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- AlgoSec | Unveiling the Cloud's Hidden Risks: How to Gain Control of Your Cloud Environment
In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, the cloud has become an indispensable tool for businesses seeking agility and scalability.... Cloud Security Unveiling the Cloud's Hidden Risks: How to Gain Control of Your Cloud Environment Asher Benbenisty 2 min read Asher Benbenisty Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 11/4/24 Published In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, the cloud has become an indispensable tool for businesses seeking agility and scalability. However, this migration also brings a new set of challenges, particularly when it comes to security. The increasing complexity and sophistication of cyber threats demand a proactive and comprehensive approach to safeguarding your cloud environments. At AlgoSec, we understand these challenges firsthand. We recognize that navigating the cloud security maze can be daunting, and we're here to guide you through it. Drawing on our extensive real-world experience, we've curated a series of blog articles designed to equip you with practical advice and actionable insights to bolster your cloud security posture. From the fundamentals of VPC security to advanced Security as Code practices, we'll delve into the strategies and best practices that will empower you to protect your valuable assets in the cloud. Join us on this journey as we explore the ever-evolving world of cloud security together. Hey cloud crusaders! Let's face it, the cloud's the lifeblood of modern business, but it's also a bit of a wild west out there. Think of it as a bustling city with gleaming skyscrapers and hidden alleyways – full of opportunity, but also teeming with cyber-crooks just waiting to pounce. The bad news? Those cyber threats are getting sneakier and more sophisticated by the day. The good news? We're here to arm you with the knowledge and tools you need to fortify your cloud defenses and send those cyber-villains packing. Think of this blog series as your cloud security boot camp. We'll be your drill sergeants, sharing battle-tested strategies and practical tips to conquer the cloud security maze. From the basics of VPC security to the ninja arts of Security as Code, we've got you covered. So, buckle up, grab your virtual armor, and join us on this thrilling quest to conquer the cloud security challenge! The Cloud's Underbelly: Where the Dangers Hide The cloud has revolutionized business, but it's also opened up a whole new can of security worms. It's like building a magnificent castle in the sky, but forgetting to install the drawbridge and moat. Here's the deal: the faster you embrace the cloud, the harder it gets to keep an eye on everything. Think sprawling cloud environments with hidden corners and shadowy figures lurking in the depths. If you can't see what's going on, you're practically inviting those cyber-bandits to steal your precious data and leave you with a hefty ransom note. In this post, we're shining a light on those hidden dangers and giving you the tools to take back control of your cloud security. Get ready to become a cloud security ninja! Cloud Security Challenges: A Rogue's Gallery Cloud security is like a tangled web – complex, ever-changing, and full of surprises. Let's break down the top five reasons why securing your cloud can feel like a Herculean task. 1. Cloud Adoption on Steroids: Think of cloud adoption as a rocket launch – it's not a one-time event, but a continuous journey into the unknown. New resources are constantly being added, applications are migrating, and data is flowing like a raging river. Keeping track of everything and ensuring its security is like trying to herd cats in a hurricane. And hold on tight, because Gartner predicts that by 2027, global public cloud spending will blast past the $1 trillion mark! That's a whole lot of cloud to manage and secure. 2. Security's Unique Demands: The cloud's a shape-shifter, constantly changing and evolving. That means your attack surface is never static – it's more like a wriggling octopus with tentacles reaching everywhere. And if you're not careful, those tentacles can be riddled with vulnerabilities and misconfigurations, just waiting for a cyber-pirate to exploit them. Legacy security solutions? They're like trying to fight a dragon with a water pistol. They simply can't keep up with the cloud's dynamic nature, leaving you vulnerable to breaches, compliance failures, and a whole lot of financial pain. Figure 1: Gartner’s Top Cybersecurity Trends for 2024 (Source: Gartner ) 3. The Threat Landscape: A Cyber-Jungle The cyber threat landscape is a dangerous jungle, and your cloud environment is the prized watering hole. McKinsey estimates that by 2025, cyberattacks will cost businesses a staggering $10.5 trillion annually! That's enough to make even the bravest cloud warrior tremble. And as if the cloud's inherent challenges weren't enough, you've got a relentless horde of cyber-criminals trying to breach your defenses. Just look at some of the major attacks in 2024: AT&T : 110 million customer phone records compromised – that's like losing a phone book the size of a small city! Ticketmaster : 560 million customer records stolen – a hacking collective hit the jackpot with this one! Dell : 49 million customers' data compromised through brute-force attacks – talk about a battering ram! Figure 2: Stolen Ticketmaster data on illicit marketplaces (Source: Bleeping Computer ) 4. Regulatory Pressures: The Compliance Gauntlet Navigating the world of