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When it comes to cyber security, many businesses focus on defending their networks from external cyber threats. However, it’s essential they’re also vigilant against insider threats – these can be just as, if not more, destructive. In this blog, we’ll delve into the most common insider threats businesses face, explore the risks they pose, and demonstrate how Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions can help safeguard your business.

Understanding Insider Threats

Insider threats originate from within an organisation, making them particularly insidious. In recent years, both the number of insider cyber attacks and the costs they incur has risen dramatically. DTEX Systems’ recent report, 2023 Cost of Insider Risks Global Report, revealed the number of insider attacks in 2023 was 7,343, a step up from 6,803 last year – while the typical annual cost of these threats has reached $16.2 million (£13.2 million) per attack. These threats can be intentional or unintentional, and the most common are:

• Negligent Employees: Often, employees compromise security through careless actions like clicking on phishing emails or reusing passwords. While they may not have been intending to cause your business any harm, the consequences can be severe. In fact, research by Kaspersky showed businesses are just as concerned about employee negligence as they are about data breaches.

• Malicious Insiders: Some individuals within an organisation will intentionally seek to harm the company. This can be due to personal grievances or even coercion by external parties. If these insiders can access sensitive information, they could inflict significant damage, which is why it’s vital to maintain strict access controls across your network.

• Third-Party Contractors: External entities working closely with your organisation, like consultants, partners, suppliers, can pose a threat. If they have access to your systems or data, a breach on their end could compromise your security.

• Former Employees: Employees who have left the company but can still access your systems and data can be a significant risk to your business. If their departure wasn’t amicable, they might misuse their access to harm the organisation – and even if their departure was amicable, this could offer hackers another way into your network.

• Accidental Data Exposure: Sometimes, employees inadvertently share sensitive information without realising it. This could occur through misconfigured permissions, email mishaps, or other innocent mistakes. Earlier this year, a Microsoft employee accidentally leaked 30TB of data after using a misconfigured SAS token.

The Risks Posed By Insider Threats

Insider threats can have severe consequences for all businesses. These threats include data breaches, where insiders with access to sensitive data can steal or leak it online. Not only do these result in financial losses for the business involved, but they’d also cause damage to their reputation, and have legal repercussions. Malicious insiders can cause financial losses to a business by manipulating financial systems or engaging in fraudulent activities. Disgruntled ex-employees could exacerbate the situation by sabotaging systems, leading to operational disruption, downtime, and business process disruptions – research by Unit 42 last year showed these kinds of employees were responsible for 75% of insider cyber attacks.

These cyber security incidents can erode customer trust, making it harder for businesses to attract clients, and can also result in hefty fines and legal actions. Despite these dangers, however, many businesses aren’t taking insider threats seriously. Although the costs of insider risks are higher than ever before, 88% of organisations have said they’re spending less than 10% of their security budgets on the issue – the rest of their budgets are going towards external threats.

How IAM Solutions Can Combat Insider Risks

Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions offer a range of benefits to businesses, and help them mitigate insider threats effectively. With IAM, you can ensure only authorised individuals have access to your most sensitive data and systems. At Infosec K2K, we offer IAM assessments and services to help reduce the risk of insider threats and data breaches.

Our IAM solutions give you granular control over who has access to what across your organisation. By enforcing the principle of least privilege, we ensure employees only have access to the resources necessary for their roles, significantly reducing your attack surface. With IAM, you can also implement robust user authentication mechanisms, including multi-factor authentication (MFA) and biometrics, to ensure only authorised personnel can access critical systems and data.

At Infosec K2K, we can continuously monitor user activities. With our AT&T-powered managed security operations centre (SOC), we can detect suspicious behaviour, such as unauthorised access or data exfiltration, and intervene quickly. When employees leave your organisation, or simply change roles, our access control solutions can streamline your access controls and ensure former employees no longer have access to critical systems or data. We can also help you maintain compliance with data protection regulations, minimising the risk of penalties related to insider-related data 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.

With connectivity and digital operations the norm in today’s business rapidly-evolving business landscape, the potential for crises is higher than ever. From cyber attacks to data breaches, organisations must be prepared to handle these unexpected challenges. Today’s businesses need to be poised to respond to cyber incidents, recover quickly, and mitigate potential harm. This is where an effective crisis management strategy is so important – we’ll walk you through the crucial steps to creating a comprehensive strategy, and showcase how Infosec K2K’s solutions can help you to bolster your crisis readiness.

Why is a Crisis Management Strategy Important?

Put simply, crisis management refers to the structured approach an organisation needs to take in order to navigate any unforeseen event that could cause significant harm to its operations, stakeholders, or its reputation. It involves coordinating actions and decisions that aim to minimise the damage and restore normalcy as soon as possible. These unforeseen events could be anything from a pandemic or a natural disaster to a hack or a DDoS attack.

In the event of a crisis, the absence of a well-thought-out crisis management strategy can leave businesses vulnerable to negative consequences like financial losses or reputational damage. While the best way to navigate a crisis is to be prepared, many CEOs aren’t – according to The Conference Board’s C-Suite Outlook 2023, only 41% of CEOs surveyed said they were prepared for a major cyber security crisis. Having a robust strategy in place isn’t just prudent, but essential for safeguarding your organisation’s resilience.

