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Information Security Management System to Protect Information Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability

Bineesh Mathew | June 18, 2021 | 2202 views

Information Security Management
In this modern world of technology, ensuring information security is very important for the smooth running of any organization. Unfortunately, there are many information/cyber security threats, including malware, ransom ware, emotet, denial of service, man in the middle, phishing, SQL injection, and password attacks. Whatever your business is, no doubt, it can collapse your business and your dreams. However, the severity of its after-effects depends upon the type of business you do.

As information security threat has become a hurdle for all organizations, companies must implement an effective information security management system. In 2019 alone, the total number of breaches was 1473. It is increasing every year as businesses are doing digital transformation widely. Phishing is the most damaging and widespread threat to businesses, accounting for 90% of organizations' breaches.

This article lets you understand what ISMS is and how it can be effectively implemented in your organization.

Information Security Management System (ISMS)

According to ISO/IEC 27001, Information Security Management System (ISMS) refers to various procedures, policies, and guidelines to manage and protect organizations' information assets. In addition, the system also comprises various other associated resources and activities frameworks for information security management.

Organizations are jointly responsible for maintaining information security. People responsible for security in an organization ensure that all employees diligently meet all policies, guidelines, and other objectives regarding protecting information. Also, they safeguard all assets of the organization from external cyber threats and attacks.

The goal and objective of the system are to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of assets from all threats and vulnerabilities. Effectively implementing an information security management system in your organization avoids the possibility of leaking personal, sensitive, and confidential data and getting exposed to harmful hands. The step-by-step implementation of ISMS includes the process of designing, implementing, managing, and maintaining it.

Implementing ISMS in Organizations

The standard for establishing and maintaining an information security management system in any organization is ISO 27001. However, as the standard has broad building blocks in designing and implementing ISMS, organizations can shape it according to their requirements.

Effectively implementing ISMS in organizations in compliance with ISO 27001 lets you enjoy significant benefits. However, an in-depth implementation and training process has to be ensured to realize these benefits comprehensively. Therefore, let us look into how an information security management system can be successfully implemented in your organization.

Identification

The first step in implementing ISMS is identifying the assets vulnerable to security threats and determining their value to your organization. In this process, devices and various types of data are listed according to their relative importance. Assets can be divided across three dimensions: confidentiality, integrity, and availability. It will allow you to give a rating to your assets according to their sensitivity and importance to the company.

  • Confidentiality is ensuring that the assets are accessed by authorized persons only.
  • Integrity means ensuring that the data and information to be secured are complete, correct, and safeguarded thoroughly.
  • Availability is ensuring that the protected information is available to the authorized persons when they require it.


Policies and Procedures and Approval from the Management

In this step, you will have to create policies and procedures based on the insights you got from the first step. It is said to be the riskiest step as it will enforce new behaviors in your organization. Rules and regulations will be set for all the employees in this step. Therefore, it becomes the riskiest step as people always resist accepting and following the changes. You also should get the management approval once the policies are written.


Risk Assessment

Risk assessment is an integral part of implementing an Information Security Management System. Risk assessment allows you to provide values to your assets and realize which asset needs utmost care. For example, a competitor, an insider, or a cybercriminal group may want to compromise your information and steal your information. With a simple brainstorming session, you can realize and identify various potential sources of risk and potential damage. A well-documented risk assessment plan and methodology will make the process error-free.


Risk Treatment

In this step, you will have to implement the risk assessment plan you defined in the previous step. It is a time-consuming process, especially for larger organizations. This process is to get a clear picture of both internal and external dangers that can happen to the information in your organization.

The process of risk treatment also will help you to reduce the risks, which are not acceptable. Additionally, you may have to create a detailed report comprising all the steps you took during the risk assessment and treatment phase in this step.


Training

If you want effectively implement all the policies and procedures, providing training to employees is necessary. To make people perform as expected, educating your personnel about the necessity of implementing an information security management system is crucial. The most common reason for the failure of security management failure is the absence of this program.


Implementing ISMS

Once policies and procedures are written, and necessary training is provided to all employees, you can get into the actual process of implementing it in your organization. Then, as all the employees follow the new set of rules and regulations, you can start evaluating the system's effectiveness.


Monitoring and Auditing

Here you check whether the objectives set were being met or not. If not, you may take corrective and preventive actions. In addition, as part of auditing, you also ensure all employees are following what was being implemented in the information security management system. This is because people may likely follow wrong things without the awareness that they are doing something wrong. In that case, disciplinary actions have to be taken to prevent and correct it. Here you make sure and ensure all the controls are working as you expected.