compliance is like running a gauntlet – one wrong step and you'll get hit with a penalty. Without a crystal-clear view of your cloud resources, networks, applications, and data, you're practically walking blindfolded through a minefield. Poor visibility, suboptimal network segmentation, and inconsistent rules are the enemies of compliance. They're like cracks in your cloud fortress, just waiting for an auditor to exploit them. To gain a deeper understanding of how to navigate these regulatory complexities and implement best practices for building effective cloud security, download our free white paper by clicking here. 5. Reputation on the Line: In today's cutthroat business world, your cloud expertise is your reputation. One major security disaster can send your customers running for the hills and leave your brand in tatters. Securing Your Cloud Kingdom: A Battle Plan So, how do you defend your cloud kingdom from these relentless threats? It's time to ditch those outdated security solutions and embrace a multi-layered, application-centric approach. Think of it as building a fortress with multiple walls, guard towers, and a crack team of archers ready to defend your precious assets. Here's your battle plan: Trim the Fat: Keep your attack surface lean and mean by constantly pruning unnecessary resources and applications. It's like trimming the hedges around your castle to eliminate hiding spots for those pesky intruders. Map Your Terrain: Get a bird's-eye view of your entire cloud landscape – public, private, hybrid, the whole shebang! Understand how everything connects and interacts, so you can identify and prioritize risks like a true cloud strategist. Banish Shadow IT: Don't let those rogue employees sneak in unauthorized applications and resources. Shine a light on shadow IT and bring it under your control before it becomes a backdoor for attackers. Protect Your Treasure: Exposed data is like leaving your crown jewels out in the open. Identify and secure your sensitive data with an iron grip. Hunt for Weaknesses: Continuously scan your cloud environment for vulnerabilities and misconfigurations. Even the smallest crack can be exploited by a determined attacker. Prioritize and address those weaknesses before they turn into a breach. Conquer Compliance: Compliance can be a beast, but it's a beast you can tame. Design and implement security policies and configurations that meet those regulatory demands. Remember, a secure cloud is a compliant cloud. Fortify Your Policies: Strong security policies are the guardians of your cloud kingdom. Automate their creation and enforcement to ensure consistency and compliance. And don't forget to keep a watchful eye on them! Unleash the Power of Application-Centric Security: Ditch those clunky, siloed security tools that bombard you with irrelevant alerts. Embrace a unified, application-centric solution that understands the importance of your applications and prioritizes risks accordingly. Building Effective Cloud Security Security: Free White Paper Looking for a comprehensive guide to building effective cloud security? Our white paper provides expert insights and actionable strategies to optimize your security posture. Choosing the Right Weapon: Your Cloud Security Solution To truly conquer the cloud security challenge, you need the right weapon in your arsenal. Here's what to look for in an application-centric cloud security solution: AI-Powered Application Discovery: Automatically discover, map, and analyze your cloud applications like a bloodhound on the trail. Tech Stack Integration: Seamlessly connect to your unique cloud environment, whether it's public, private, hybrid, or a multi-cloud extravaganza. Smart Security Policy Enforcement: Automate the creation, implementation, and management of your security policies across all your cloud assets. Reporting Powerhouse: Generate audit-ready reports with a single click, keeping those pesky auditors at bay. Streamlined Workflows: Say goodbye to clunky processes and hello to smooth, automated workflows that boost your team's efficiency. Prioritized Remediation: Focus on the most critical risks first with a prioritized remediation plan. It's like having a triage system for your cloud security. Integration Master: Integrate seamlessly with your existing security tools and platforms, creating a unified security ecosystem. Think of it as a superhero team-up for your cloud defenses. Don't Just Survive, Thrive! Securing your cloud isn't just about battening down the hatches and hoping for the best. It's about creating a secure foundation for growth, innovation, and cloud dominance. Think of it as building a fortress that's not only impenetrable but also allows you to launch your own expeditions and conquer new territories. Here's how a proactive, application-centric security approach can unleash your cloud potential: Accelerate Your Cloud Journey: Don't let security concerns slow you down. With the right tools and strategies, you can confidently migrate to the cloud, deploy new applications, and embrace innovation without fear. Boost Your Business Agility: The cloud is all about agility, but security can sometimes feel like a ball and chain. With an application-centric approach, you can achieve both – a secure environment that empowers you to adapt and respond to changing business needs at lightning speed. Unlock Innovation: Don't let security be a barrier to innovation. By embedding security into your development process and automating key tasks, you can free up your teams to focus on creating amazing applications and driving business value. Gain a Competitive Edge: In