The Key Elements of an Effective Crisis Management Strategy

Proactive planning, and anticipating a crisis, is paramount. It can be difficult to deal with a cyber attack – 41% of cyber security professionals say that cyber security operations are more difficult than they were just two years ago – but by being prepared, you can ​​manage crises more efficiently. A well-prepared organisation needs to be adaptable and resilient in the face of unforeseen challenges. By considering all the different cyber threats your business could possibly face, you’ll ensure that you are better prepared, and won’t be surprised. Businesses should provide training and build a crisis management team, so that you and your colleagues are aware of what they need to do in the event of a cyber incident. Assembling a cross-functional role is pivotal. People’s roles and responsibilities should all be clearly defined and outlined in your strategy, and collaboration should be encouraged.

Effective communication is at the core of crisis management. Businesses should establish internal protocols so that accurate information is disseminated swiftly to employees, while external communications also need to be implemented to inform customers, stakeholders, the media, and the general public. Finally, businesses should conduct a thorough risk assessment. This can identify potential vulnerabilities and prioritise preparedness efforts. At Infosec K2K, our Security Assurance Services can help you to stay one step ahead of cyber criminals – with our vulnerability management services, we can identify weaknesses in your cyber defences and suggest ways to mitigate them. By identifying potential crises in this way, you can assess their impact and have a better estimation of the consequences.

Crafting Your Crisis Management Plan

When you set out to craft an effective crisis management plan, you should begin by setting out clear objectives and priorities. Prioritising your most critical functions and resources to ensure they aren’t affected by the cyber security incident is crucial. Additionally, developing different response protocols for the various crisis scenarios – tailoring your responses is key in mitigating any. negative consequences. Plan for every eventuality, outlining immediate actions, short-term strategies, and long-term recovery plans to provide a clear roadmap for each stage of the crisis.

Businesses should also take the time to consider budgeting in their crisis management plans. Adequate resources – both human and financial – should be allocated to your crisis management efforts to ensure the business can effectively execute its strategy. Finally, in order to test and refine the plan, regular simulations and drills are essential to validate the crisis management plan’s effectiveness. Identifying any vulnerabilities, and refining the plan based on feedback and lessons learned, is an ongoing process, and Infosec K2K is here to help. With our IAM Audit & Compliance Services, we’ll assess your practices and policies, and at the same time, we can test your cyber defences with penetration tests and comprehensive breach simulations

Communication Strategies During a Crisis

When communicating with shareholders, customers, and the media, it’s important to be both transparent and honest. Open communication about the cyber incident and its effects, however severe they may be, can help to build trust and credibility, mitigating reputational damage in the long run. It’s crucial that you take the time to craft clear and concise messages, conveying relevant information while expressing empathy and understanding. By proactively addressing public concerns and dispelling misinformation, you can maintain control of the narrative, and prevent panic. Leveraging digital platforms and social media can help businesses in the aftermath of a cyber incident – these can be direct avenues to easily reach customers, helping businesses communicate and engage with them in real time.

At Infosec K2K, we understand that a well-crafted crisis management strategy is your organisation’s shield against the uncertainties of today’s business landscape. By diligently preparing, building a capable team, communicating effectively, and continuously refining your plan, you can weather crises and emerge stronger than before. It’s important to remember, however, that crisis management is an ongoing process that demands vigilance and adaptation. Embrace the journey toward crisis readiness and explore Infosec K2K’s solutions to fortify your organisation’s security 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.

Over the past few months, we have seen artificial intelligence (AI) technologies grow in popularity. It has the potential to revolutionise industries, reducing costs and enhancing efficiency – and the cyber security sector is no exception. As organisations begin to adopt more AI-driven solutions, they’ll also encounter new challenges and obstacles when it comes to securing their networks, data, and digital assets. At Infosec K2K, we understand the importance of Identity and Access Management (IAM), and see it as a crucial tool for mitigating cyber security risks and maintaining cyber defences.

The Security Risks Of Using AI

With its ability to process vast amounts of data and automate repetitive tasks, AI has already brought unprecedented advancements to various aspects of business operations. From predictive analytics to helping businesses save time, AI-driven technologies can enhance productivity and provide valuable insights. However, as AI becomes more integrated with various services, software, and applications, it can introduce new cyber security vulnerabilities that need to be addressed.

Cyber criminals can exploit AI systems for malicious purposes, including evading traditional security measures. The rapid growth of AI-powered attacks, such as AI-generated phishing emails and deep fake impersonations, is a clear testament to the dangers of AI. Earlier this year, the Canadian cyber security official Sami Khoury disclosed that malicious actors have turned to AI for hacking and misinformation campaigns, and even using it to create new harmful software.

Implementing a comprehensive IAM strategy is essential to safeguard your organisation. By conducting a thorough inventory of the services you use, mapping our access points, and defining user roles, you can establish stringent authentication mechanisms. Regularly review and update access permissions, in order to adapt to changing business needs and shifts in your workforce. AI-powered analytics can help to monitor access patterns, and our managed IAM services can offer you 24/7 protection from cyber threats.

How IAM Can Combat These Risks

IAM plays a pivotal role in maintaining network security in the AI era. It ensures that your organisation’s most sensitive data and resources are accessed only by authorised individuals, thus reducing the attack surface for potential breaches. IAM systems – such as those developed by our cyber security partner, CyberArk – enforce strict authentication and authorisation protocols, safeguarding your network from unauthorised access.

By integrating AI-driven authentication methods, such as behavioural biometrics and anomaly detection, IAM solutions can enhance your defences without compromising user experience. With the help of generative AI tools, IAM solutions could be made stronger with voice and speech recognition, or even facial recognition. AI-powered tools can continuously analyse user behaviour patterns and monitor your network, promptly identifying you of any deviations that may indicate a breach.

