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The global cyber security sector has grown rapidly over the past few years. Thanks to the new technological innovations, our increased reliance on digital systems, and the ever-evolving tactics and tools of cyber criminals, cyber security has become essential in protecting our sensitive information and preventing cyber attacks. However, despite this, the field is facing a significant challenge that could pose a threat to our data – a cyber security talent shortage crisis.

What Is Causing It?

The cyber security industry is currently facing a talent shortage crisis. In the US alone, there are currently over 700,000 unfilled positions in the cyber security field. This shortage is due to several factors, including an increase in technological advancement and reliance, a lack of formal cyber security education and training programs, and a lack of diversity in the talent pool.

One of the main factors contributing to the talent shortage in cyber security is the increasing demand for cyber security professionals. The rapid rate of technological advancement and the increasing reliance on technology means that there is an ever-growing demand for cyber security professionals. More businesses and individuals require cyber security services to protect their digital assets from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. This demand is only likely to increase as technology becomes more integrated into daily life, creating further cyber security risks.

Another contributing factor is the lack of formal cyber security education and training programs leading to a limited pool of qualified candidates. While there are many cyber security certifications available, there are few formal education programs that provide comprehensive training. This makes it difficult for individuals to gain the desired skills needed to enter the industry and for businesses to find qualified candidates.

Finally, the industry’s reputation for being male-dominated and lacking diversity may be turning away potential candidates. Women and people of colour are underrepresented in the cyber security industry, making up only a small percentage of the workforce. This not only limits the number of qualified candidates but also contributes to a lack of innovative thinking and problem-solving within the industry.

How Can We Combat The Talent Shortage Crisis?

To combat this, cyber security recruiters must focus on recruitment and retention strategies. One strategy is offering competitive salaries and benefits packages. This can help to attract qualified candidates and retain existing employees. Businesses should consider offering flexible work arrangements, such as remote working, to make the industry more accessible. Another way businesses can retain existing employees is to offer upskilling programmes. This is a great way to offer professional growth and development while ensuring the current workforce keeps up to date with the dynamic landscape of technological innovation. Access to upskilling programmes is also a great way to attract new talent who may have less experience in the field and can benefit from on the job training.

Another approach to addressing the cyber security talent shortage crisis is creating a more inclusive industry. This can be achieved by actively recruiting women and people of colour, as well as creating mentorship and networking opportunities for underrepresented groups. By creating a culture of inclusivity and diversity within the workplace, businesses can attract a wider range of candidates. Employee resource groups are a great way to foster a spirit of inclusivity in the workplace as well as participating in cyber professional networking events for women and people of colour.

What Infosec K2K Are Doing

The cyber security industry as a whole must take responsibility for nurturing new talent. This can be achieved by partnering with educational institutions to create formal cyber security education and training programs. Businesses can also offer internships and mentorship programs to help students and graduates gain the skills and experience needed to enter the industry. As a step to start implementing these measures, Infosec K2K is developing a university program for selected universities in India. The program will provide cyber security training to students as a formal course for university credit.

Made up of an experienced team of cyber security consultants, technicians and engineers specialising in identity and access management and general cyber security consulting, our understanding of the cyber security market is unparalleled.

Our vast range of consulting services is designed to ensure optimal protection for your systems, and for your teams. From vulnerability management, pen testing, breach mitigation and attack simulations all the way up to large-scale security operations centres, we tailor our solution to your business’s unique security needs.

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

The Privileged Access Management (PAM) market has grown a lot in recent years. According to Statista, the global PAM market was worth $1.4 billion (£1.1 billion) dollars in 2018, and it’s forecast to be worth around $2.9 billion (£2.4 billion) by 2024.

Verizon’s 2021 Data Breach Investigations Report showed that 61% of data leaks involved privileged credentials and information, so it’s no surprise that more and more businesses are choosing to address cyber security risks and integrate PAM technologies into their cyber defences. The PAM market’s continuing to evolve, though, and two years after their last report, KuppingerCole has given us a snapshot of today’s PAM market. Read on for our two cents on the latest changes.

Privileged Access Management Market Growth

As we’ve already mentioned, the PAM market is growing fast. It’s attracting new players, and there are now more PAM and PAM-capable vendors (there are 25 in total) than ever before. New companies are entering the market, but many have launched with highly-focused PAM apps instead of suits, and are often cloud-native. The number of Privileged Access Management solutions is growing despite the consolidations that have been happening recently – one of the current leaders in the market, for example, is Delinea, which was formed through the merger of Thycotic and Centrify.

One of the biggest players still standing is our partner, CyberArk, which KuppingerCole named once again as an Overall Privileged Access Management Leader in their latest report. Not only has it never been acquired or merged, but it’s publicly traded rather than owned by private equity. KuppingerCole noted in their report that CyberArk has one of the widest support levels for platforms and deployments, and has been investing heavily in R&D lately, adding new features and capabilities including Dynamic Privileged Access.

Diversification

Despite the presence of bigger businesses like CyberArk and Delinea, which offer every kind of PAM solution, the market has seen a lot of innovation and diversification. The market is currently split between the end-to-end PAM offerings from the bigger players, and the newcomers, who are smaller and more specialised. These vendors focus on one specific area – like DevOps or database access, for example – and we’re seeing more and more of these coming into the market.