Management Review

The final step in the process of implementing an information security management system is management review. In this step, you work with the senior management to understand your ISMS is achieving the goals. You also utilize this step to set future goals in terms of your security strategy.

Once the implementation and review are completed successfully, the organization can apply for certification to ensure the best information security management practices.


Summing UP

Organizations benefit from implementing and certifying their information security management system. The organization has defined and implemented a management system by building awareness, training employees, applying the proper security measures, and executing a systematic approach to information security management. Thus implementation has the following benefits:

  • Minimized risk of information loss.
  • The increased trust of customers in the company as the company is ISO/IEC 27001 certified.
  • Developed competencies and awareness about information security among all employees
  • The organization meets various regulatory requirements.

Frequently Asked questions


What are the three principles of information security?

Confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) are the three main principles and objectives of information security. These are the fundamental principles and the heart of information security.


How does information security management work?

Information security management works on five pillars. The five pillars are assessment, detection, reaction, documentation, and prevention. Effective implementation of these pillars determines the success of the information security management in your company.


What are the challenges in information security management?

Challenges in information security management in your company can be the following:

  • You can’t identify your most critical data
  • Policies aren’t in place for protecting sensitive information.
  • Employees aren’t trained in company policies.
  • Technology isn’t implemented for your policies.
  • You can’t limit vendor access to sensitive information.

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Article | September 6, 2023

Embrace the transformative power of identity-based authentication to establish new industry standards for safe and seamless user onboarding processes, enhancing security, workflows & user experience. The increasing adoption of decentralized identity systems, including blockchain-based solutions, introduces intricate challenges in the verification and authorization of identities across distributed networks. During interoperability, the threat to privacy and security within these systems is emerging at an alarming rate that requires urgent attention. Additionally, combating synthetic identity fraud poses a significant hurdle as fraudsters adeptly combine genuine and false information, making it arduous to differentiate between authentic and fraudulent identities. Deepfakes are the rising concern, which generate remarkably realistic audio, video, or images, mimicking genuine individuals and heightening the difficulty of detecting and preventing impersonation attacks. Password fatigue stems from the constant need to create and remember multiple passwords, leading users to choose weak or reused ones. Reusing passwords increases the risk, as compromising one account grants access to others. Password theft is a concern, with attackers employing phishing attacks and malware. A study by Google found that passwordless authentication can reduce password-related help desk tickets by up to 60%. (Source: PYMNTS) Complex password requirements can be challenging, pushing users towards weaker options. Password resets are time-consuming and frustrating. Solutions should alleviate fatigue, promote secure practices, and offer robust protection against theft and unauthorized access. All service providers or product companies confront a common challenge in this novel era of vulnerabilities, the question of creating an optimal and seamless user onboarding cycle while adhering to the necessary standards. This keeps them up at night as they attempt to find the optimal balance between seamless and secured-data onboarding. In this digital age, identity-secure data is the most valuable asset and a transformative resource. Organizations with data stored in cloud storage and password-based authentication systems are vulnerable to cybercrime. These are susceptible to numerous security threats, including phishing, social engineering, and brute-force attacks. These hazards may result in security breaches and sensitive data loss. Additionally, password management becomes burdensome for users, resulting in password fatigue, weak practices, and IT department involvement for password resets. This impacts user experience and productivity. Identity-Based Authentication (IBA) comes into action while implementing this secure identity verification. To ensure widespread adoption of IBA, the industry must standardize two crucial aspects of identity: ‘Identification Verification’ and ‘Passwordless Authentication’. Automating identity verification fundamentally transforms the onboarding work processes by shifting administrative burden to user endpoints and automating data capture, credential validation, and document workflow. This leads to increased user satisfaction and faster access to required services, driving efficiency and reducing the time to generate revenue for customers. BlockID Verify by 1Kosmos prevents such fraudulent accounts through an identity proofing process that verifies identity anywhere, anytime, and on any device with over 99% accuracy, thereby preventing the use of stolen or synthetic identities during customer onboarding. During a conversation with Media 7, Michael Cichon, CMO, 1Kosmos stressed on the implementation of identity proofing and authorization. At 1Kosmos we bring our solutions to the market through three distinct products. One product focuses on workforce authentication, another caters to business-to-consumer use cases, and the third product revolves around self-service identity proofing. These give organizations the ability to remotely verify an identity on the web with a high level of assurance, and then verify that identity at every access attempt. Onboarding users with security and data protection is a critical activity. It is a one-time action that must be combined with an authentication mechanism for long-term identity to be genuinely effective. Organizations with data stored in cloud storage and password-based authentication systems are vulnerable to cybercrime. While these are susceptible to numerous security threats, including phishing, social engineering, and brute-force attacks, these hazards can result in security breaches and sensitive data loss. A recent report by Verizon demonstrated that 61% of all data breaches are caused by compromised credentials. (Source: 1Kosmos) The catch that robust identity verification alone does not guarantee future authentication, calls for FIDO (Fast Identity Online). It is backed by an industry-leading organization 1Kosmos, which provides solutions for Identity Based Authentication. FIDO uses cryptography in the form of a public and private key to authenticate a user. With FIDO2 authentication, employees can authenticate into corporate systems and applications using their personal devices. This eliminates the need for conventional passwords and reduces the likelihood of security vulnerabilities resulting due to password-related attacks. With FIDO2, the user's keys are stored on their devices and not the service provider's server and thus proves to be less vulnerable to identity theft and phishing attempts. This is where the password to cryptographic passkeys adoption comes into picture. BlockID Workforce by 1Kosmos implements password-less authentication using FIDO, and has thus become a necessity, adopting self-service identity verification serving as a credential service provider. The ‘Identity Proofing’ together with ‘Passwordless Authentication’ results in a seamless user experience addressing credential theft, eliminating unauthorized users logging in corporate IT network and thus preventing data breaches, financial fraud, and ransomware.