The Security Risks of Not Using IAM

A study by Forrester Research revealed that 83% of organisations don’t yet have a mature approach to IAM, resulting in twice as many breaches. Not using IAM to control who can access your services and data could expose your organisation to a multitude of security risks. Without proper identity controls, external threat actors could exploit weak entry points. You shouldn’t only be concerned with external threats – IAM solutions can also prevent employees from accessing sensitive data. A recent survey by Bridewell revealed a surge in insider threats – 77% of critical national infrastructure (CNI) organisations in the US have seen a surge in insider-driven cyber threats.

The absence of IAM could lead to data breaches, compromised intellectual property, and regulatory non-compliance – at Infosec K2K, however, we can help to implement an IAM solution in your network, while our IAM assessments ensure you meet regulations and industry best practices.

The Relationship Between AI Technologies and IAM

Both AI and IAM are becoming increasingly interconnected in the realm of cyber security. AI technologies can enhance IAM systems by enabling adaptive access controls, which can adjust user privileges based on real-time analytics and risk assessments. With AI-driven anomaly detection, you can identify suspicious activities and trigger immediate responses, ranging from blocking a user’s access to notifying security teams.

On the other hand, IAM can ensure your AI systems and services are only accessible to authorised users. This prevents any unauthorised personnel or hackers from tampering with your AI algorithms and models. The reciprocal relationship between these two technologies enhances your organisation’s overall security posture while ensuring you can reap the benefits of AI.

How to Keep Your Services Protected

Implementing a comprehensive IAM strategy is essential to safeguard your organisation. By conducting a thorough inventory of the services you use, mapping our access points, and defining user roles, you can establish stringent authentication mechanisms. Access permissions should be regularly reviewed and updated, and adapted to changing business needs or changes in your workforce. AI-powered analytics can help to monitor access patterns, and our managed IAM services can offer you 24/7 protection from cyber threats.

Our IAM assessments give you and your business a comprehensive analysis of your identity security posture, across all services and networks. By assessing any vulnerabilities, our team of experts will offer tailored recommendations to improve your current strategy and effectively protect your digital assets. Our IAM implementation and support services, meanwhile, can bridge any gaps in your strategy, by integrating cutting-edge IAM solutions tailored to your organisation’s needs. We’ll guide you through the entire process, from design to implementation, and with our ongoing support, we’ll ensure your IAM solutions are robust and adaptable in the face of evolving threats.

In the current era of evolving AI technologies, maintaining network security demands a proactive approach. AI-driven technologies offer immense potential, but also introduce new security challenges, and IAM serves as a critical defence mechanism. By implementing IAM, organisations can navigate the complexities of the AI landscape while safeguarding their digital assets.

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.

Security breaches, data leaks, and cyber attacks are a constant concern for a business of any size in today’s digital landscape, which is why implementing robust identity authentication measures is crucial. They can help protect sensitive information and keep it out of the reach of cyber criminals, but managing multiple authentication methods can be complex and time-consuming. By simplifying authentication methods, firms can make their cyber defences more efficient and more secure.

What is Modern Authentication?

When it comes to authentication, there are two schools of thought. Basic authentication is the most traditional method of ensuring identity authentication. Organisations primarily use it in HTTP-based communication, making it the most common method for granting users access to files and applications for years. Users access these resources using usernames and passwords, but this type of authentication does not support modern solutions like cloud-based services.

This is where modern authentication methods come in – they take a much more layered approach to authentication. These methods require users to provide additional information for access, rather than relying solely on a password that could be stolen or guessed. They often require one-time passcodes, which grant users temporary access, or biometric data such as fingerprints, that are much more difficult to fake. Our cyber security partners at TrustBuilder offer a range of multi-factor authentication measures, making it easier to validate a user’s identity. They specialise in customer identity and access management (CIAM), helping clients to protect their customers’ data and ensuring a more seamless customer journey. With single sign-on, multi-factor authentication, and regulatory compliance, CIAM helps businesses to foster brand loyalty and trust. Modern authentication is an umbrella term for a multi-functional authentication method that’s far more secure, allowing administrators to tailor their requirements to their specific requirements.

The Benefits of Modern Authentication

Modern authentication methods are far more secure than legacy authentication methods, and require minimal time to set up and implement. As identity authentication management (IAM) specialists, we understand the importance of identity security – as well as setting up your identity security solutions, we can seamlessly integrate them with your existing solutions, and monitor your network around the clock.

Modern authentication gives you far more ways of securely validating users, rather than just relying on passwords. Requiring users to provide multiple pieces of evidence to verify their identity makes it harder for unauthorised individuals to gain access to your sensitive data. By consolidating and setting up various authentication methods in your network, you can reduce the complexity of your authentication. These methods ensure you’re offering an enhanced user experience. Users might forget or lose their passwords, which can make the login experience frustrating. Modern authentication, however, streamlines the process by incorporating multiple authorisation methods. It also eliminates the need to remember complex passwords, making authorisation more user-friendly.

Another benefit is the ability to provide secure access across multiple devices and platforms. Modern authentication methods support a variety of devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and wearables, allowing users to access their accounts from anywhere. Services such as those provided by our partner, Cyolo, allow users to connect securely to your network whether they’re on or off site. You can integrate these into various applications and online services to ensure consistent security standards across different platforms. Every sector uses Cyolo’s cybersecurity solutions, particularly operational technology (OT), which has become increasingly vulnerable to evolving cyber threats. Our recent blog discusses some of the modern authentication methods that secure OT networks.

The Most Common Methods

The average employee in a modern workplace can switch between critical applications over 1,000 times a day. Modern authentication methods use established authorisation protocols, and we’ve rounded up some of the most commonly-used protocols below:

OAuth 2.0

Oauth 2.0 is an industry-standard protocol for authorisation, allowing users to grant access to their resources on one website to another website without sharing their credentials. It enables the use of access tokens, reducing the risk of password theft and providing users with a more seamless experience. Our partners at CyberArk support OAuth 2.0 – their CyberArk Identity solution allows you to easily customise who can access your network.