The growth of PAM is being fueled by more and more businesses turning to multi-factor authentication (MFA) to protect their privileged data from data breaches or attacks. MFA systems use a combination of passwords, PINs, security questions, one-time passcodes, and even biometrics to authenticate users, and Privileged Access Management can be used to add an extra layer of protection for the most privileged account users.

Every business is different, and they all have different cyber security needs. With more and more businesses moving to the cloud, there’s a greater need for PAM, but there’s not a one-fits-all solution. The proliferation and diversity of new PAM solutions out there can help all businesses to protect their privileged credentials and their data.

New Privileged Access Requirements

Emerging technologies – as well as changing requirements in the identity and access landscape – are leading to new functionalities for PAM solutions. One that’s becoming particularly prevalent, for example, is Customer Identity Access Management (CIAM). A more specialised version of traditional Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions , CIAM helps businesses to gather information on their customers. The main purpose of it is to help businesses manage customer identities, provide them with stronger cyber security, offer them an enhanced experience, and protect their users’ data at the same time. Both the bigger players and the more specialist providers have already begun introducing CIAM into their offerings. CIAM can be integrated with PAM solutions, giving privileged accounts the ability to access their customer data as and when they need it.

The Emergence of CIEM

Managing privileged accounts can be challenging, particularly in cloud environments, and Cloud Infrastructure Entitlements Management (CIEM) looks set to change that. The complexity of modern cloud infrastructure has meant that businesses that have moved (or are in the process of moving) to the cloud are looking to improve their cloud infrastructure. They’re looking to reduce costs, improve their productivity, and use data better – and CIEM can solve some of the problems that PAM can’t.

CIEM helps businesses to manage the rights, permissions, and privileges for user identities in a cloud environment, making it easier for them to avoid risks such as privileges being higher – or lower – than they should be. With CIEM, IT and cyber security teams can ensure their cyber defences keep up with infrastructure changes.

The Future of Privileged Access Management

Of course, this doesn’t mean that PAM is on the way out just yet. As Paul Fisher, the Senior Analyst and author of the KuppingerCole Leadership Compass, explained, “Traditional PAM is being slightly shifted right into more static areas of the business but is still fundamentally an important thing to have.” Some PAM vendors have even started offering capabilities that are similar to CIEM, to keep up with customer demand.

The changes in the global PAM market have meant things are improving for IT and cyber security teams. Customers have more and more choices now when it comes to PAM solutions, meaning that businesses of all sizes can find the right solution to fit their unique requirements – or simply opt for an all-in-one solution from one of the industry’s leaders.

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 cybersecurity field, zero trust has gained a lot of attention in recent years, and for good reason. Cyber attacks are changing all the time, and becoming ever more sophisticated – and more frequent.

The more traditional perimeter-based security measures are no longer enough to protect businesses and organisations from cyber threats. Zero trust, meanwhile, takes a different approach – and just like the cyber threats it’s designed to combat, it’s also evolving. We’ve taken a look at some of the ways that it’s set to develop over the next few years.

Before looking at the future of zero trust security, we wanted to look to the past to understand why it matters. Put simply, it assumes that all devices, users, and applications are potentially dangerous, and requires users to continuously verify their identity before they can be authorised to use a network.

When it comes to implementing a Zero Trust approach to cyber security, there is one simple rule to follow: never trust, always verify

This approach helps organisations to both reduce their risk exposure and improve their security posture. A zero trust model is built on three key principles. First, organisations should assume that at all times, there are malicious actors trying to get into their network and access their files. Second, organisations should verify users, devices, and networks instead of trusting them implicitly – any device could have been hacked. Finally, all users and devices should only be given the authorisation they need to access the networks and files they need, to minimise the impact of any potential breach.

The Rise Of Zero Trust

Trust in businesses’ networks has never been more important – the number of cyber attacks has been increasing year on year. A recent study by Check Point Research revealed that the number of cyber attacks around the world had increased by 38% compared to 2021. It’s because of this that more and more organisations are turning to zero trust. In fact, the global zero trust security market was worth around $27.4 billion (£22.6 billion) last year, and is expected to grow to $60.7 billion (£50 billion) by 2027. As well as the rise in cyber attacks, one of the main contributors to the rise in zero trust adoption has been government initiatives. In 2021, for example, President Biden signed an Executive Order mandating that US federal agencies should adopt zero trust architecture, while in the UK, the National Cyber Security Centre has also offered its own guidance.

How Will It Evolve?

This approach is already playing a critical role in cyber security, and in the coming years, that’s likely to continue. In the future, you can expect these kinds of frameworks to become even smarter, more secure, and more accessible. As Inderjeet Barara, a thought leader and notable speaker in the cybersecurity space, explains, “Zero Trust is not just a cybersecurity framework, it’s a mindset shift for enterprises. As cyber threats continue to evolve, Zero Trust will become the foundation for secure access management, enabling organisations to protect their data and networks from anywhere, at any time.”

We’ve rounded up some of the key trends we can expect to see, and how we expect this security strategy to develop.