today's digital world, security is a key differentiator. By demonstrating a strong commitment to cloud security, you can build trust with your customers, attract top talent, and gain a competitive advantage. AlgoSec: Your Cloud Security Sidekick If you're looking for a cloud security solution that ticks all these boxes, look no further than AlgoSec! We're like the Robin to your Batman, the trusty sidekick that's always got your back. Our platform is packed with features to help you conquer the cloud security challenge: AI-powered application discovery and mapping Comprehensive security policy management Continuous compliance monitoring Risk assessment and remediation Seamless integration with your existing tools Ready to take charge of your cloud security and become a true cloud crusader? Take advantage of dynamic behavior analyses, static analyses of your cloud application configurations, 150 pre-defined network security risk checks, and nuanced risk assessments, as well as a myriad of tools in the AlgoSec Security Management Suite (ASMS) . Get a demo today to see how AlgoSec can help you know your cloud better and secure your application connectivity. Stay tuned for our upcoming articles, where we'll share valuable insights on VPC security, Security as Code implementation, Azure best practices, Kubernetes and cloud encryption. Let's work together to build a safer and more resilient cloud future. Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call
- AlgoSec | Navigating the currents of cybersecurity trends
I spend my days talking with customers and prospects around their security solutions, primarily regarding securing application... Hybrid Cloud Security Management Navigating the currents of cybersecurity trends Eric Jeffery 2 min read Eric Jeffery Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. cloudsecurity, hybridcloud, hybridcloudsecurity Tags Share this article 7/13/23 Published I spend my days talking with customers and prospects around their security solutions, primarily regarding securing application connectivity. Every conversation takes its own direction. Nevertheless, I hear similar challenges and goals across industries. I heard from a manufacturing firm that cost constraints require they centralize on Microsoft. An oil and gas company mentioned their needs to align their Operating Technology (OT) environment with their corporate technology solutions (IT). A healthcare organization let me know they were asked to use more Cisco technology and decommission competitive solutions. A financial services firm stated that they were looking to consolidate with zScaler thus eliminating numerous other security solutions. A second financial services firm inquired about AlgoSec Cloud offerings , so they ensure proper monitoring and security for their Cloud deployments. These themes appear and reappear daily, highlighting key trends throughout information security. The older I get, the more I understand how “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” Trends fall perfectly into this colloquialism, as we see organizations routinely move towards newer, hotter, and hopefully more powerful technologies. Working directly with customers of cybersecurity technology, I see similarities with direction and desire for future technical goals. Some of these I’ve seen before, such as centralization and consolidation. Cloud technologies have been around for a decade or more, but I consider this a current trend due to Cloud’s nature and diversity within the technology space. While specific trends come and go, the idea of trends remains the same. Cybersecurity professionals should understand current trends around the industry and see how these movements can improve their security maturity. In the fast-paced realm of cybersecurity, trends constantly emerge and evolve, shaping the landscape in which organizations operate. As I engage with customers and prospects, I uncover recurring patterns and goals that drive the industry forward. Understanding these trends is essential for cybersecurity professionals to strengthen their defenses and adapt to emerging threats. In this blog post, we will dive into the prevailing trends in cybersecurity today, providing insights to help organizations navigate the ever-changing currents. Centralization and consolidation: Empowering organizational control One significant trend is the movement towards centralization and consolidation. Centralization involves bringing technology resources into a unified location or under a cohesive solution. Consolidation focuses on streamlining vendors or technical suites to improve efficiency and reduce costs. For instance, organizations are exploring enterprise licensing options, such as those offered by Microsoft, which provide bundled services like MS Teams, O365, and MS Defender. This consolidation empowers businesses to replace multiple tools with integrated Microsoft technologies, resulting in cost savings and streamlined operations. Enterprise licensing grows in popularity (and could very well be a trend in and of itself) providing organizations an easy way to save money while using a consolidated solution. The most common enterprise license that I run into comes from Microsoft. Businesses that have certain license levels receive additional services such as MS Teams, O365, MS Defender, or other Microsoft technologies at either no or reduced cost. This capability empowers businesses to replace Zoom and WebEx with MS Teams. On the security front companies replace Crowdstrike, McAfee, Norton, and other endpoint protection solutions with MS Defender. For endpoint vulnerability