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Enterprise Security, Network Threat Detection, Software Security

2023's Must-Attend Networking Security Conferences for Businesses

Article | July 18, 2023

Discover the significance of data protection in today's vulnerable world. Gain insights into the far-reaching impacts of data loss and the importance of proactive data security practices for businesses. Understanding Data Protection’s Significance in an Ever-Vulnerable World In today's highly competitive business landscape, organizations must recognize the immense value of their data resources and prioritize implementing robust data protection measures. Safeguarding data from external threats and internal vulnerabilities is paramount to ensuring businesses' smooth and secure operations. In an era of increasingly complex IT environments, data protection becomes an increasingly challenging endeavor, necessitating organizations to maintain a vigilant stance in safeguarding their critical information. According to Ponemon Institute statistics, 77% of companies are woefully ill-prepared and planned when it comes to thwarting an attack or a data breach. Protecting sensitive data, such as intellectual property, personally identifiable information, and financial records, poses a significant challenge for organizations. The modern workplace, characterized by extensive data collaboration across networks, devices, and applications, further amplifies the risk of data security incidents. Furthermore, limited resources often hinder organizations from keeping pace with the ever-growing array of data security risks. However, as data volumes continue to expand, the escalating concerns surrounding data protection highlight the severe consequences organizations face in terms of financial loss, reputational damage, and legal repercussions resulting from data breaches. To mitigate these risks, they must adopt a proactive approach to data protection. This encompasses the implementation of robust security protocols, using encryption technologies, conducting regular security audits, and providing ongoing employee training on data security best practices. This proactive approach enables businesses to operate with greater confidence, trust, and resilience. It is important to note that organizations must view data protection as an essential aspect of their overall business strategy and continually adapt and improve their data security practices. Only by protecting their data can organizations maintain a competitive edge, preserve customer trust, and uphold their reputation as reliable and secure entities in the marketplace. The Far-Reaching Impacts of Data Loss Data protection is a critical concern that applies to organizations of all sizes, and falling into the trap of thinking it only affects large enterprises can have devastating consequences. In fact, small businesses are often targeted by data theft attempts, as they may have fewer resources and can be more susceptible to attacks. Failing to keep up with data security measures and strategies results in severe repercussions for businesses. It damages their reputation, increase operational downtime, leave sensitive data unprotected, and even attract legal action. With organizations increasingly relying on cloud and online transactions, cyber threats now pose a significant risk to data integrity. Data breaches can lead to the theft of valuable information, which can be sold to other parties or used for fraudulent activities. The financial impact of these breaches and losses is substantial. When a company fails to protect its sensitive information and allows data breaches to occur, it not only incurs financial losses but also experiences a significant blow to its reputation. Dissatisfied customers may take their business elsewhere, resulting in decreased revenue. Communicating a data loss incident to customers, while essential, can also erode trust and lead to discontentment. This can further drive customer churn and harm the business's overall reputation, especially if customer data is compromised. Rebuilding customer relationships in the aftermath of a data loss incident requires significant time and resources, as the consequences can persist for years. Data Loss Prevention: An Essential Ingredient Data loss prevention (DLP) is an integral part of a comprehensive data protection strategy, aiming to prevent unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of sensitive data. A well-implemented DLP system can help organizations proactively safeguard their data, mitigate risks, and avoid the aftermath of data loss incidents. As Alexey Raevsky, CEO, Zecurion rightly stated in an interview with Media7, If any organization has a mature DLP in place, there is no need of combating the aftermath of data loss. A robust DLP system comprises advanced security protocols, encryption technologies, and continuous monitoring mechanisms. These components work together to identify vulnerabilities, prevent data breaches, and