Uncovering Security Performance Myths & Realities

One of the most-heard complaints from security experts is that often they find their work repetitive ("The CFO's laptop has been compromised... again!"), which results in the desire of trying something "new", meaning "leave for another company." Another common complaint is that the work is very compartmentalized, and there are few occasions in which the various security specialists can enjoy working as a team. One activity that can help build a team while improving the security skills of the people involved is participating in Capture the Flag (CTF) hacking competitions. In 2003 at the University of California at Santa Barbara, one of the world's largest attack-defense CTF competitions began and has grown year-after-year, pushing the limits of the players and providing opportunities for better learning. In addition, hacking competitions are a great opportunity for recruiting new talent: CTF participants are highly skilled, well-motivated, and hard-working, which are great traits for a future employee.

Learn from your industry peers’ journeys to protecting privileged identities, stages of privilege access security, what they have achieved so far, and how to get the most value out of your cybersecurity investment. More than 2000 IT security leaders around the world shared their insights to create this research study. The broad reach of this study provides an opportunity to compare the PAM-related activities and attitudes of IT security practitioners with varying levels of responsibility, in different countries, industries, and companies of all sizes.

If 2020 seemed like an anomaly, 2021 proved to us that it’s time to get comfortable with the transformed reality. Remote work, intended as a temporary response to COVID-19, is now an increasingly standardized way to operate. With face-to-face operations no longer the norm, numerous organizations have shifted to a technology-driven strategy. We’ve seen a rise in initiatives like self-service or online purchases, as well as an upturn in remote events, with many new or established conferences choosing to go virtual. Businesses are also investing in technology more than ever, growing their IT infrastructure with new software and IoT devices. However, as can be expected, new or enhanced cybersecurity threats went hand and hand with this unexpected digital renaissance.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is in October and is a nationally-recognized initiative meant to help individuals develop positive cyber habits so they can act as a strong line of defense. To develop effective Cybersecurity Awareness Month programs, it’s essential to analyze threat intelligence data, deliver targeted education to user subgroups, and involve leadership to garner support and buy-in.