JSON Web Tokens (JWT)

The JSON Web Token (JWT) is one of the most commonly-used token formats, and uses OAuth. This access token is used for both authentication and authorisation. Its compact and self-contained design requires less bandwidth and storage space, enabling web and mobile applications to operate more efficiently. JWTs support a wide variety of programming languages, allowing easy integration into different cybersecurity frameworks, and securely transmit information between parties as a JSON object.

OpenID Connect (OIDC)

Like JWTs, OpenID Connect (OIDC) is built upon OAuth 2.0. OIDC provides a more standardised and secure approach to authentication and authorisation, enhancing security, user experience, and interoperability across different applications and platforms. It uses JWTS to ensure the confidentiality of identity data, preventing unauthorised access to user information. OIDC also supports Single Sign-On (SSO) scenarios – once a user has been authenticated, they can access multiple applications and services without having to re-enter their credentials. Not only does this improve user experience, but it reduces the chance of people reusing passwords.

Modern authentication methods such as OAuth 2.0, JWTs, and OIDC provide a range of benefits, simplifying user experience while keeping data secure. By turning to modern authentication methods, today’s business can strengthen their cyber defences and protect their data from unauthorised access. These methods make it more challenging for cyber criminals while also allowing authorised users to access their accounts from anywhere, at any 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.

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, more and more companies are turning to cloud providers to host their infrastructure, applications, and services. As organisations embrace the benefits of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), Identity as a Service (IDaaS), and other similar cloud offerings, it’s become imperative to understand the intricacies of permissions within the cloud environment. Unlike traditional on-premise infrastructure, where companies have well-defined rules and granular control over privileges and permissions, managing your permissions in the cloud presents unique challenges. In order to ensure your cyber defences are as strong as possible, it’s important you effectively define and manage permissions across your cloud environment.

Understanding the Cloud

The cloud offers many advantages to businesses – not only is it more flexible and scalable, but it increases performance and helps them to reduce their IT costs at the same time. Despite these benefits, there are still some disadvantages to moving your company’s infrastructure and assets to the cloud. It can be complex managing permissions in a cloud environment – with the ability to rapidly provision resources, applications, databases, and a wide range of other cloud services, organisations often find themselves contending with intricate permission structures.

Users may find themselves having distinct roles, with access rights only to specific data and functions. In contrast to on-premises infrastructures, where companies can establish meticulous rules and policies for privileges and permissions within their network, it can be difficult to achieve that same level of control in the cloud – particularly when multiple cloud providers and services are involved. If companies want to ensure they’re minimising security risks and ensure compliance with the latest regulatory requirements, it’s crucial to have a clear and thorough overview of their permissions.

The Risks of Excessive Permissions

Failing to have visibility into permissions within your cloud environment can result in significant security risks. According to Gartner, 75% of security failures result from inadequate management of identities, access and privileges – that figure was just 50% in 2020. An organisation with unused or excessive permissions can pave the way for unauthorised users to gain access to sensitive data or critical systems, which can lead to data breaches. It’s essential that businesses identify and eliminate anyone with unnecessary permissions, and limit their access to the bare minimum. Automated tools and services play a vital role in maintaining a comprehensive overview, and helping businesses ensure only authorised users can access critical data. At Infosec K2K, we specialise in offering complete identity management solutions, and can work with you and your team to protect your data.

A recent report by our partners at CyberArk revealed that 58% of businesses had reported ex-employees saving confidential work documents before they left. Organisations should take care to remove access permissions of any employees leaving the business – cyber criminals (which can often include dissatisfied or disgruntled employees) will be counting on an authorised account slipping through the cracks. Just one over privileged or wrongly provisioned account is all it takes to create a vulnerability in your cyber defences.

The Benefits of Managing Permissions In Your Cloud Environment

One of the primary reasons why having a comprehensive overview of permissions is important is to maintain compliance with industry regulations and data privacy laws. Regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) often mandate strict control over data access and require organisations to demonstrate accountability for data protection. By having a comprehensive overview of permissions, companies can ensure compliance, and only grant access to the individuals with a legitimate need for the data.

Having a comprehensive overview of permissions also aids in troubleshooting and incident response. If and when an issue arises, being able to quickly identify the permissions assigned to relevant users and applications can help your cyber security teams to identify the problem, isolate it, and resolve it efficiently. By narrowing down the scope of investigation, businesses can save time and resources. Moreover, in the event of a security incident or data breach, having a clear understanding of permissions can help to determine the extent of the breach and any affected resources, as well as how to avoid the same kind of breach happening again.

Achieving a Comprehensive Overview

For organisations looking to gain more control over permissions in their cloud environment, it’s important that they choose cloud providers offering robust permission management capabilities. These providers have features that allow fine-grained control over everything from access rights and user roles to permissions. One example is our partner, CyberArk. By using their Cloud Entitlements Manager, users can gain visibility across their whole cloud network from a centralised platform. Users are able to map permissions across their organisation’s cloud environment, identify unused permissions, minimise their attack surface and more – letting the right people in and keeping attackers out.

At Infosec K2K, our international team have years of experience and expertise in identity security, and understand that cyber security is an ever-evolving industry. If you’re looking to mitigate your cyber risk with identity security, we recommend conducting regular reviews of permissions. With Our identity access management (IAM) assessments, we can identify any gaps in your defences, ensure there are no users with excessive permissions, and remove them if necessary.

