domains before they can become a threat. Their threat intelligence, meanwhile, improves the accuracy of SIEM alerts and reduces the number of false alerts. By combining SIEM with external threat intelligence, your business will be more proactive and stay ahead of cyber risks.

Why SIEM is Essential for Today’s Businesses

With cyber threats becoming more advanced all the time, businesses can’t afford to rely on reactive security measures. SIEM systems, on the other hand, provide a more proactive approach, helping organisations detect threats early on and respond to them before attackers cause damage. With continuous monitoring and automated response, businesses can reduce security risks while getting full visibility into cyber security incidents across their network. 

Modern SIEM solutions and cyber security tools – like those from LevelBlue and DomainTools – offer advanced threat detection, real-time visibility, and automated incident response, helping businesses stay ahead of cyber threats and streamline their cyber defences. By investing in the right tools, businesses can strengthen their defences, protect their data, and minimize the impact of cyber incidents. For businesses looking to enhance their security, Infosec K2K can offer expert guidance on selecting and using the right SIEM and threat intelligence solutions.

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.

Business applications have become the backbone of modern businesses, not only helping them to be more efficient and more productive, but also to encourage collaboration and innovation among their employees. However, with many organisations increasingly relying on these tools, ensuring secure business application onboarding and integration is crucial. This is paramount, as it protects businesses from cyber threats and also ensures that they’re complying with ever-evolving regulations.

The Role of Business Applications

From customer relationship management (CRM) systems to enterprise resource planning (ERP) tools, these applications handle vast amounts of sensitive data. After all, they’re helping with everything from streamlining operations, making communication between employees and different departments easier, and even helping with decision-making. However, each new application that is integrated into your organisation’s ecosystem can also introduce a host of new vulnerabilities if it hasn’t been properly secured.

Why Secure Onboarding and Integration is Vital

Secure business application onboarding and integration is critical for several reasons. For a start, cyber criminals will often target new or poorly integrated business applications, seeing them as potential entry points into an organisation’s network. If businesses don’t implement robust security measures like IAM, then they’re more likely to be hit by data breaches.

There are also a number of cyber security regulations, like GDPR and NIS2, that require strong data protection measures. The secure integration of business applications ensures compliance with these regulations – not only does this secure data, but it helps businesses to avoid legal and financial penalties, and protect their reputation. Secure onboarding also helps to keep your business running, preventing any disruptions caused by security incidents and ensuring that your day-to-day operations are uninterrupted.

Establishing a Secure Foundation

In order to build a secure foundation for business applications, organisations should be conducting security assessments before they even think about integrating any applications. This way, they can identify any potential vulnerabilities before they can pose any threat to your business. With the help of Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions, like the kind we offer here at Infosec K2K, you can guarantee that only users who you’ve authorised are able to access specific business applications or files.

We also recommend continuous monitoring – with 24/7 monitoring from a managed SOC (Security Operations Centre), you can detect any threats in real-time. Employee training is also crucial – after all, 74% of data breaches are the result of human error. Educating your staff about security protocols – and best practices when it comes to business application onboarding – is the best way to prevent any human error from compromising your own cyber security.

Streamline Security With Our Factory-style Approach

By adopting a streamlined approach to application onboarding, you can improve your productivity while improving your cyber security. By implementing standardised procedures across your business, you can ensure consistency and reduce the likelihood of security oversights. A well-defined business application onboarding framework helps to eliminate any gaps that might exist in your security, and also ensures that every new application will follow the same structured and secure integration process. With automation tools to handle repetitive tasks, you can also minimise human error throughout the process, as well as save time. We also recommend conducting regular audits, both on your cyber defences and on your onboarding process, to assess how effective it is. With regular assessments like this, you can identify weaknesses, make any changes that are needed, and ensure you’re complying with security regulations.

Here at Infosec K2K, we understand the many challenges that today’s organisations face when they’re integrating new business applications. With our end-to-end management, however, we’ll take care of those challenges for you. Our team of experts will ensure the entire process is handled seamlessly, from creating a bespoke onboarding plan to conducting thorough regulatory compliance checks. We’ll eliminate vulnerabilities from day one, and ensure all of your applications are integrated safely and efficiently. What’s more, we’ll make sure you’re up to date with the latest industry regulations, so you can stay compliant and secure throughout the onboarding process and afterwards.