Expansion Beyond The Network Perimeter

For as long as the concept of zero trust security has been around, it’s traditionally just been focused on securing the perimeter of the organisation’s network. However, in recent years, more and more organisations have been moving to cloud-based environments – and with the pandemic largely over, companies have embraced remote and hybrid working models. This has meant that the network perimeter is becoming less and less defined. Zero trust will need to evolve and expand to include new environments and devices, so that users can be verified and authenticated regardless of where they’re connecting to your network.

AI and Machine Learning

In order to combat the growing volume and complexity of cyber threats, organisations will need to rely more on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technology. Both of these will make cybersecurity far more efficient, by assessing and evaluating new users, and even responding to potential security incidents. AI tools could be used to automate the verification of users, reducing the risk of human error, and freeing up employees to deal with other tasks.

More Integration

Zero trust is not a standalone solution. To be as effective as possible, it needs to be used with other cybersecurity solutions, like identity and access management, endpoint security, and threat intelligence. With organisations looking to streamline their security operations, we can expect to see more interoperability between these different solutions, and greater integration – especially as more businesses move to embrace this infrastructure.

Better User Experience

One of the most common criticisms of zero trust security is that it can be frustrating for some users, especially when they need to constantly verify their identity and re-authenticate themselves, and provide more information to access resources. While all this is necessary to keep networks secure and protect sensitive data, it can cause some friction with users. In the future, we expect more zero trust solutions to have a greater focus on improving the users’ experience, while still keeping the network secure. This could be through more seamless authentication and authorisation processes, or giving users a way to verify themselves, perhaps through biometric data, like fingerprints or voice recognition.

Zero trust security is a rapidly evolving field, and it’s set to become increasingly important in the years ahead.

Organisations will need to take a more proactive approach to cybersecurity. With zero trust security can help to achieve that, we can expect to see more innovation and evolution over the next few years. If you’re looking for support implementing your own zero trust solution, or you just want to find out more, then you’re in the right place!

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

Thanks to the ever-evolving nature of our industry, it can be incredibly difficult to stay on top of the latest cyber security trends and avoid falling victim to an attack. The last 12 months in particular carried a great deal of change for the world of cyber security and the pace of change isn’t set to slow anytime soon. We are likely to see an uptick in cybercrime as malicious actors come up with new ways to attack businesses both large and small. To help our fellow cyber security professionals with their strategies for the year ahead, we’ve highlighted some of the key threats we believe you should be keeping an eye on over the next 12 months…

The number of phishing attacks is growing, and the methods that criminals use are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Thanks to the accessibility of artificial intelligence, these attacks are also becoming easier to launch on a much wider scale, making phishing scams more accessible to even the least educated cyber criminal. Last year, the cyber security company SlashNext revealed they’d been tracking phishing attacks for six months and had found more than 255 million attacks – a 61% increase when compared to the same six months in 2021. What’s more, phishing attacks no longer solely rely on targeting emails – they’ve also been carried out over SMS messages, WhatsApp, and even platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams. A report by Acronis found that phishing attacks accounted for 76% of all cyber attacks in 2022 – and they estimated that the average cost of a data breach could reach $5 million (£4.1 million) this year.

At Infosec K2K, we can work with you and your business and help you to adopt cyber security best practices that can actively prevent phishing attacks. We take a proactive approach, and offer assessment services, identifying any gaps in our customers’ defences and offering them recommendations. From policy development and incident response, all the way to implementing a tailored cyber security management framework, our consultants can help you. They’re trained to meet the varying needs of our global customers, so no matter what industry you’re in, or the size of your business, we’ll do everything we can to keep you and your organisation secure.

Despite the decline in malware attacks we saw back in 2020, this classic method of cyber attack is on the rise once again. The cyber security company Acronis expects global ransomware damages to exceed $30 billion this year (that’s around £​​24.9 billion). This rise in popularity is largely down to the success of the MaaS industry, which makes it easier than ever for malicious actors to get their hands on these kinds of tools.

Leasing out MaaS has become a lucrative source of income for many cybercrime organisations, allowing practically anyone to launch a malware-based attack. In fact, it was revealed by the Atlas VPN research team that some of the most damaging ransomware tools can be bought on the dark web for as little as $66 (£54). Plus, with AI tools becoming more and more popular, ransomware attacks can now be entirely automated, taking out all of the legwork and making MaaS far more attractive to anyone looking to make a quick buck.

With our managed cyber security services, we can keep your network safe from even the most sophisticated malware-based threats. The experts at our Security Operations Centre (SOC) can monitor your network 24/7, and identify and eliminate any threats before they can do any damage. Running and managing a SOC alongside your business can be challenging, but by outsourcing your managed cyber security services to us, we can save you time and money – and ensure no cyber threat goes unnoticed by alerting you of any incidents.

Business email compromise (BEC) attacks are on the rise – and they are expensive. These attacks alone resulted in over $43 billion (£35 billion) in losses between June 2016 and December 2021. They’re targeting businesses of all sizes, too – one of the biggest BEC scams targeted Facebook and Google between 2013 and 2015, in which they lost over $121 million (£98 million). BEC attacks target companies by using fake domains or impersonating trusted email addresses, and while in the past these scams typically targeted high-level executives, they’re increasingly being sent to mid-level employees instead.