management, Nexpose and Nessus see displacement by MS Defender Vulnerability Management. QRadar, Splunk, Exabeam and other SIEM lose out to Microsoft Sentinel. With a Cisco relationship, companies can potentially save money substituting Illumio or Guardicore in lieu of Cisco Secure Workload (formerly Tetration). With cost management sitting atop the list of priorities for CFO’s , consolidation is a consummate method for technology executives to align with this consideration. Consolidation trends reoccur regularly, especially during financial turmoil. Organizations looking to align technology with financial and business concerns should look to this trend and determine if/where benefits align. After consolidation, I hear a lot about centralization. While customers don’t use this word, at the core, this is what they are looking for. The main technical consideration around this consolidation falls under secure access services edge, known as SASE . SASE inherently centralizes security inside a robust environment that passes customer traffic. COVID-19 introduced a severe need to create secure solutions for remote workers. While SASE began pre-2020, the virus really launched this business (as it did with teleconferencing, a trend back in 2020 and 2021). Entities using SASE pass end user traffic through a central location which provides numerous security services. These offerings include virtual private networks (VPN), proxy, web-filtering, virus protection, spam protection, and many others. Each of these technologies also lends themselves to the consolidation trend tying both movements together. Organizations looking to cut costs procure SASE, align this with numerous information technology teams (networks, Cloud, security, etc.) and double up on trends. Embracing the power of the Cloud The Cloud has revolutionized the information technology landscape, and cyber security is no exception. Organizations are increasingly leveraging Cloud technology as part of their digital transformation journeys. From compliance to network security, application security, and identity management, the Cloud offers a multitude of benefits. It enables organizations to offload hardware maintenance, software upgrades, and data center costs while providing scalability and flexibility. My customers look to not only expand in single clouds, primarily AWS, MS Azure, and Google Cloud, they are going across Clouds creating hybrid deployments. Hybrid solutions enhance the need for security as cross deployments require extensive monitoring and review ensuring zero gaps. Cloud attacks happen more often than ever and with this trend continuing, industry must understand and secure these environments. The importance of staying informed To thrive in the ever-changing world of cyber security, professionals must stay informed about the latest trends. Whether it’s for cost optimization, enhanced security, or delivering innovative services, organizations need to be aware of opportunities to improve their information technology landscapes. Complacency can be detrimental, and understanding the current trends allows businesses to align their goals, enhance operational capacity, and safeguard their digital assets effectively. Centralization, consolidation, and Cloud technologies are at the forefront of today’s trends, offering organizations the means to grow, add value, and protect their data. In the dynamic realm of cyber security, staying ahead of the curve is crucial for organizations seeking to fortify their defenses. Centralization, consolidation, and Cloud technologies are driving the industry forward. By understanding and embracing these trends, businesses can align their strategies, enhance security postures, and capitalize on growth opportunities. As the currents of cyber security trends continue to shift, it’s essential to navigate these waters with agility and adaptability. By doing so, organizations can confidently steer towards success in the ever-evolving world of cyber security. For more information on hybrid cloud security, please check out the latest Managing Cybersecurity podcast. #cloudsecurity #hybridcloud #HybridCloudSecurity Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call
- AlgoSec | How To Prevent Firewall Breaches (The 2024 Guide)
Properly configured firewalls are vital in any comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. However, even the most robust configurations can be... Uncategorized How To Prevent Firewall Breaches (The 2024 Guide) Tsippi Dach 2 min read Tsippi Dach Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 1/11/24 Published Properly configured firewalls are vital in any comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. However, even the most robust configurations can be vulnerable to exploitation by attackers. No single security measure can offer absolute protection against all cyber threats and data security risks . To mitigate these risks, it’s crucial to understand how cybercriminals exploit firewall vulnerabilities. The more you know about their tactics, techniques, and procedures, the better-equipped you are to implement security policies that successfully block unauthorized access to network assets. In this guide, you’ll understand the common cyber threats that target enterprise firewall systems with the goal of helping you understand how attackers exploit misconfigurations and human vulnerabilities. Use this information to protect your network from a firewall breach. Understanding 6 Tactics Cybercriminals Use to Breach Firewalls 1. DNS Leaks Your firewall’s primary use is making sure unauthorized users do not gain access to