Tips for Evaluating Application Security

If you’re looking to improve your application security, there are several steps we can recommend. By maintaining an up-to-date inventory of all the applications your business uses (including their purpose and whatever access levels there might be), you can have more visibility into your digital environment. Evaluating the security of any vendors is essential, as you must ensure that third-party applications meet your security standards. Regularly updating applications, and patching any vulnerabilities, prevents any threat actors from exploiting them. Finally, developing a clear incident response plan ensures you can take swift action to any incidents, minimising the damage they might cause.

Business applications continue to play a crucial role in modern businesses, and securing their onboarding and integration is more important than ever. By establishing a secure foundation and streamlining processes, you can protect your business from cyber threats, ensure regulatory compliance, and be more productive. Our factory-style approach helps improve your cyber defences and provide peace of mind – something increasingly important in today’s cyber security landscape.

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.

Today’s businesses are facing a rising tide of supply chain attacks. In recent years, they’ve become one of the most pressing concerns for organisations in all industries. Criminals are increasingly targeting vulnerabilities in third-party systems. Once they’re in, they’re able to bypass security measures and infiltrate businesses’ networks. It’s more important than ever to use advanced cyber security solutions, and Identity and Access Management (IAM) has emerged as a critical line of defence.

The Rise of Supply Chain Attacks

As businesses have become more and more interconnected, their attack surface has grown, and cyber criminals have been quick to exploit this. An attack on just one third-party supplier can have dire effects on businesses up and down the supply chain, causing operational, financial, and reputational damage to dozens of businesses – if not more. According to a report last year, 90% of attacks on energy companies that had been breached more than once involved supply chain attacks on third parties.

Cyber criminals are targeting smaller businesses as these will often lack sophisticated cyber defences. Once in, they use these as a gateway to bigger, more secure organisations. Probably the most high-profile example of a supply chain attack was the SolarWinds incident in 2020. SolarWinds, a provider of network management software, was hit by a cyber attack that affected businesses and government agencies around the world. Malicious actors were able to infiltrate SolarWinds’ software update mechanism, which gave them access to the networks of over 18,000 customers. One of the biggest impacts of the attack was financial – on average, the attack cost companies 11% of their annual revenue.

Strengthening Supply Chain Security With IAM

Put simply, IAM plays a key role in reducing the risk of supply chain attacks, as it ensures that only authorised individuals or systems have access to your network and resources. IAM is a framework that includes policies, tools, and technologies, all of which are used to manage identities and control who can access your network. By protecting the authentication process this way, and restricting users’ access based on roles, businesses can deal with vulnerabilities that could otherwise be exploited by criminals lurking in the supply chain.

One of the main benefits of IAM is strong authentication processes, which are particularly useful in preventing supply chain attacks. Many breaches are caused by attackers gaining access through compromised or weak credentials. Google Cloud’s 2023 Threat Horizons Report, for example, revealed that 86% of data breaches involve stolen credentials, Multi-factor authentication requires multiple forms of identity verification, which significantly reduces the chance of anyone gaining unauthorised access. Even if a criminal manages to steal credentials, they will still face obstacles to accessing your network.

Managing third-party access is another element of IAM that helps to reduce supply chain risks. Third-party vendors and contractors are the most common source of vulnerabilities, because of  poorly managed or excessive access privileges. By adhering to the principle of least privilege, IAM systems ensure users only have the minimum access required for their tasks. IAM solutions can also be used to implement role-based access control (RBAC) and time-bound access – these ensure that users only have permissions when absolutely necessary. Their access can also be automatically revoked after a set period, minimising the risk of unauthorised access.

The Broader Benefits of IAM

Of course, IAM isn’t only useful for stopping supply chain attacks. In fact, a strong IAM solution – like those that we offer here at Infosec K2K – has several other benefits. Firstly, it improves user experience by streamlining authentication processes and offering single sign-on (SSO) capabilities. This allows employees and partners to access necessary systems easily and securely. IAM also supports regulatory compliance by ensuring robust access controls and maintaining audit trails, helping businesses meet the requirements of data protection laws like GDPR, as well as newer ones like NIS2. IAM also helps businesses save money by automating access management, reducing operational expenses, and minimising the financial risks associated with security breaches. Here at IAM, we help firms save more money with our flexible pay-as-you-go model.

We specialise in IAM solutions designed to protect businesses from the growing threat of supply chain attacks. Our services have been tailored to meet the unique needs of businesses of all sizes, and our customisable IAM solutions can be integrated seamlessly with your existing infrastructure. Along with our partners, which include LevelBlue and CyberArk, we offer real-time monitoring and analytics to detect suspicious activity in your network, while our expertise in regulatory compliance helps you meet data protection laws, minimising any legal and operational risks.