One of the best ways to avoid these kinds of attacks is by always checking the email address if an email seems suspicious. Criminals will do everything they can to make their email seem as legitimate as possible, such as using a ‘1’ or a lowercase ‘L’ in an email instead of an ‘I’. By enabling multi-factor Authentication (MFA), you can also ensure criminals can’t access your email. With our Identity and Access Management services, we can give you the tools and technologies you need to control access to your network, and track users’ activity. Once each user has a digital identity, we can make it easier for you and your IT team to change their role, grant or deny them access privileges, and enforce new security policies, giving you complete control of your network.

As one of the few attacks that can be carried out entirely undetected right up until the damage is done, the number of zero-day attacks has risen in recent years. Last year it was revealed 40% of the zero-day attacks from the last decade took place in 2021 alone. The most frequently targeted companies are Microsoft, Google, and Apple, but that doesn’t mean the rest of us are safe. One of the most famous – and most damaging – zero-day attacks is the Stuxnet worm, which has since been dubbed ‘the world’s first digital weapon.’ First uncovered in 2010, it was designed to target a vulnerability in Windows computers. It was so impactful that it completely disabled Iran’s nuclear program, infecting roughly 200,000 computers around the world. In recent cases, threat actors have auctioned discovered vulnerabilities, selling them for millions of dollars.

At Infosec K2K, we can help you stay one step ahead of zero-day threats by monitoring your network for potential vulnerabilities. We’ll identify any weaknesses or areas of concern before they become an issue, and with our​​ penetration testing, we’ll ensure your system is watertight. By conducting an internal assessment of your network, we’ll identify any weaknesses that a hacker could potentially breach. As well as identifying any  issues, our team will recommend how to address them, so your network isn’t left exposed in the future.

With the cyber security landscape constantly shifting, it can be hard to keep up, but we can help you stay cyber-safe and bolster your cyber defences.

Whether you’re looking for help assessing your organisation’s vulnerabilities, or developing and implementing a full-blown cyber security strategy (with all the support you need to keep it going), we’ve got it all.

Get in touch with us to find out more or get started.

Ever since Facebook announced that it would be changing its name to ‘Meta’ and shifting its focus onto the wonderful world of the metaverse, it has become a hot topic in a wide variety of industries. Some have dubbed the metaverse “the future of the internet”, but what exactly is it?

Well, put simply, the metaverse is a 3D, immersive version of the world wide web that could be accessed via a VR headset or your browser. This is a world in which users can explore their surroundings via a digital avatar.

The metaverse has been around as an idea for a while now – the term was first coined by the science-fiction author Neal Stephenson, in his 1992 novel Snow Crash. The idea has regularly appeared in books and films since then, from The Matrix to Ready Player One, but in recent years, it’s become a reality. Last year saw over $120 billion (£97.7 billion) invested in the metaverse, and it’s set to keep growing. It clearly has the potential to transform our daily lives, but all that investment is likely to attract cyber criminals, so anyone looking to join the metaverse needs to take a closer look at their cyber defences.

The metaverse promises to be the next iteration of the internet. It could soon be the place we all go to do everything from working and shopping to hanging out with friends – all without leaving the house. When Mark Zuckerberg first announced that his company would become metaverse-first, he said that he believed it “will be mainstream in the next 5 to 10 years.”

Device Hacking – To get the most out of the metaverse, users will need new technology, from VR headsets and haptic gloves to AR (augmented reality) glasses. This dependence on hardware could be bad news for the organisations behind the metaverse – and for its users. Each piece of hardware is a potential entry point for hackers, and another way to access your network. AR and VR devices would also provide hackers with information on what users are doing in real time – far more than they’d get if they’d simply hacked into a social media account. Exploring the metaverse via company devices could put these devices, and the vital data they have access to, at significant risk. With many high-profile organisations already choosing to ban TikTok from company devices due to privacy concerns, it is extremely likely that metaverse activity will also be limited by many businesses in the near future.

Identity Theft – Identity theft is already a problem online, but the metaverse could take it to a whole new level. VR headsets could be integrated with facial recognition or biometric technology to help you log on quicker, and in the metaverse, everything you do online would likely be linked to your digital identity. Cyber criminals would be able to create a digital copy of anyone in the metaverse, then access everything from their finances to confidential files from their workplace. A scary thought for CISOs!

As well as biometric information, these wearable devices could also contain sensitive data that neither users nor their employers would want falling into the wrong hands – like detailed information on their health and wellbeing. Last year, a UAE-based healthcare company announced plans to launch the world’s first metaverse hospital , a hospital that users would be able to visit from anywhere in the world. Other virtual hospitals are likely to follow suit, and if they don’t strengthen their cyber defences, users’ medical records could be left vulnerable to attack.

Eavesdropping – One of the biggest dangers of the rising metaverse, and something that can be done relatively easily, is eavesdropping. As well as listening in on private calls and meetings through AR and VR headsets, attackers could also attempt invisible-avatar eavesdropping (also known as a ‘man in the room’ attack). By entering a meeting hosted on the metaverse with an invisible avatar, hackers can easily listen in to and even record the sharing of sensitive information without being detected by others in the virtual room. These kinds of attacks haven’t happened yet, but they could soon, as cyber criminals are known to be working on ways to remain undetectable in the metaverse. If they do, they’d be able to spy on workplace meetings metaverse-wide, opening up a whole new era of corporate espionage.