your private network and the sensitive information it contains. But firewall rules can go both ways – preventing sensitive data from leaving the network is just as important. If enterprise security teams neglect to configure their firewalls to inspect outgoing traffic, cybercriminals can intercept this traffic and use it to find gaps in your security systems. DNS traffic is particularly susceptible to this approach because it shows a list of websites users on your network regularly visit. A hacker could use this information to create a spoofed version of a frequently visited website. For example, they might notice your organization’s employees visit a third-party website to attend training webinars. Registering a fake version of the training website and collecting employee login credentials would be simple. If your firewall doesn’t inspect DNS data and confirm connections to new IP addresses, you may never know. DNS leaks may also reveal the IP addresses and endpoint metadata of the device used to make an outgoing connection. This would give cybercriminals the ability to see what kind of hardware your organization’s employees use to connect to external websites. With that information in hand, impersonating managed service providers or other third-party partners is easy. Some DNS leaks even contain timestamp data, telling attackers exactly when users requested access to external web assets. How to protect yourself against DNS leaks Proper firewall configuration is key to preventing DNS-related security incidents. Your organization’s firewalls should provide observability and access control to both incoming and outgoing traffic. Connections to servers known for hosting malware and cybercrime assets should be blocked entirely. Connections to servers without a known reputation should be monitored closely. In a Zero Trust environment , even connections to known servers should benefit from scrutiny using an identity-based security framework. Don’t forget that apps can connect to external resources, too. Consider deploying web application firewalls configured to prevent DNS leaks when connecting to third-party assets and servers. You may also wish to update your security policy to require employees to use VPNs when connecting to external resources. An encrypted VPN connection can prevent DNS information from leaking, making it much harder for cybercriminals to conduct reconnaissance on potential targets using DNS data. 2. Encrypted Injection Attacks Older, simpler firewalls analyze traffic by looking at different kinds of data packet metadata. This provides clear evidence of certain denial-of-service attacks, clear violations of network security policy , and some forms of malware and ransomware . They do not conduct deep packet inspection to identify the kind of content passing through the firewall. This provides cybercriminals with an easy way to bypass firewall rules and intrusion prevention systems – encryption . If malicious content is encrypted before it hits the firewall, it may go unnoticed by simple firewall rules. Only next-generation firewalls capable of handling encrypted data packets can determine whether this kind of traffic is secure or not. Cybercriminals often deliver encrypted injection attacks through email. Phishing emails may trick users into clicking on a malicious link that injects encrypted code into the endpoint device. The script won’t decode and run until after it passes the data security threshold posed by the firewall. After that, it is free to search for personal data, credit card information, and more. Many of these attacks will also bypass antivirus controls that don’t know how to handle encrypted data. Task automation solutions like Windows PowerShell are also susceptible to these kinds of attacks. Even sophisticated detection-based security solutions may fail to recognize encrypted injection attacks if they don’t have the keys necessary to decrypt incoming data. How to protect yourself against encrypted injection attacks Deep packet inspection is one of the most valuable features next-generation firewalls provide to security teams. Industry-leading firewall vendors equip their products with the ability to decrypt and inspect traffic. This allows the firewall to prevent malicious content from entering the network through encrypted traffic, and it can also prevent sensitive encrypted data – like login credentials – from leaving the network. These capabilities are unique to next-generation firewalls and can’t be easily replaced with other solutions. Manufacturers and developers have to equip their firewalls with public-key cryptography capabilities and obtain data from certificate authorities in order to inspect encrypted traffic and do this. 3. Compromised Public Wi-Fi Public Wi-Fi networks are a well-known security threat for individuals and organizations alike. Anyone who logs into a password-protected account on public Wi-Fi at an airport or coffee shop runs the risk of sending their authentication information directly to hackers. Compromised public Wi-Fi also presents a lesser-known threat to security teams at enterprise organizations – it may help hackers breach firewalls. If a remote employee logs into a business account or other asset from a compromised public Wi-Fi connection, hackers can see all the data transmitted through that connection. This may give them the ability to steal account login details or spoof endpoint devices and defeat multi-factor authentication. Even password-protected private Wi-Fi connections can be abused in this way. Some Wi-Fi networks still use outdated WEP and WPA security protocols that