Supply chain attacks show no sign of stopping, as cyber criminals look to exploit the vulnerabilities of interconnected systems. However, with the help of a robust IAM strategy, businesses can secure their access points, protect themselves, third-party risks, and safeguard critical systems from unauthorised access.

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.

The cyber security landscape is growing more and more complex every year, with new threats to watch out for and new ways of protecting your assets. Each year, organisations are left scrambling to protect their most sensitive data, keep their operational technology (OT) running, and keep their customers’ trust. In 2025, these challenges aren’t going away. Thanks to advances in technology, it can be hard for businesses to keep up. That’s why we’ve decided to help, and have rounded up the top cyber security trends for 2025 that we think every firm needs to know about.

The Downsides of AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the cyber security landscape, but it’s not all good news – it’s more of a double-edged sword. On one hand, it makes it easier than ever for businesses to find and deal with threats before they can do any damage. Since AI tools are able to analyse vast amounts of data in real time, they can detect anomalies, and respond faster than humans can. However, this technology is also being weaponised by cyber criminals, and helping them to launch sophisticated attacks.

This means the stakes are higher than ever for today’s businesses. An AI system that hasn’t been configured properly could leave you vulnerable. At the same time, failing to adopt AI solutions could leave your organisation vulnerable to sophisticated attacks. In a recent episode of our podcast, The Keys 2 Your Digital Kingdom, we discussed the impact of AI on IAM, as well as the risks it poses. If you missed it, you can listen here, and hear how industry leaders are addressing the challenges of AI and using it to boost their defences. With the help of our partners like LevelBlue, we help businesses use AI securely, offering threat detection tools that can be securely integrated into your network.

Rising Threats to Supply Chain Security

As businesses all over the world have become more interconnected, supply chains are now prime targets for cyber criminals. Just last year, 38% of UK businesses faced month-long recoveries after being hit by supply chain attacks. A single vulnerability in a supplier’s system can give attackers a backdoor into dozens of organisations, up and down the supply chain. When the supply chain company Blue Yonder was hit by a ransomware attack in 2024, it affected companies including Starbucks and Morrisons. 

One of the key cyber security trends for 2025 is the growing number of sophisticated supply chain attacks. Organisations need to take a closer look at the cyber security practices of their suppliers, implement third-party risk management policies, and maintain visibility across their entire supply chain. At Infosec K2K, our risk assessments and vulnerability management services help businesses to proactively address any weaknesses they might have in their network.

Tightening Cyber Security Regulations

Governments around the world will be stepping up their data protection laws – and while this is good for consumers, it’s set to create a more challenging regulatory environment for businesses. From new regulations in Asia to increased scrutiny globally, organisations can expect stricter compliance requirements when it comes to cyber security. The US is considering a federal privacy law, the EU’s NIS2 took effect last October, and last year the UK introduced the Data (Use and Access) Bill. 

Integrating existing regional and local data regulations such as GDPR into your cyber security strategies is no longer optional. What’s more, though, businesses must also prepare for new regulations that are set to become legally binding later this year. One such regulation is the EU’s AI Act, which aims to regulate AI usage and address concerns about data misuse. Here at Infosec K2K, we help businesses navigate this complex landscape with our audit and compliance services and regulatory guidance to meet the demands of evolving cyber security laws. With our business application onboarding and integration, we’ll also ensure your digital environment complies with all regulations.

User Verification Challenges

With many data breaches stemming from compromised credentials, user verification is now a cornerstone of cybersecurity. This isn’t always the result of a hack – recent research by Verizon found that 68% of breaches of breaches were caused by human error, or by people falling for a phishing scam. However, finding the right balance between strong authentication measures and usability can be challenging. While MFA is now standard practice for many businesses, criminals have already found ways of bypassing these measures.

In 2025, it will be harder than ever to figure out if a user is legitimate or a criminal. Malicious actors have created bots that mimic human actions – clicking, scrolling, and even typing – making them difficult to detect. Emerging technologies like biometric authentication and behavioral analytics are gaining traction as solutions to these challenges. In 2025, businesses will need to navigate concerns around privacy, accessibility, and implementation costs. Our IAM solutions are designed to help organisations take control of user verification, enabling secure access without compromising on user experience.

Preparing for the Future

Dealing with today’s cybersecurity landscape requires a proactive approach, and here at Infosec K2K we offer a suite of services to help businesses address emerging threats. From customised IAM solutions to OT security expertise, we deliver tailored strategies for organisations of all sizes. 