address potential threats. The other key advantage of an effective DLP system is establishing and enforcing stringent access controls. This ensures that only authorized individuals can access and manipulate sensitive data, reducing the risk of data breaches caused by internal or external factors. Encryption technologies employed by DLP systems further enhance data protection by securing data at rest and in transit, making it challenging for malicious actors to compromise sensitive information. Navigating Data Protection World with Enterprise DLP ‘Zecurion’ An enterprise DLP system offers a comprehensive solution designed to address organizations' complex data landscapes and security challenges. It provides centralized control and visibility over data across multiple systems, networks, and endpoints within the enterprise. Organizations can effectively manage and protect data throughout its lifecycle, regardless of location or format, by implementing a unified DLP framework. This is where Zecurion becomes essential. It is a next-gen DLP provider that specializes in researching, investigating, and monitoring activities to prevent data loss incidents. Its DLP solution offers various features to enhance data protection and incident response: User Behavior Analytics (UBA) with fast risk-based assessment: This feature provides visibility into employee activities and evaluates them based on parameters such as risk, productivity, policies, and emotional state. The Security Officer can closely monitor high-risk employees while allowing low-risk ones to operate with fewer limitations. Screen Photo Detector: This feature detects attempts to photograph a screen using a smartphone by utilizing webcams. It employs two neural networks to ensure reliable smartphone detection and quickly identifies cybersecurity incidents in a fraction of a second. Investigation Workflow Automation: This module simplifies investigations and streamlines the incident response cycle. It provides a comprehensive view of ongoing tasks, including their statuses, relevant data, assigned personnel, and deadlines. Cybersecurity team members can collaborate, leave comments, discuss progress, and attach supporting documents and incidents for efficient and effective incident resolution. Stand Out from Completion with the Next-Gen DLP Zecurion stands out from its competitors due to its ease of implementation and successful use cases demonstrating its instrumental value. One notable example is its pivotal role in a recent forensic investigation conducted for an oil refinery. The investigation uncovered fraudulent activities by intermediaries selling the refinery's products at inflated prices. Zecurion's DLP solution played a critical role in identifying the involvement of a group of managers, including a C-level executive, who had gone to the extent of forging documents to conceal their actions. A financial and legal audit conducted with the help of Zecurion revealed that the fraudsters' actions had resulted in a loss of over $25 million for the organization. The DLP solution proved invaluable in enabling the refinery to take legal action against the perpetrators and terminate the employment of the three key individuals involved in the scam. The success of Zecurion's DLP solution in this particular use case further establishes its reputation as a trusted and effective solution for safeguarding organizations against data loss and fraudulent behavior. Privacy and Protection: Balance is Crucial It is important to note that while organizations must prioritize data security, balancing security measures and respecting employee privacy and autonomy is equally important. While a robust data security framework is essential and ensures that sensitive information is adequately protected, employees must feel that their personal information is handled with care and that their privacy is respected. This can be achieved through clear and transparent data usage policies, consent-based data collection practices, and strict adherence to data protection regulations. Organizations can create a culture of trust and accountability by establishing these guidelines and practices, instilling confidence among employees that their privacy is valued and protected. Additionally, organizations can foster a culture of data security awareness and education among employees. Regular training and updates on data security best practices can turn employees into proactive participants in maintaining a secure work environment. This not only enhances data security but also cultivates a sense of shared responsibility and accountability among employees. When employees feel that their privacy is respected and they are given the autonomy to perform their duties effectively, they are more likely to adhere to data security protocols and actively contribute to the organization's overall security posture.

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Network Threat Detection

Software Supply Chain Attacks: How Can Code Signing Help?