have well-known vulnerabilities. Exploiting these weaknesses to take control of a WEP or WPA-protected network is trivial for hackers. The newer WPA2 and WPA3 standards are much more resilient against these kinds of attacks. While public Wi-Fi dangers usually bring remote workers and third-party service vendors to mind, on-premises networks are just as susceptible. Nothing prevents a hacker from gaining access to public Wi-Fi networks in retail stores, receptions, or other areas frequented by customers and employees. How to protect yourself against compromised public Wi-Fi attacks First, you must enforce security policies that only allow Wi-Fi traffic secured by WPA2 and WPA3 protocols. Hardware Wi-Fi routers that do not support these protocols must be replaced. This grants a minimum level of security to protected Wi-Fi networks. Next, all remote connections made over public Wi-Fi networks must be made using a secure VPN. This will encrypt the data that the public Wi-Fi router handles, making it impossible for a hacker to intercept without gaining access to the VPN’s secret decryption key. This doesn’t guarantee your network will be safe from attacks, but it improves your security posture considerably. 4. IoT Infrastructure Attacks Smartwatches, voice-operated speakers, and many automated office products make up the Internet of Things (IoT) segment of your network. Your organization may be using cloud-enriched access control systems, cost-efficient smart heating systems, and much more. Any Wi-Fi-enabled hardware capable of automation can safely be included in this category. However, these devices often fly under the radar of security team’s detection tools, which often focus on user traffic. If hackers compromise one of these devices, they may be able to move laterally through the network until they arrive at a segment that handles sensitive information. This process can take time, which is why many incident response teams do not consider suspicious IoT traffic to be a high-severity issue. IoT endpoints themselves rarely process sensitive data on their own, so it’s easy to overlook potential vulnerabilities and even ignore active attacks as long as the organization’s mission-critical assets aren’t impacted. However, hackers can expand their control over IoT devices and transform them into botnets capable of running denial-of-service attacks. These distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks are much larger and more dangerous, and they are growing in popularity among cybercriminals. Botnet traffic associated with DDoS attacks on IoT networks has increased five-fold over the past year , showing just how promising it is for hackers. How to protect yourself against IoT infrastructure attacks Proper network segmentation is vital for preventing IoT infrastructure attacks . Your organization’s IoT devices should be secured on a network segment that is isolated from the rest of the network. If attackers do compromise the entire network, you should be protected from the risk of losing sensitive data from critical business assets. Ideally, this protection will be enforced with a strong set of firewalls managing the connection between your IoT subnetwork and the rest of your network. You may need to create custom rules that take your unique security risk profile and fleet of internet-connected devices into account. There are very few situations in which one-size-fits-all rulemaking works, and this is not one of them. All IoT devices – no matter how small or insignificant – should be protected by your firewall and other cybersecurity solutions . Never let these devices connect directly to the Internet through an unsecured channel. If they do, they provide attackers with a clear path to circumvent your firewalls and gain access to the rest of your network with ease. 5. Social Engineering and Phishing Social engineering attacks refer to a broad range of deceptive practices used by hackers to gain access to victims’ assets. What makes this approach special is that it does not necessarily depend on technical expertise. Instead of trying to hack your systems, cybercriminals are trying to hack your employees and company policies to carry out their attacks. Email phishing is one of the most common examples. In a typical phishing attack , hackers may spoof an email server to make it look like they are sending emails from a high-level executive in the company you work for. They can then impersonate this executive and demand junior accountants pay fictitious invoices or send sensitive customer data to email accounts controlled by threat actors. Other forms of social engineering can use your organization’s tech support line against itself. Attackers may pretend to represent large customer accounts and will leverage this ruse to gain information about how your company works. They may impersonate a third-party vendor and request confidential information that the vendor would normally have access to. These attacks span the range from simple trickery to elaborate confidence scams. Protecting against them can be incredibly challenging, and your firewall capabilities can make a significant difference in your overall state of readiness. How to protect yourself against social engineering attacks Employee training is the top priority for protecting against social engineering attacks . When employees understand the company’s operating procedures and security policies, it’s much harder for social engineers to trick them. Ideally, training should also include in-depth examples of how phishing attacks work, what they look like, and what steps employees should take when contacted by people they don’t trust. 