The cyber security trends of 2025 demand constant vigilance and a willingness to adapt. Cyber security is always changing, and businesses that fail to keep up with these changes risk not only financial losses but also damaging their reputation – and regulatory penalties. By partnering with a company like Infosec K2K, you can confidently face the challenges ahead, protect your most sensitive data, and maintain regulatory compliance at the same time.

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.

As the year draws to a close, it’s the perfect time to look back on the current cyber security landscape. The past year brought us a number of headline-grabbing cyber incidents, from data breaches to service outages. These incidents highlight how cyber threats are continuing to affect businesses of all sizes, in every sector. In this blog, we’ll reflect on some of the biggest cyber security stories of 2024, look at what went wrong, and explore how to strengthen your defences in 2025.

CrowdStrike Outage

This dramatic incident in July was one of the biggest cyber security stories of 2024, sending shockwaves around the world. CrowdStrike, a leading endpoint protection provider, experienced a major service outage in the early hours of the 19th July. The issue was caused by an unanticipated flaw in the deployment of a system update. This caused widespread disruption for the customers relying on CrowdStrike’s cloud-based threat intelligence and monitoring capabilities. It’s estimated that 8.5 million Windows devices were affected by the incident, causing havoc in airports, hospitals, supermarkets, and more.

The root cause of the incident was insufficient testing of the system update under real-world conditions. This, coupled with a lack of redundancies in critical areas, allowed the failure to disrupt businesses around the world. To prevent incidents like this happening in your own organisation, we advise organisations to rigorously stress-test updates – including in live environments – to ensure smooth implementation of the updates. It’s important to build resilient networks with fail-safe mechanisms and robust backup systems. This helps maintain the continuity of your operations whenever you uninstall an update.

Snowflake Data Breach

Snowflake, the cloud-based data storage company, faced an unprecedented data breach that hit the headlines earlier this year. A misconfigured access control in one of their cloud storage systems allowed unauthorised parties to access their systems. The team didn’t catch this oversight in time, allowing the attackers to steal sensitive client data, including financial records and proprietary information. Some of the businesses affected included Santander, Neiman Marcus Group, and Ticketmaster. Around 560 million Ticketmaster customers had their data stolen.

This breach shows the importance of understanding the cloud security shared responsibility model. Although cloud providers will secure their infrastructure, users are in turn responsible for securing their own data and configurations. To prevent similar incidents, we recommend businesses employ automated tools to continuously monitor their networks for misconfigurations and anomalies within cloud environments. This way, you can ensure the quick detection and mitigation of any potential vulnerabilities.

Blue Yonder Ransomware

Blue Yonder, one of the world’s leading supply chain software providers, was hit by a ransomware attack in November. The incident caused widespread disruption to its operations and impacted major retailers in the US and the UK. The attack, which targeted Blue Yonder’s managed services hosted environment, severely disrupted the supply chains of companies including Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, and Starbucks. The attack highlighted the vulnerabilities of the supply chain sector – although some companies like Tesco and DHL weren’t impacted, others such as Morrisons had to rely on backup systems to maintain operations.

For businesses, this attack underscores the importance of developing strong cyber resilience strategies. Organisations must ensure that their supply chain partners have robust cyber security measures in place. Any vulnerability can have knock-on effects, leading to significant disruptions up and down the supply chain. Businesses should also prioritise implementing backup systems that can be activated in case of a cyber incident – the regular testing and updating of these systems is essential in order to minimise downtime.

Lessons for 2025 – and Beyond

Reflecting on the cyber security stories of 2024, they offer a number of lessons for businesses looking to boost their security. One key takeaway is the importance of proactive threat hunting. Rather than waiting for an attack to happen, companies should conduct regular penetration testing and threat-hunting exercises to identify vulnerabilities before cybercriminals exploit them. Something else to consider is adopting a zero trust architecture, where every entity, whether internal or external, is assumed to be potentially compromised. This approach limits the damage that can occur in the event of a breach. 

Using AI and automated tools can also play a key role in enhancing your cyber security. These tools can analyse threats in real time and respond autonomously. They can also reduce the time it takes to detect a threat and stop it in its tracks. By adopting these strategies, businesses can build a more resilient cyber security posture and prepare themselves for the challenges ahead.

As the past 12 months show, no sector or business is immune to cyber attacks. From the disruption caused by CrowdStrike to cloud security breaches and ransomware attacks, these incidents show there are vulnerabilities to watch out for.

With 2025 fast approaching, the lessons learned from these incidents should serve as a guiding light for any business. We advise adopting a proactive and resilient approach to your cyber security strategy. This way, you can stay one step ahead of criminals, protecting your business – and your reputation – in the years to come.

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.