Article | July 12, 2023

Software supply chain attacks, such as the recent one involving MOVEit Transfer, are a serious issue for modern enterprises. Their dependency on third-party software makes it difficult to successfully vet the security integrity of every product used by enterprises. Software is especially difficult to assess securely, as it can be modified through updates throughout its lifecycle. For threat actors, targeting popular enterprise software tools is a lucrative and time-efficient way to gain access to the systems of a large number of corporate users. Verifying the integrity of software, and using attestation services, is one way to minimize the threat surface. So how can these concepts be leveraged in software? Software integrity (also known as code integrity) refers to the quality of the source code and allows the determination of the safety, security, and reliability of the software. It can mean that the code is unaltered by unauthorized parties, or it can also provide protection against hacks and guarantee privacy. Integrity checking can be relatively complex, but includes, at a minimum (from a security perspective), security features and ensures that security vulnerabilities have been eliminated. It does what it should, can be tested, and is easy to understand and edit, without introducing new errors or flaws. There are code analysis tools that can enable this. Beyond that, the code can be signed through the application of a digital signature to seal that integrity check. This can happen several times during the lifetime of that software: at production, for upgrades and patching, etc. This provides assurance that the software came from the developer and that it has not been changed in an unauthorized manner. This proof of authenticity becomes important in supply chain scenarios, and can be an important tool for brand protection of the developers. Code signing makes use of digital certificates; the signature is cryptographically hashed and packaged in a certificate. This certificate can then be verified by the user of the software through a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), with a certificate authority validating (or refuting) the applied signature. There are various types of code signing certificates: standard and extended. The latter involves a more complex process and stricter requirements for validation and key management. Software attestation is essentially the other side of that process. It’s a trust mechanism that allows the user to independently validate the integrity asserted by a provider. Attestation might require not just the vendors name, version of the software, and origins of the code, but also other software artifacts, such as statements to the effect that they have followed secure development practices, information on external dependencies used to build it, the build process itself, the test suites that were run, and any security checks passed. Together, these artifacts form the metadata of the software, which then can be independently signed. A PKI can then be leveraged to verify the applied digital signature. There are software attestation standards that can be leveraged, including open ones (in-tot and Binary Authorization being two popular ones). The U.S. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is working on a self-attestation form (Secure Software Development Attestation Common Form) for software producers serving the federal government. The form will require them to confirm implementation of specific security practices. This was following the White House’s 2021 Executive Order 14028 and the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) M-22-18, “Enhancing the Security of the Software Supply Chain through Secure Software Development Practices.” Digital signatures for code integrity and software attestation will increasingly be in demand, especially as governments on both sides of the Atlantic (in the European Union and the United States) are pushing for policy and regulation on mandatory Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs). The goal is to make software developers and device manufacturers accountable for the components that make up their products. An SBOM will have to list known vulnerabilities associated with each component (open source and third party), pushing security rights to the forefront of product development. This visibility will allow for product development teams, DevOps, and implementers to address vulnerabilities and thereby strengthen security. SBOMs will likely form part of the software’s metadata, so signing will have a role to play here. In short, code signing and software attestation can both confer a level of security that can minimize the threat of a supply chain attack. It’s important to keep in mind, however, that they won’t address all issues, and will not be 100% fool-proof either. Of course, threat actors know this, and many are already targeting the code signing process in order to inject malicious code. This requires threat actors to compromise development platforms where code signing takes place. Ultimately, the use of digital signatures, from creation to management, is another aspect that will need to be secured from a developer perspective. DevSecOps will also have an important role to play here in order to avoid such malicious tactics, thereby providing a holistic security context for using digital signatures. But there is no doubt that digital signatures are a key technology for code integrity and software attestation, and will have a positive impact on thwarting the progress of supply chain attacks, if used widely. Sources: CISA WH EO 14028 OMB

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Capita Cyber Security

Capita Cyber Security delivers technologies, processes and practices designed to protect networks, computers, programs and data from attack, damage or unauthorised access aimed for exploitation.