6. Sandbox Exploits Many organizations use sandbox solutions to prevent file-based malware attacks. Sandboxes work by taking suspicious files and email attachments and opening them in a secure virtual environment before releasing them to users. The sandbox solution will observe how the file behaves and quarantine any file that shows malicious activity. In theory, this provides a powerful layer of defense against file-based attacks. But in practice, cybercriminals are well aware of how to bypass these solutions. For example, many sandbox solutions can’t open files over a certain size. Hackers who attach malicious code to large files can easily get through. Additionally, many forms of malware do not start executing malicious tasks the second they are activated. This delay can provide just enough of a buffer to get through a sandbox system. Some sophisticated forms of malware can even detect when they are being run in a sandbox environment – and will play the part of an innocent program until they are let loose inside the network. How to protect yourself against sandbox exploits Many next-generation firewalls include cloud-enabled sandboxing capable of running programs of arbitrary size for a potentially unlimited amount of time. More sophisticated sandbox solutions go to great lengths to mimic the system specifications of an actual endpoint so malware won’t know it is being run in a virtual environment. Organizations may also be able to overcome the limitations of the sandbox approach using Content Disarm and Reconstruction (CDR) techniques. This approach keeps potentially malicious files off the network entirely and only allows a reconstructed version of the file to enter the network. Since the new file is constructed from scratch, it will not contain any malware that may have been attached to the original file. Prevent firewall breaches with AlgoSec Managing firewalls manually can be overwhelming and time-consuming – especially when dealing with multiple firewall solutions. With the help of a firewall management solution , you easily configure firewall rules and manage configurations from a single dashboard. AlgoSec’s powerful firewall management solution integrates with your firewalls to deliver unified firewall policy management from a single location, thus streamlining the entire process. With AlgoSec, you can maintain clear visibility of your firewall ruleset, automate the management process, assess risk & optimize rulesets, streamline audit preparation & ensure compliance, and use APIs to access many features through web services. Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call
- AlgoSec | Navigating DORA: How to ensure your network security and compliance strategy is resilient
The Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) is set to transform how financial institutions across the European Union manage and... Network Security Navigating DORA: How to ensure your network security and compliance strategy is resilient Joseph Hallman 2 min read Joseph Hallman Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 12/19/24 Published The Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) is set to transform how financial institutions across the European Union manage and mitigate ICT (Information and Communications Technology) risks. With the official compliance deadline in January 2025, organizations are under pressure to ensure their systems can withstand and recover from disruptions—an urgent priority in an increasingly digitized financial ecosystem. DORA introduces strict requirements for ICT risk management, incident reporting, and third-party oversight, aiming to bolster the operational resilience of financial firms. But what are the key deadlines and penalties, and how can organizations ensure they stay compliant? Key Timelines and Penalties Under DORA Compliance deadline: January 2025 – Financial firms and third-party ICT providers must have operational resilience frameworks in place by this deadline. Regular testing requirements – Companies will need to conduct resilience testing regularly, with critical institutions potentially facing enhanced testing requirements. Penalties for non-compliance – Fines for failing to comply with DORA’s mandates can be substantial. Non-compliance could lead to penalties of up to 2% of annual turnover, and repeated breaches could result in even higher sanctions or operational restrictions. Additionally, firms face reputational risks if they fail to meet incident reporting and recovery expectations. Long term effect- DORA increases senior management's responsibility for ICT risk oversight, driving stronger internal controls and accountability. Executives may face liability for failing to manage risks, reinforcing the focus on compliance and governance. These regulations create a dynamic challenge, as organizations not only need to meet the initial requirements by 2025, but also adapt to the changes as the standards continue to evolve over time. Firewall rule recertification The Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) emphasizes the need for financial institutions in the EU to ensure operational resilience in the face of technological risks. While DORA does not explicitly mandate firewall rule recertification , several of its broader requirements apply to the management and oversight of firewall rules and the overall security infrastructure, which would include periodic firewall rule recertification as part of maintaining a robust security posture. A few of the key areas relevant to firewall rules and the necessity for frequent recertification