Preparing Your Cyber Security Strategy For The Rise Of The Metaverse: Our Advice

The metaverse is coming, so there’s no point in burying your head in the sand. Businesses and organisations need to start preparing their cybersecurity strategies for the metaverse now. Here are our top three tips to help you get started with your metaverse-first security strategy.

1 – Do your research – The best way to prepare for the rise of the metaverse is simply to understand it. Business leaders and cybersecurity professionals alike need to read up on it and all the cyber risks it entails, so they know where their vulnerabilities lie, and what they need to do to protect themselves. Take a look at your competitors, too, and see what preparations they’ve already made (if any!).

2 – Educate your employees – You already know that one of the best ways to reduce your risk of a cybersecurity attack is to ensure your employees understand the threats they’re under. So, why not add metaverse-specific best practices to your next cybersecurity session or internal communication?

3 – Identify all possible vulnerabilities – Before you or your business dip your toes in the metaverse, we recommend creating a detailed list of any vulnerabilities that could be exploited by cyber criminals once you’re in. Think about the vulnerabilities we explored earlier in this blog, alongside more conventional risks like phishing or malware attacks. Once the list has been created, you can address these issues one by one through a thorough metaverse security strategy. Then, create a schedule to regularly revisit the list and check up on your identified weaknesses.

The Future of Cyber Security

The metaverse may be a few years from achieving its full potential, but today’s cyber security professionals can’t afford to wait around and see what happens. They need to prepare for the rise of the metaverse before it’s too late.

While it could change the way we live our lives for the better, the metaverse will also bring a whole host of new cyber risks that will need to be addressed.

Are you looking to take your first steps into the metaverse? Or just find out more about strengthening your cyber defences? You’re in luck! With a team of cyber security experts located across the globe and a range of services to suit any business, we can help you prepare for whatever the metaverse might throw at you.

Whether you’re looking for help assessing your organisation’s vulnerabilities, or the development and implementation of a full-blown cyber security strategy (with the ongoing support required to keep it going), we’ve got it all.

Get in touch with us to find out more or get started.

Web3 is a term that is surrounded by controversy. Some are crowning it “the evolution of the internet” while others have labelled it “a myth” and “a marketing buzzword.” Clearly, there’s no doubt that the concept of Web3 has got people talking.

Since Tim Berners-Lee invented the world wide web in 1989, its centralised approach has helped build and maintain the stable infrastructure we now expect. However, this has allowed large technology companies to make the majority of the decisions surrounding the web. This has created a monopoly that we are beginning to grow out of.

Rooted in the concept of decentralisation, Web3 is the answer to this monopoly. Built, operated and owned by its users, Web3 puts power in the hands of the many, rather than the few.

Web3 is the all-encompassing term used to describe the next evolution of the internet. It comes as the third generation of the world wide web and follows Web1 and Web2:

• Web1 (1990-2004) was a version of the world wide web that was entirely read-only. Users could view static websites owned by companies but could rarely interact with or produce content themselves.

• Web2 (2004 onwards) is the version of the world wide web we are familiar with today. Alongside organisations sharing content online, users can also generate their own content and interact with content shared by companies and other users. This version of the web also allowed brands to advertise online, creating monetisation opportunities for website and content owners.

• Web3 (TBC) is a version of the world wide web that utilises blockchains, cryptocurrencies and NFTs to allow users more ownership over the web. According to etherium, four key principles broadly define Web3 – it is decentralised, permissionless, trustless, and uses native payments through cryptocurrency.

Web3 brings with it many potential benefits over the version of the web we’re all used to (Web2). Here are just a few of them:

• With no single central point of control, it’s far more difficult for threat actors to gain access to or control over data and devices connected to the web. This will allow for increased security.

• With fewer intermediaries required and more open access to technology and information, Web3 may also reduce costs for both businesses and users.

• With encryption as the default for all communications, Web3 will likely mean increased privacy for its users.

• With fewer middlemen, users can benefit from greater control over the data and communications they share and receive.

• Decentralised, accessible and interoperable data will increase the amount and quality of data available to developers, allowing them to develop better models of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) – two hallmarks of today’s technological developments.

• Finally, using blockchain will enable developers to implement ‘smart contracts,’ which are automated processes that trigger actions when predetermined conditions are met. This could reduce the need for manual labour in a variety of areas, from marketing and advertising to cyber security.

In addition to the benefits that Web3 offers, several potential risks also accompany this new version of the web. These are highlighted below:

• With no central authority in control of the web, no one is accountable for its maintenance. If not addressed, this lack of accountability could lead to poor user privacy, a lack of data protection and insufficient integrity of information.

• The lack of centralised data associated with Web3 can make it difficult for organisations to make properly informed decisions. With data spread out across various locations, there is no single “source of truth.” This makes it harder for businesses to base their actions on accurate data, which complicates strategic analysis.