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Software Security

Palo Alto Joins Telstra as the First Sole Cyber Security Vendor

Palo Alto | September 22, 2023

Palo Alto Networks has announced a strategic partnership with the largest telecommunications company in Australia, Telstra. This signifies Palo Alto Networks' commitment to delivering an expanded portfolio of cybersecurity solutions and services to meet the needs of Telstra's extensive business clientele. The partnership strengthens the existing 10-year relationship between Palo Alto Networks and Telstra. Palo Alto Networks, a global cybersecurity company, has announced teaming up with Telstra, Australia's largest telecommunications company, to offer an enhanced range of cybersecurity solutions and services to Telstra's business clients both in Australia and around the world. This collaboration marks a significant milestone, as Palo Alto Networks becomes the first dedicated cybersecurity company to be recognized as a technology alliance partner for Telstra's enterprise customer segment. Telstra serves customers in over 200 countries and territories. Telstra's technology alliance partners collaborate to create and provide comprehensive services encompassing connectivity, voice, and professional services. These services are designed to assist businesses of all sizes in addressing their challenges and capitalizing on opportunities. Regional Vice President for Australia and New Zealand of Palo Alto Networks, Steve Manley, stated, This new alliance with Telstra reinforces Palo Alto Networks’ position in the Australian market as the leading cyber security vendor to leading telecommunications carrier in Australia. It also reinforces our increased commitment to offering industry-leading joint solutions with one of the country’s most trusted managed service providers. Together, Palo Alto Networks and Telstra will collaborate to offer businesses with best-of-breed cyber security solutions to help keep them safe in a rapidly changing market landscape. [Source – Web Wire] This new partnership further solidifies the long-standing 10-year relationship between Palo Alto Networks and Telstra. It also builds upon previous agreements that expanded Telstra's SecureEdge portfolio with offerings like SecureEdge Cloud for business clients and Sovereign SecureEdge for the Australian government and agencies, both powered by Palo Alto Networks' advanced cloud-based security services. David Burns, Enterprise Group Executive at Telstra, said, Cyber security has become one of the top concerns among businesses worldwide, including here in Australia, and especially in the wake of a no. of high-profile cyber breaches. We’re now seeing the industrialization of cybercrime and the scale of threat continues to evolve and grow. As a result, we all need to be constantly changing, adapting, and looking at new technologies that can assist protect us and our customers’ data. As a leading provider of network, managed, and professional services, this new alliance between Telstra and Palo Alto Networks further boosts our capabilities to help customers protect their organizations and data from evolving cyber threats. [Source – Web Wire]

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Data Security

Oracle Attempts to Design New Open Network and Data Security Standard

Oracle | September 20, 2023

Oracle to participate in an industry-wide initiative to design a new open network and data security standard. Oracle and Applied Invention are assisting to developing and promoting a novel network and data-centric security standard to tackle distributed cloud deployment challenges. This standard will enable organizations to protect their data throughout its entire lifecycle without requiring modifications to their distributed cloud environments' underlying architecture. Oracle, one of the world's largest database management companies, announced that it will participate in an industry-wide initiative to design a new open network and data security standards that will assist organizations in protecting their data in distributed IT environments. Oracle will collaborate with Applied Invention, a significant technology provider, and other industry leaders, including Nomura Research Institute, Ltd. (NRI), a global leader in consulting and system solutions. This new standard will enable networks to enforce shared security policies collectively, thereby augmenting the security architecture organizations already employ without requiring modifications to existing applications and networks. Oracle plans to launch the Oracle Zero-Trust Packet Routing Platform, based on the new standard, to support this new initiative. This platform will assist organizations in preventing illegal access or use of their data without imposing additional obstacles on legitimate activities. Executive Vice President of Security and Developer Platforms at Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, Mahesh Thiagarajan, said, Over the last 20 years, the cybersecurity industry has produced many incremental changes, but we need a fundamentally novel approach to protect our data in the increasingly complex cloud era. Organizations require a way to describe their data security policies in one place where they can be easily understood and audited, and they need a way to make sure those policies are enforced across their entire computing infrastructure, including their clouds. [Source – Cision PR Newswire] As the adoption of cloud technology rises and IT landscapes become more intricate with distributed cloud deployments, organizations face escalating challenges in safeguarding their data using conventional methods and tools. For example, many existing systems necessitate security teams to orchestrate disparate solutions across various facets, including database, application, network, and identity security. This complexity is further compounded when applied across diverse environments. Ensuring seamless collaboration among these solutions becomes a formidable task due to the dynamic and independent changes in applications, environments, and user profiles. Additionally, current security systems demand extensive configurations to accurately distinguish between different user categories, such as full-time employees and contractors, without compromising security or restricting access. Research Vice President of Cloud and Edge Infrastructure Services at IDC, Dave McCarthy, said, The new standard Oracle develop has the potential to change all of that by adding a unified layer of security on top of existing solutions. Building data protection policies into the network itself will assist users get the access they require while ensuring the data remains secure behind the scenes. [Source – Cision PR Newswire] Oracle and Applied Invention are assisting in designing and promoting a novel security standard, focusing on network and data-centric security, which aims to tackle these challenges. This innovative standard will empower organizations to safeguard their data across its entire lifecycle, including distributed cloud environments. To accomplish this, the standard will implement an intent-based security policy that is designed to be understandable, auditable, and interpretable by humans. This intent-driven approach will be put into practice at the network layer, ensuring that every data transmission contains authenticated attributes concerning the sender, receiver, and the nature of the data in transit.