As businesses increasingly rely on cloud services, it’s crucial to prioritise the management of permissions. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of permissions and adopting effective management practices, businesses can mitigate security risks and safeguard their sensitive data and critical systems. Organisations should ensure they have as much control as possible over permissions and conduct regular reviews to eliminate unnecessary access rights – by prioritising permission management in the cloud, businesses of all sizes can ensure a secure and efficient cloud environment – protecting themselves and their customers.

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.

In an increasingly interconnected world, ensuring the security of your IT systems and your organisation’s sensitive data is of paramount importance. But do you truly know which of your systems are discoverable on the internet? Does your cyber security team regularly check for any information about your corporate infrastructure that might be exposed on the internet, or even on the dark web? In this blog post, we will take a look at various scanning tools that are available online, like shodan.io and Metasploit, and explain how tools like these can help you quickly identify vulnerabilities.

The Dangers of Vulnerabilities in Your Corporate Infrastructure

If you’re looking to maintain a high level of security for your entire corporate infrastructure, you don’t just need to install some firewalls and update your passwords. You need a comprehensive understanding of your cyber defences, including which systems are vulnerable to attack, and if there are any vulnerabilities. In many cases, companies are surprised to discover just how many of their systems are visible on the internet, and just how many people could access them. These vulnerabilities can be costly if a malicious actor manages to find a way into your network – a study by Juniper Research found that attacks on vulnerabilities in supply chain software could cost the global economy £54.06 billion by 2026.

Shodan.io

This is where tools like shodan.io come in – the website is a database of publicly available IP addresses, and it’s often referred to as the ‘search engine for hackers.’ The website allows users to search for servers and other networked devices, including routers and webcams, and even printers. Earlier this year, Check Point Research reported a rise in the number of cyber attacks on IoT devices, which are often the most vulnerable parts of a network – in the first two months of 2023, organisations were facing an average of almost 60 attacks each week. Shodan.io provides users with a platform to check if their unprotected or poorly-configured systems are vulnerable to external attacks. The service is a valuable tool for security professionals, researchers, and system administrators, and is helpful for identifying vulnerable or misconfigured devices that could be potential security risks.

Metasploit

Another powerful tool your security team should be considering is Metasploit, an open-source framework that’s the world’s most used penetration testing tool. In fact, it’s not just used by cyber security professionals – the FBI once used it to track down suspects. It’s used for identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in computer systems and offers a standardised way of testing systems. This way, organisations can simulate attack scenarios and proactively uncover weaknesses before hackers can. By conducting regular assessments with Metasploit, you can gain valuable insights into any potential vulnerabilities, and take proactive measures to adjust your security measures accordingly.

Cyber Security Tips

It’s important to remember that tools like shodan.io and Metasploit aren’t just used by security professionals – they’re also the favourite tools of malicious actors, particularly on the dark web, where information on the most common vulnerabilities, and how to access systems with them, is regularly traded. Tools like Web Check, a free service from the National Cyber Security Centre, can help you to scan your corporate network infrastrcuture and identify any vulnerabilities that may be there. It looks for the most common weaknesses and tells you what you need to do to mitigate any risks.

Understanding cyber criminals – and how valuable your data is to them – is crucial when it comes to cyber security. The dark web harbours a multitude of illegal activities, and information about vulnerable systems can be traded there. By regularly scanning your IT systems, you can identify potential vulnerabilities before they are exploited by criminals. However, tools like Web Check won’t stop everything, and they shouldn’t replace you from carrying out vulnerability management or penetration testing.

How We Can Help

Here at Infosec K2K, we offer comprehensive vulnerability management services like penetration testing, to help you find any areas that a malicious actor could exploit. As penetration testing simulates real-world attacks, it uncovers weaknesses before they can be leveraged, strengthening your cyber defences and saving you time and money – according to Acronis, the average cost of a data breach is set to exceed $5 million (£3.9 million) this year. Our expert team will help you stay one step ahead of cyber criminals with regular internal and external scans to identify any issues and present you with a plan to mitigate any risks.

The security of your corporate infrastructure is crucial if you want to protect your data while maintaining your business operations. By utilising online tools like shodan.io and Metasploit, you can find any vulnerabilities in your network and take steps to address them. Your security team should conduct regular assessments to ensure your network isn’t publicly accessible online, and to ensure critical updates and security patches are installed as soon as possible. After all, when it comes to the safekeeping of your critical data, prevention is better (and more cost-effective) than reaction.

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.

In today’s digital landscape, cyber security is crucial to protect sensitive data, prevent financial losses, maintain your privacy, and safeguard yourself against cyber threats and attacks. The methods used by hackers and cyber criminals, however, are constantly evolving, and it can be hard keeping up with them. This is why businesses are increasingly turning to SOCs and SIEMs. When used together, Security Operations Centres (SOCs) and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems are a powerful way to detect cyber threats in real time, respond to attacks, and significantly enhance your cyber security posture.

Understanding SOCs

One of the most effective ways of monitoring your network for possible threats is by using a SOC. In fact, 40% of IT professionals classed their SOC as very important to their organisation’s overall cyber security strategy. We outlined the biggest benefits of investing in a SOC for your business in a previous blog. In simple terms, SOCs are responsible for monitoring and analysing security events, detecting and responding to cyber threats, conducting incident investigations, implementing security measures, performing vulnerability assessments, managing security incidents, and ensuring the overall security of an organisation’s systems and data.

Within SOCs, SOC analysts play a crucial role. Their knowledge of the latest attack techniques and tools, as well as potential vulnerabilities, help them detect threats that automated systems may miss. They use this knowledge to make informed decisions and neutralise threats before they can cause damage, making them essential in any organisation’s cyber defence strategy.