• Although many consider blockchain a much safer approach to storing and sharing data, some vulnerabilities come with its use. These vulnerabilities can lead to four key types of attack: 51% attacks, routing attacks, sybil attacks and the well-known phishing attacks.

Although web3 is not yet fully in operation, there is one thing for sure: it’s coming. With this knowledge in hand, the best thing to do is prepare ourselves (and our defences) for its arrival.

Whatever resources and/or capabilities you need, the Infosec K2K team are the perfect partner to bolster your ranks and ensure your organisation is as safe as can be in the advent of Web3.

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

In our fast-paced world of instant gratification, digital transformation is more than a way for a business to get ahead. It’s also an essential process to ensure its survival. By digitalising and automating manual processes, organisations can maintain the agility and productivity required to thrive in today’s competitive market.

But as with any business transformation, digitalisation comes with a plethora of potential risks. After all, the more data and processes a business has, the more potential vulnerabilities there are for criminals to exploit.

In today’s blog, we’re taking a look at the risks associated with digital transformation and the cloud, and the precautions you can take to protect your business from them.

1. Leaking Customer Data

One of the negative outcomes of a breach is the exfiltration of customer data. Once stolen, this is often sold on the dark web.

Consider where and how customer data comes into your organisation, where it’s stored, and how it’s used. Think about the kind of data you are collecting, too. Personal identifiable information (PII), banking details and payment information are of particular interest to threat actors. Therefore, this information needs to be protected at all costs.

Scan your data’s movements, from the minute it enters your organisation to the point it is permanently deleted, for any potential vulnerabilities that could lead to a leak. If you’re not sure how to carry out this kind of evaluation, consider bringing in a cyber security partner like Infosec K2K for a comprehensive security assessment.

2. Rushing Things

When it comes to organisational change, there can often be a great deal of pressure to move very quickly. However, when it comes to cyber security, it is important not to rush things.

Taking shortcuts to speed up your digital transformation process could greatly increase your security risks, exposing you to potential cyber threats.

Ensure there is a detailed “cyber security check” at each and every step of your transformation process, so you can complete the project knowing you’ve left no stone unturned when it comes to security.

3. Not Determining Your MVP

Those familiar with digital projects will also be very familiar with the term ‘minimum viable product’, or ‘MVP’. An MVP is essentially the bare minimum that you will accept as a “finished product” at the end of your project.

Usually, when taking an MVP approach, an organisation will complete the project with the MVP before launching follow-up projects designed to improve on and add more functionality to the solution.

It is important to determine the minimum security and privacy requirements you are willing to accept before launching your digital transformation project. These requirements might not include the most sophisticated cyber security solutions available, but they should still minimise the risk of a potential breach as much as possible.

We recommend considering introducing the concept of “Security By Design” in your business’ MVP. By making security a part of the process when a new product, platform or service is introduced in your business, you can prevent future attacks and streamline the cyber security process.

4. A Lack Of Accountability

Even if your organisation is fortunate enough to be armed with a full team of IT and cyber security officers, that doesn’t mean that the burden of cyber security sits solely with them.

All employees within your organisation have the potential to cause a cyber security breach, so they should all be accountable for preventing one.

Education is key here – ensure all employees within the organisation understand the risks of a breach, the potential damage it could cause to the business, and the ways they can prevent it. And, even more importantly, ensure they understand the value of the information they possess. Ask them to ask themselves “what could a threat actor with malicious intent do with the information that I’ve just been asked to share?”. Make it clear that every individual in the organisation is equally responsible for the safety of its data, programs and processes, and then ensure they are adequately trained to maintain that safety. Consider investing in an assessment of your employee’s current level of cyber security knowledge. Those that underperform should then undergo training and education to ensure they’re up to scratch.

5. Forgetting The Basics

When we’re developing cyber security solutions for complex business processes, it can be so easy to get caught up in the detail that we forget the basics.

Develop clear checklists and process requirements to ensure you’re up to speed with basic cyber hygiene, like best practices for password setting and multi-factor authentication, or even Zero Trust. That way, you can focus on the more complex tasks at hand without being let down by easily avoidable vulnerabilities!

5. Forgetting The Basics

Consulting a team of experts might seem like a big investment, particularly if you already have a cyber security team in-house, but it is not nearly as costly as a breach would be.

Businesses like Infosec K2K are equipped with teams of analysts that live and breathe cyber security. They spend each and every day swotting up on the latest threats, vulnerabilities and attack methods, and are always one step ahead of cyber criminals. By consulting with the experts when pulling together your digital transformation strategy, you can ensure you are prepared for whatever threat actors might throw at you.

Note: it is never too late to ask the experts. If your project is complete or almost complete, consider investing in a detailed security assessment. With a thorough review of your tech stack and processes, an assessment can look out for any vulnerabilities that might have been missed along the way.

Are you undergoing a digital transformation project and looking for support to ensure your organisation is safe from potential security vulnerabilities? From security assurances services to crisis response plans and ongoing managed services packages, the team at Infosec K2K have a range of services to suit your organisation’s needs. Whatever resources and/or capabilities you need, the Infosec K2K team are the perfect partner to bolster your ranks and ensure your organisation is as safe as can be.