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Enterprise Security, Platform Security, Software Security

SecPod releases SanerNow 6.0 to redefine Vulnerability Lifecycle Automation with Cyber Hygiene Score

Prnewswire | July 18, 2023

SecPod Technologies, a global leader in the cyberattack prevention industry, has released SanerNow 6.0, a new update to its flagship cyberattack prevention platform SanerNow. With a brand-new unified dashboard and an innovative Cyber Hygiene Score, SanerNow transforms how CISOs and security administrators combat cyberattacks and simplifies the process of vulnerability lifecycle automation. Chandrashekhar Basavanna, the CEO of SecPod, said, "We are very excited to launch a major upgrade to our SanerNow platform. Risk quantification has always been an intriguing concept industry-wide. We are taking a real shot at it with an innovative hygiene score. This will facilitate our Customers to quantify the risks their IT infrastructure is exposed to and implement vulnerability mitigation strategies. With an all-new dashboard, we are representing end-to-end vulnerability management with Visibility, Detection, Prioritization, and Mitigation coming together in a unified console." With Cyber Hygiene Score, based on SecPod's in-house security intelligence and proprietary algorithm, SanerNow quantifies an organization's cyber hygiene and provides insight into your IT infrastructure. Further, in combination with a unified dashboard, SanerNow provides a holistic view of your organization's risk exposure to take effective laser-focused actions. The new update, SanerNow 6.0, with the new dashboard and Cyber Hygiene Score, is now available for the general public. SecPod SanerNow Advanced Vulnerability Management is a comprehensive cyberattack prevention platform providing visibility and control over IT infrastructure, detection and prioritization of vulnerabilities, and vulnerability remediation in a single unified console. About SecPod SecPod is a SaaS-based cybersecurity technology company created with a singular, unwavering goal of preventing cyberattacks. Founded in 2008, the company provides a top-of-the-line advanced vulnerability management solution that strengthens organizations' cybersecurity posture worldwide.

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Software Security

Palo Alto Joins Telstra as the First Sole Cyber Security Vendor

Palo Alto | September 22, 2023

Palo Alto Networks has announced a strategic partnership with the largest telecommunications company in Australia, Telstra. This signifies Palo Alto Networks' commitment to delivering an expanded portfolio of cybersecurity solutions and services to meet the needs of Telstra's extensive business clientele. The partnership strengthens the existing 10-year relationship between Palo Alto Networks and Telstra. Palo Alto Networks, a global cybersecurity company, has announced teaming up with Telstra, Australia's largest telecommunications company, to offer an enhanced range of cybersecurity solutions and services to Telstra's business clients both in Australia and around the world. This collaboration marks a significant milestone, as Palo Alto Networks becomes the first dedicated cybersecurity company to be recognized as a technology alliance partner for Telstra's enterprise customer segment. Telstra serves customers in over 200 countries and territories. Telstra's technology alliance partners collaborate to create and provide comprehensive services encompassing connectivity, voice, and professional services. These services are designed to assist businesses of all sizes in addressing their challenges and capitalizing on opportunities. Regional Vice President for Australia and New Zealand of Palo Alto Networks, Steve Manley, stated, This new alliance with Telstra reinforces Palo Alto Networks’ position in the Australian market as the leading cyber security vendor to leading telecommunications carrier in Australia. It also reinforces our increased commitment to offering industry-leading joint solutions with one of the country’s most trusted managed service providers. Together, Palo Alto Networks and Telstra will collaborate to offer businesses with best-of-breed cyber security solutions to help keep them safe in a rapidly changing market landscape. [Source – Web Wire] This new partnership further solidifies the long-standing 10-year relationship between Palo Alto Networks and Telstra. It also builds upon previous agreements that expanded Telstra's SecureEdge portfolio with offerings like SecureEdge Cloud for business clients and Sovereign SecureEdge for the Australian government and agencies, both powered by Palo Alto Networks' advanced cloud-based security services. David Burns, Enterprise Group Executive at Telstra, said, Cyber security has become one of the top concerns among businesses worldwide, including here in Australia, and especially in the wake of a no. of high-profile cyber breaches. We’re now seeing the industrialization of cybercrime and the scale of threat continues to evolve and grow. As a result, we all need to be constantly changing, adapting, and looking at new technologies that can assist protect us and our customers’ data. As a leading provider of network, managed, and professional services, this new alliance between Telstra and Palo Alto Networks further boosts our capabilities to help customers protect their organizations and data from evolving cyber threats. [Source – Web Wire]