Exploring SIEM

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems are one of the most powerful tools when it comes to cyber security, helping organisations to aggregate and analyse security event data. More and more organisations are using SIEMs – according to the 2022 SIEM Report from Cybersecurity Insiders, 90% of those surveyed said they either used SIEM or were planning to. They provide a centralised platform, collecting logs from various sources including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and servers, giving security professionals comprehensive visibility.

The core capabilities of SIEMs include log management, event correlation, and real-time monitoring, giving security teams the ability to identify patterns, detect anomalies, and respond swiftly to potential threats. These systems enhance threat detection by correlating events across different sources and generating actionable alerts. They also aid in incident response, providing contextual information and facilitating forensic investigations. SIEMs can help organisations manage compliance, and aid in regulatory adherence. Some of the most popular SIEM solutions on the market today include Splunk, AT&T Cybersecurity, and Elastic SIEM.

The Collaborative Approach: How SOCs and SIEMs Work Together

Using SOCs and SIEMs together is pivotal for any organisation looking for a robust cyber security system. SIEMs can act as a centralised data source for SOCs, giving SOC analysts all the logs and event data they’d need for threat detection and incident response. SOCs, meanwhile, can leverage the technical capabilities of SIEMs to help them tackle cyber threats, using analytics and real-time monitoring. SOC analysts can use SIEM tools to hunt for potential threats, investigate incidents, and respond quickly and efficiently. Integrating SIEM data with SOC workflows helps streamline your business, giving you the ability to improve your threat visibility, detect incidents far more quickly, and enhance your cyber security framework.

The Challenges of the SOC-SIEM Collaboration

Despite the benefits of using both SOCs and SIEM technologies, there can be challenges – the biggest of which are allocating resources and training staff. Only the largest organisations, for example, are able to afford fully-staffed SOC and a robust SIEM. While many organisations would have a SIEM in place before setting up a SOC, the SOC analysts may have difficulty keeping up with the number of cyber threat alerts generated by the SIEM – and some may even be false alerts. On the other hand, SIEM solutions may miss some threats. While they can automatically detect attacks, these abilities are based on rules and existing patterns, so they could fail to detect new threats or ones that don’t match the predefined rules.

SOC analysts might also have difficulty managing the number of alerts generated by the SIEM. Some may be false alerts, making it even more difficult for the SOC team to respond to cyber security incidents effectively. In Sumo Logic’s 2020 State of SecOps and Automation Report, they reported 56% of large companies received more than 1,000 security alerts each day, with 93% of them unable to address every alert. The best way for organisations to overcome these challenges is by aligning processes and establishing clear communication channels, as well as regularly evaluating their SOC-SIEM integration to optimise its benefits.

The Importance of Integrating SOCs and SIEMs

Costs shouldn’t stand in the way of organisations making use of SOCs and SIEMs, as businesses like ourselves at Infosec K2K offer Managed SOC services. By outsourcing your SOC needs, you can be sure of 24/7 protection. Our team of experts based in the UK and India can monitor your network and respond to any threats around the clock, with our Fully Managed SOC. With our Hybrid or Co-Managed SOC services, on the other hand, we can work closely with your existing IT team and infrastructure to offer 24/7 support.

Whatever your needs are, we can find the right SOC for you. And if the above solutions don’t meet your needs, we’ll work with you to create a Customised SOC to suit your budget. We also provide services powered by our partners, such as AT&T Cybersecurity. Their SIEM solution, USM Anywhere, centralises the monitoring of networks and devices whether they’re in the cloud, on premises, or in remote locations. USM Anywhere automatically collects data and analyses your network, with automated threat detection powered by AT&T Alien Labs. This gives businesses new security capabilities, and is more cost-effective than other solutions. Its comprehensive features include user activity monitoring, vulnerability scanning, and log storage.

Integrating SOCs and SIEMs is vital for businesses who are looking to safeguard their cyber security. While both are valuable tools, they have drawbacks, but these can be prevented if they’re both used together. By adopting a more integrated approach, organisations can effectively detect and respond to evolving cyber threats.

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.

In the ever-changing world of cyber threats, Identity and Access Management (IAM) has become a vital concern for organisations. IAM plays a crucial role in securing networks and controlling user access, as cyber attackers often exploit compromised credentials. At Infosec K2K, we specialise in cyber security and IAM and recognise the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the field, particularly in enhancing IAM capabilities. Leveraging AI algorithms allows organisations to detect anomalies and respond to threats more effectively, strengthening their defences.

Understanding Identity and Access Management (IAM)

IAM is essential for cyber security as it ensures that only authorised individuals can access an organisation’s sensitive systems and data. By implementing IAM, organisations can enforce strong authentication mechanisms, manage user privileges, monitor activities for suspicious behaviour, and respond promptly to security incidents. IAM mitigates the risk of insider threats and unauthorised access.

But, there are still challenges when it comes to implementing IAM. Due to the need to integrate IAM with your organisation’s existing systems and legacy infrastructure, it can be complex. IAM solutions also need to be scalable – able to accommodate new systems and users. Addressing these challenges requires careful planning, and at Infosec K2K, our flexible pay-as-you-go model helps organisations accommodate the growing complexity of IAM without straining their resources, saving costs and expanding IAM capabilities as and when they’re needed.