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

Ransomware is a specific type of malicious software (or ‘malware’), designed to block access to a network or system until a ransom (a sum of money, usually demanded via cryptocurrency to ensure the anonymity of the recipient) is paid.

The malware usually works by encrypting key files on a network, rendering all users (even network admins) unable to view them. The hackers will then contact the organisation requesting a ransom be paid in exchange for the decryption key. Sometimes, the ransomware will also have the functionality to exfiltrate data from the encrypted network, allowing the hackers to steal as much data as they can access. Essentially, these attackers put their victims in a position whereby the quickest, easiest and often cheapest way to regain access to their organisation’s data is to pay the ransom.

You can find out more about ransomware and the reasons for its rise in popularity here.

Thanks to its ability to spread quickly, impair systems and processes, and exfiltrate valuable data, ransomware is one of the most dangerous and costly forms of malware. And it’s growing fast, too. Roughly 37% of all organisations across the globe were victimised by a ransomware attack in 2021.

The most prominent ramification of a ransomware attack is the financial losses associated with it. According to an IBM Security report, the average total cost of a ransomware breach is somewhere around 4.62 million USD (£3.76 million).

It isn’t just about the money, either. Ransomware attacks can lead to:

– Loss of valuable company data
– Leaks of personal customer/employee information, which could lead to impersonation and/or personal financial losses
– A decrease in customer trust and brand loyalty
– Unexpected downtime for important business processes and/or systems
– An inability for the business to meet customer needs/requirements, potentially leading to a breach in contractual obligations and/or service agreements
– Dangers to customer safety (particularly in public infrastructure, public service and/or medical organisations)

The good news is there are ways to protect your organisation from ransomware attacks – but traditional anti-virus solutions won’t cut it. These dated solutions use signature patterns to identify and block known malware variants, but contemporary ransomware is too smart for this. The latest malware programs continuously morph, ensuring they can’t be detected using signature-based methods.

The best way to successfully defend your network against today’s ransomware threat is by taking a multi-layered, ‘defence-in-depth’ approach to security.

This approach should include the following:

– A combination of Identity and Access Management (IAM) capabilities (e.g. multi-factor authentication, or ‘MFA’)
– An Endpoint Privilege Management (EPM) program
– A Privileged Access Management (PAM) solution

Our partners at CyberArk are the masters when it comes to ransomware protection.

Identity and Access Management (IAM)

CyberArk Identity, CyberArk’s Identity and Access Management solution, allows organisations to quickly achieve their workforce identity security goals while enhancing operational efficiency. A SaaS-delivered solution, CyberArk Identity is designed for easy consumption and scalability, making it suitable for businesses of any size.

Find out more about the solution here.

Endpoint Privilege Management (EPM)

CyberArk Endpoint Privilege Manager is designed to remove local admin rights, enforce least-privilege security, defend against ransomware and cached credential compromise, and enable application control at the endpoint – thus helping to contain attackers at the point of entry, before they can traverse your network and inflict serious damage.

Find out more about the solution here.

Privileged Access Management (PAM)

CyberArk Privileged Access Manager is a solution designed to continuously discover and manage privileged accounts and credentials, isolate and monitor privileged sessions, and remediate risky activities across environments. With the option to purchase it as a SaaS or as a self-managed solution, CyberArk PAM can be implemented in organisations with or without experienced security teams.

Find out more about the solution here.

Are you looking for support implementing a CyberArk solution? You’re in the right place!

With a team packed with CyberArk experts (and even some past CyberArk employees!), there is no one more qualified to successfully implement and manage your CyberArk solution than Infosec K2K.

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

There’s no doubt about it, Zero Trust is by far one of the hottest topics on the Cyber Security scene right now. And for good reason!

First popularized by Forrester Research analyst John Kindervag, the term ‘Zero Trust’ refers to a relatively new approach to cyber security. Rather than assuming that an identity can be trusted based on credentials or location, as with traditional perimeter-based security, zero trust presumes that no connections should be trusted. By trusting no one and nothing, zero-trust ensures that only devices and users with the correct authentication and authorization are able to access an organisation’s network.

Standing accounts with any considerable level of admin access or power can be incredibly dangerous. Misuse of this elevated access, whether intentional or not, can cause serious damage to your business’ network. What’s more, if a threat actor gains access to one of these privileged accounts, the threat is far, far greater.

A true Zero Trust model involves a “least privilege” approach – i.e. a user is only given the absolute minimum privileges required and every privilege is only granted at the exact time it is needed and for the exact duration it is needed.

No matter how secure the user attempts to make their passwords, they are intrinsically insecure. The well-known and often-used practice of IT teams forcing business users to pick complex passwords and change them once a quarter is simply not enough anymore.

Instead, opt for a combination of authentication methods, often known as multi-factor authentication (MFA). Alongside password authentication, these methods could include:

Certificate-based authentication
Biometric authentication
Token-based authentication
Voice authentication

When making the move to cloud-based systems, many organisations choose to leverage their existing on-permises processes for administration in the cloud, so they simply make on-premises administrative accounts into hybrid accounts.

This approach is incredibly unsafe, as it allows attackers to take advantage of the complex legacy nature of the accounts to attack systems and access data in the cloud. In fact, it has already led to some serious attacks on cloud infrastructure.