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Data Security

Oracle Attempts to Design New Open Network and Data Security Standard

Oracle | September 20, 2023

Oracle to participate in an industry-wide initiative to design a new open network and data security standard. Oracle and Applied Invention are assisting to developing and promoting a novel network and data-centric security standard to tackle distributed cloud deployment challenges. This standard will enable organizations to protect their data throughout its entire lifecycle without requiring modifications to their distributed cloud environments' underlying architecture. Oracle, one of the world's largest database management companies, announced that it will participate in an industry-wide initiative to design a new open network and data security standards that will assist organizations in protecting their data in distributed IT environments. Oracle will collaborate with Applied Invention, a significant technology provider, and other industry leaders, including Nomura Research Institute, Ltd. (NRI), a global leader in consulting and system solutions. This new standard will enable networks to enforce shared security policies collectively, thereby augmenting the security architecture organizations already employ without requiring modifications to existing applications and networks. Oracle plans to launch the Oracle Zero-Trust Packet Routing Platform, based on the new standard, to support this new initiative. This platform will assist organizations in preventing illegal access or use of their data without imposing additional obstacles on legitimate activities. Executive Vice President of Security and Developer Platforms at Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, Mahesh Thiagarajan, said, Over the last 20 years, the cybersecurity industry has produced many incremental changes, but we need a fundamentally novel approach to protect our data in the increasingly complex cloud era. Organizations require a way to describe their data security policies in one place where they can be easily understood and audited, and they need a way to make sure those policies are enforced across their entire computing infrastructure, including their clouds. [Source – Cision PR Newswire] As the adoption of cloud technology rises and IT landscapes become more intricate with distributed cloud deployments, organizations face escalating challenges in safeguarding their data using conventional methods and tools. For example, many existing systems necessitate security teams to orchestrate disparate solutions across various facets, including database, application, network, and identity security. This complexity is further compounded when applied across diverse environments. Ensuring seamless collaboration among these solutions becomes a formidable task due to the dynamic and independent changes in applications, environments, and user profiles. Additionally, current security systems demand extensive configurations to accurately distinguish between different user categories, such as full-time employees and contractors, without compromising security or restricting access. Research Vice President of Cloud and Edge Infrastructure Services at IDC, Dave McCarthy, said, The new standard Oracle develop has the potential to change all of that by adding a unified layer of security on top of existing solutions. Building data protection policies into the network itself will assist users get the access they require while ensuring the data remains secure behind the scenes. [Source – Cision PR Newswire] Oracle and Applied Invention are assisting in designing and promoting a novel security standard, focusing on network and data-centric security, which aims to tackle these challenges. This innovative standard will empower organizations to safeguard their data across its entire lifecycle, including distributed cloud environments. To accomplish this, the standard will implement an intent-based security policy that is designed to be understandable, auditable, and interpretable by humans. This intent-driven approach will be put into practice at the network layer, ensuring that every data transmission contains authenticated attributes concerning the sender, receiver, and the nature of the data in transit.

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Enterprise Security, Platform Security, Software Security

SecPod releases SanerNow 6.0 to redefine Vulnerability Lifecycle Automation with Cyber Hygiene Score

Prnewswire | July 18, 2023

SecPod Technologies, a global leader in the cyberattack prevention industry, has released SanerNow 6.0, a new update to its flagship cyberattack prevention platform SanerNow. With a brand-new unified dashboard and an innovative Cyber Hygiene Score, SanerNow transforms how CISOs and security administrators combat cyberattacks and simplifies the process of vulnerability lifecycle automation. Chandrashekhar Basavanna, the CEO of SecPod, said, "We are very excited to launch a major upgrade to our SanerNow platform. Risk quantification has always been an intriguing concept industry-wide. We are taking a real shot at it with an innovative hygiene score. This will facilitate our Customers to quantify the risks their IT infrastructure is exposed to and implement vulnerability mitigation strategies. With an all-new dashboard, we are representing end-to-end vulnerability management with Visibility, Detection, Prioritization, and Mitigation coming together in a unified console." With Cyber Hygiene Score, based on SecPod's in-house security intelligence and proprietary algorithm, SanerNow quantifies an organization's cyber hygiene and provides insight into your IT infrastructure. Further, in combination with a unified dashboard, SanerNow provides a holistic view of your organization's risk exposure to take effective laser-focused actions. The new update, SanerNow 6.0, with the new dashboard and Cyber Hygiene Score, is now available for the general public. SecPod SanerNow Advanced Vulnerability Management is a comprehensive cyberattack prevention platform providing visibility and control over IT infrastructure, detection and prioritization of vulnerabilities, and vulnerability remediation in a single unified console. About SecPod SecPod is a SaaS-based cybersecurity technology company created with a singular, unwavering goal of preventing cyberattacks. Founded in 2008, the company provides a top-of-the-line advanced vulnerability management solution that strengthens organizations' cybersecurity posture worldwide.

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