The Rise of AI Algorithms in Cyber Security

AI algorithms, like the ones that power large language models like ChatGPT, can analyse vast amounts of user behaviour and data, and detect potential threats. This enables organisations to respond to unusual behaviour or suspicious login attempts. At the same time, hackers and cyber criminals are using AI technologies – they can train algorithms on the data that cyber security teams are on the lookout for, thus avoiding detection. Research and development in AI is important if IT teams want to stay ahead of their adversaries. IAM could be enhanced with AI, giving networks more protection. Alongside our partner, CyberArk, we offer complete and flexible IAM solutions. By using their identity management tools, organisations can better control who can access their network, monitor user behaviour, and deal with online threats.

AI-Driven Improvements in Identity and Access Management

Enhanced Authentication

AI helps organisations improve user verification, with more accurate and reliable methods based on unique characteristics, including biometric data such as fingerprints and voice patterns. AI-powered systems continuously learn and adapt, improving their accuracy over time and effectively thwarting spoofing attempts by cyber criminals.

Behavioural Analytics

By analysing users’ behaviour, AI algorithms assign risk scores to users, indicating the likelihood of their actions posing a threat. Using these, organisations can make more informed decisions. Users with low scores, for example, could be granted extensive access rights, while users with high scores may have their access restricted. Insider threats are one of the most significant security concerns for any organisation, as they involve individuals who already have access to sensitive data.

Streamlined User Provisioning

AI can automate user provisioning processes, reducing human error. CyberArk’s IAM tools allow organisations to manage users’ privileges from any location. Manual processes are prone to human error, but AI tools can streamline user provisioning. This reduces the administrative burden on IT teams and ensures access privileges align with users’ needs, mitigating the risks of privilege creep. Although, it’s not just hackers that organisations are worrying about – an IT worker in the UK was recently convicted of gaining unauthorised access to his company’s computer systems. He accessed private emails and blackmailed the company into paying him a ransom.

Addressing the Challenges of AI Algorithms in IAM

Ethical Considerations

Responsible use of AI and IAM requires addressing ethical considerations. Privacy is a major concern due to the collection and analysis of user data for authentication purposes. Organisations using AI and IAM must establish clear data privacy policies, inform users about data usage, and implement security measures to protect sensitive information. Bias is another important concern since AI systems and algorithms learn from historical data, and could perpetuate biases.

Robust Security Measures

Organisations should ensure security measures are in place to protect AI models. Cyber attacks can manipulate input data, reducing the effectiveness of AI-powered IAM systems, and compromising their security. Continuous monitoring of new cyber threats is important, as is updating AI models so they’re aware of new threats – vulnerabilities might be uncovered over time.

The Future of IAM: AI and Beyond

New advances and developments in AI are constantly being made, and emerging technologies like machine learning and deep learning could further enhance IAM. Machine learning algorithms can analyse huge amounts of data to detect potential threats, and are continuously learning. With IAM, these algorithms can trigger alerts and verify users’ identities. Deep learning, a more specialised subset of machine learning, can create complex neural networks that are capable of sophisticated analysis. These neural networks could be used for more advanced user authentication, such as facial recognition or biometrics.

In the fight against cyber crime, IAM has become increasingly important, addressing the need to manage users’ identities. By integrating AI into IAM solutions, organisations can enhance IAM’s capabilities and strengthen their authentication processes. IT professionals looking to reinforce their organisation’s cyber security posture should embrace IAM and AI simultaneously. At Infosec K2K, our team of cyber security specialists work with one of the leading IAM providers, CyberArk, to offer a range of comprehensive IAM solutions – which can be tailored to suit your needs. We understand the importance of monitoring users’ access rights and can offer you the tools you need to manage their access privileges with complete confidence.

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.

In our increasingly interconnected world, operational technology (OT) plays a pivotal role in powering critical infrastructure systems – including energy, transportation, manufacturing and healthcare. OT refers to the hardware and software that monitors and manages this infrastructure, and its importance can’t be overstated. Emerging cyber threats have left OT networks vulnerable, where robust security measures are urgently needed. Remote access security is a crucial defence mechanism, empowering organisations to defend OT from malicious actors. In this blog, we’ll explore the benefits and challenges of remote access security, and offer our insights.

Understanding the Risks to Operational Technology

Emerging cyber threats have left OT networks vulnerable, thanks to technologies like cloud computing and IoT. Historically, OT systems were isolated from external networks, creating an extra layer of security. The integration of new technologies, however, has created vulnerabilities and attracted cyber criminals. Cyber attacks on OT are on the rise – in 2021, 93% of OT organisations experienced at least one breach. On average, data breaches on critical infrastructure companies cost $1 million (​​£785,000) more than other companies – but the financial cost isn’t the only downside. Criminals could disrupt critical services, steal sensitive data, and even cause physical damage, highlighting the importance of protecting OT infrastructure.

The Role of Remote Access Security

Remote access allows users to securely connect to local networks from anywhere in the world. In the case of OT, it allows users to monitor and manage OT systems from external locations, which is both more efficient and allows for improved maintenance processes. However this connectivity also creates potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited – remote access security ensures that only authorised individuals can access critical OT systems. According to Cyolo, 72% of organisations said the top reason for securing remote access was to enable third-party access. By ensuring these people are authorised, organisations can reduce the number of entry points into their systems.

By implementing remote access security solutions, organisations can defend their OT systems with stronger authentication and encrypted connections. Remote access security provides users with a range of tools and features, including multi-factor authentication, role-based access controls, and advanced encryption protocols. These ensure users have real-time monitoring and logging abilities, to detect cyber threats more efficiently – and deal with them before they can become an issue.