Our tip? Keep cloud privileged roles cloud-only!

Are you looking for support implementing or improving your Zero Trust solution? You’re in the right place!

Having carried out multiple Zero Trust projects to date, the team at Infosec K2K are the experts when it comes to building a solution that truly sticks to all the principles of zero trust security, keeping your organisation safe and secure from potential cyber threats.

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

There’s no doubt about it, 2022 has been the biggest year yet for the cyber security industry. With more attacks and a greater cost per breach than ever before, the ever-changing cyber landscape can be difficult to keep track of.

To help you prepare for whatever the world of cyber crime has to throw at you, the experts at Infosec K2K have pulled together 6 key cybersecurity trends to keep an eye on over the next 12 months.

The Problem: As threat actors find new emerging tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) to exploit every day, and new vulnerabilities are constantly emerging, the threat landscape is evolving at a rate that is almost impossible to keep pace with.

How You Can Prepare For It: If you want to avoid a devastating security breach, ensuring your organisation is on top of the latest threats is a non-negotiable. We recommend putting in place a thorough crisis response plan, which can then be evaluated and evolved each time a new threat is dealt with. To see if your business is adequately prepared for the cyber threats of today and tomorrow, why not consider a security assessment? This meticulous procedure will look at every possible area of weakness in your organisation, evaluating the level of risk and providing detailed recommendations to help plug any gaps in your existing defenses.

The Problem: One of the oldest but often most successful cyber threats, phishing continues to be one of the most popular methods of attack for threat actors worldwide. According to Security Magazine, businesses were hit by more than 255 million phishing attacks in the first 10 months of 2022 alone, a 61% increase on the same figures in 2021.

How You Can Prepare For It: Whilst spam filters and phishing tools can be effective in minimising the number of messages that make it through to your employees, the odd phishing attempt is bound to find its way into someone’s inbox sooner or later. The best way to prevent a successful phishing attempt is to educate your teams on the signs of a scam. Every employee in your business should know these three key things:
– How to spot a phishing email, call or message
– Who to report a phishing attempt and how
– What previous phishing attempts at your organisation have looked like

At Infosec K2K, we offer comprehensive cyber security training designed to help your employees to become more cyber-savvy, minimising the likelihood of a successful phishing attempt.

The Problem: As it spreads its way through our homes, offices and other shared spaces, Internet of Things (IoT) is quickly becoming an integral part of our everyday life. However, connecting a large number of devices to one seamless network brings with it a number of risks. Primarily, it only takes one device being hacked for a threat actor to gain access to the entire network of devices and the cloud network connecting them.

How You Can Prepare For It: We recommend taking great care when integrating IoT to your business and devices. Ensure that you have a strategy for built-in security and controls that can be applied to all IoT devices before you begin connecting them. When purchasing any devices, evaluate the potential vulnerabilities of each device and plug them before the device is introduced to your business, minimising the risk of a breach. Confirm that all devices are password protected (using secure and varied passwords) and that passwords are not stored unencrypted anywhere online.

The Problem: Without an understanding of the cyber security basics, many web and app developers unknowingly create vulnerabilities in the development process. This was brought to light way back in 2021, when the critical Log4shell vulnerability surfaced, yet it is still a concern.

How You Can Prepare For It: Consider how you can integrate cyber security into your development process as early as possible. How can your cyber security / IT and development teams work together? Can you move the security steps in your development pipeline right to the beginning, embedding them into the design principles, rather than seeing them as a final hurdle to jump over before go-live? Then think, how can you upskill your design and development teams to ensure a better understanding of the potential vulnerabilities they could be building into their work? If you don’t have the capacity or budget for an in-house cyber security team, don’t worry! Why not consider outsourcing to a cyber security partner, like Infosec K2K, to work in tandem with your developers?

The Problem: As flexible working becomes the norm and teams become more geographically fragmented, cloud adoption continues to accelerate. However, the move to the cloud can come with significant cyber security risks – particularly if security is not a key aspect of your adoption plan.

How You Can Prepare For It: If you are in the process of moving to the cloud, make cyber security part of your strategy for digital transformation and adopt a vulnerability management process (delivered either internally or externally) to keep an eye on it on an ongoing basis. If you have already moved to the cloud, consider a cyber security assessment to identify any potential vulnerabilities in your existing cloud environment.

The Problem:It is a common misconception that identity theft is only a concern for the consumer, but it is also incredibly common in businesses. If enough information about your employee can be accessed online, even the least sophisticated cyber criminal can easily attempt to impersonate their professional profile and gain access to your business network.

How You Can Prepare For It: We recommend digitising as many of your processes as possible (e.g. using electronic signatures to sign important documents) and ensuring your employees understand the dangers of making their personal information available and accessible online. Something as simple as a post about a pet on a public social media profile could lead to a threat actor cracking an employee’s network password, so it is important that your employees are being careful when sharing information online.

Want to stay on top of the latest cybersecurity threats, hacks and trends? Subscribe to our weekly Cyber Newsletter here.

Are you a CISO, IT or Cyber Security professional looking for support from a reliable cyber security partner? Look no further!

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