Implementing Remote Access Security Solutions

More and more businesses are turning to remote access security solutions – 96% of business leaders have recognised the need to invest in OT cyber security. Before implementing measures like these, however, organisations should conduct a thorough risk assessment of their OT systems. This way, they can identify vulnerabilities, evaluate potential cyber threats, and determine their specific remote access security requirements. Selecting the appropriate solution is crucial to ensure compatibility with existing legacy systems – other factors to consider include scalability and ease of integration.

Organisations should follow cyber security best practices, like those outlined in the Fortinet 2023 State of OT and Cybersecurity Report, such as configuring firewalls, applying security patches promptly, and implementing secure encryption protocols. They should also establish clear remote access policies and protocols, covering everything from acceptable use and authentication requirements to incident response procedures. Employees should receive regular training on remote access security policies, so they understand the risks of a cyber attack as well as how to maintain a secure OT environment.

Overcoming Challenges and Ensuring Operational Technology Security

Implementing remote access security solutions in OT environments can present a number of challenges. When it comes to existing OT infrastructure, organisations should consider network segmentation and the compatibility of remote access security policies with existing control policies. It’s also vital that organisations with OT systems should prepare for the possibility of cyber attacks, developing incident response plans that outline users’ roles and responsibilities, and recovery procedures. Regular testing – and further refinement – of these plans is essential to ensure organisations can deal successfully with cyber threats.

At Infosec K2K, we offer robust remote access security solutions, and support organisations looking to protect their OT systems. We offer clients bespoke identity and access management (IAM) solutions, which can be tailored to each organisations’ specific needs, and ensure they have secure remote access to their OT systems as and when it’s needed. Our partners at Cyolo are a world-leading provider of remote access and identity-based security solutions, which can be easily integrated with existing OT infrastructure. With our help, we can ensure organisations have strong authentication mechanisms in place, reducing the risk of unauthorised access and preventing cyber attacks or breaches.

Why You Should Invest in Remote Access Security

Defending OT from cyber threats is of paramount importance when it comes to safeguarding critical infrastructure systems, and remote access security can provide organisations with the tools they need to protect their OT systems and access them safely and securely. Organisations can significantly reduce the number of vulnerabilities in their OT infrastructure, and by investing in remote access security solutions, can ensure the uninterrupted operation of vital infrastructure.

Whatever solution you’re looking for, we can help. The experts at Infosec K2K can offer 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.

Cyber threats have become increasingly sophisticated in today’s ever-evolving cyber security landscape, with new threats constantly being uncovered. One of the most recent threats to hit the headlines has been a zero-day vulnerability in VMware ESXi, which has been exploited by a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group. The cyber criminals have been able to take advantage of this weakness and backdoor Windows and Linux virtual machines (VM) hosted on compromised ESXi hosts, enabling them to steal critical data. This attack underscores the importance of robust internet security, and why businesses and individuals alike should consider turning to Identity and Access Management (IAM) services.

A Serious Cyber Threat – VMware ESXi Vulnerability

Earlier this month, the cyber security firm Mandiant revealed that a Chinese hacking group known as UNC3886 had escalated their online actions, and begun exploiting the vulnerability in VMware ESXi. They were able to deploy VirtualPita and VirtualPie backdoors, bypass authentication, and gain command of both Windows and Linux VMs. By exploiting this vulnerability, which has a ‘low severity’ rating according to VMware, the hacking group has shown that no platform is immune to their activities. Even the seemingly impenetrable Windows and Linux VMs can be compromised. Once they were able to gain access to VMS, they could give unauthorised users remote access, leading to loss of control and data breaches.

The Importance of Identity Security

Identity security has always been a key component when it comes to cyber security, but recent threats like the VMware ESXi vulnerability have highlighted its significance. At its core, identity security is all about protecting the access rights and credentials of all users within a network or system, and ensuring they can access the correct files and networks that they’ve been authorised to use. If these access rights and credentials were to fall into the wrong hands, then it would have serious consequences. Protecting your identity online – and the security of your network – has become paramount.

In fact, in the case of the VMware ESXi vulnerability, the hackers were able to exploit the systems precisely because they had access to the user identities. Robust security measures, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), encryption, and even biometric verification, can ensure only the right people can access sensitive information. Preventing unauthorised access helps to instil trust and confidence in online interactions, strengthening your cyber security framework and preserving your organisation’s integrity – which is why we at Infosec K2K offer these services and more.

Why Choose Infosec K2K for Your IAM Needs?

We’ve seen the damage that cyber criminals can do at many organisations around the globe, and understand the importance of securing Identity & Access Management (IAM) at your organisation. We provide comprehensive IAM solutions, which are tailored to protect our clients against emerging cyber threats. Our solutions are designed not only to manage and protect user identities, but also ensure that all of the proper access controls, authentications, and authorisations are in place – and that your framework meets all the correct regulatory requirements.

We understand each organisation has unique needs, and therefore requires a bespoke approach when it comes to IAM. We have a team of experts working closely with our clients to understand their needs and design and implement IAM solutions that are perfectly suited to them – and with teams in both the UK and India, we can offer round-the-clock support. To further emphasise our commitment to your cyber security, Infosec K2K is currently offering a free health check for any organisation’s cyber security framework. Our experts will carry out an extensive audit, alerting you to any potential vulnerabilities you may have – and recommending measures to fortify your defences. At Infosec K2K, we believe in proactive prevention rather than reacting to cyber attacks. With this health check, we can identify weaknesses before they can be exploited, and safeguard you from potential breaches and attacks.

The rise of sophisticated cyber threats – like UNC3886 exploiting the VMware ESXi vulnerability recently – has emphasised the importance of IAM solutions. At Infosec K2K, we stand ready to help protect your network, offering a free cyber security health check and comprehensive IAM solutions. It’s time to take a step towards a more secure digital identity

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