are highlighted below. ICT Risk Management Framework- Article 6 requires financial institutions to implement a comprehensive ICT (Information and Communication Technology) risk management framework. This includes identifying, managing, and regularly testing security policies, which would encompass firewall rules as they are a critical part of network security. Regular rule recertification helps to ensure that firewall configurations are up-to-date and aligned with security policies. Detection Solutions- Article 10 mandates that financial entities must implement effective detection solutions to identify anomalies, incidents, and cyberattacks. These solutions are required to have multiple layers of control, including defined alert thresholds that trigger incident response processes. Regular testing of these detection mechanisms is also essential to ensure their effectiveness, underscoring the need for ongoing evaluations of firewall configurations and rules ICT Business Continuity Policy- Article 11 emphasizes the importance of establishing a comprehensive ICT business continuity policy. This policy should include strategic approaches to risk management, particularly focusing on the security of ICT third-party providers. The requirement for regular testing of ICT business continuity plans, as stipulated in Article 11(6), indirectly highlights the need for frequent recertification of firewall rules. Organizations must document and test their plans at least once a year, ensuring that security measures, including firewalls, are up-to-date and effective against current threats. Backup, Restoration, and Recovery- Article 12 outlines the procedures for backup, restoration, and recovery, necessitating that these processes are tested periodically. Entities must ensure that their backup and recovery systems are segregated and effective, further supporting the requirement for regular recertification of security measures like firewalls to protect backup systems against cyber threats. Crisis Communication Plans- Article 14 details the obligations regarding communication during incidents, emphasizing that organizations must have plans in place to manage and communicate risks related to the security of their networks. This includes ensuring that firewall configurations are current and aligned with incident response protocols, necessitating regular reviews and recertifications to adapt to new threats and changes in the operational environment. In summary, firewall rule recertification supports the broader DORA requirements for maintaining ICT security, managing risks, and ensuring network resilience through regular oversight and updates of critical security configurations. How AlgoSec helps meet regulatory requirements AlgoSec provides the tools, intelligence, and automation necessary to help organizations comply with DORA and other regulatory requirements while streamlining ongoing risk management and security operations. Here’s how: 1. Comprehensive network visibility AlgoSec offers full visibility into your network, including detailed insights into the application connectivity that each firewall rule supports. This application-centric approach allows you to easily identify security gaps or vulnerabilities that could lead to non-compliance. With AlgoSec, you can maintain continuous alignment with regulatory requirements like DORA by ensuring every firewall rule is tied to an active, relevant application. This helps ensure compliance with DORA's ICT risk management framework, including continuous identification and management of security policies (Article 6). Benefit : With this deep visibility, you remain audit-ready with minimal effort, eliminating manual tracking of firewall rules and reducing the risk of errors. 2. Automated risk and compliance reports AlgoSec automates compliance checks across multiple regulations, continuously analyzing your security policies for misconfigurations or risks that may violate regulatory requirements. This includes automated recertification of firewall rules, ensuring your organization stays compliant with frameworks like DORA's ICT Risk Management (Article 6). Benefit : AlgoSec saves your team significant time and reduces the likelihood of costly mistakes, while automatically generating audit-ready reports that simplify your compliance efforts. 3. Incident reporting and response DORA mandates rapid detection, reporting, and recovery during incidents. AlgoSec’s intelligent platform enhances incident detection and response by automatically identifying firewall rules that may be outdated or insecure and aligning security policies with incident response protocols. This helps ensure compliance with DORA's Detection Solutions (Article 10) and Crisis Communication Plans (Article 14). Benefit : By accelerating response times and ensuring up-to-date firewall configurations, AlgoSec helps you meet reporting deadlines and mitigate breaches before they escalate. 4. Firewall policy management AlgoSec simplifies firewall management by taking an application-centric approach to recertifying firewall rules. Instead of manually reviewing outdated rules, AlgoSec ties each firewall rule to the specific application it serves, allowing for quick identification of redundant or risky rules. This ensures compliance with DORA’s requirement for regular rule recertification in both ICT risk management and continuity planning (Articles 6 and 11). Benefit : Continuous optimization of security policies ensures that only necessary and secure rules are in place, reducing network risk and maintaining compliance. 5. Managing third-party risk DORA emphasizes the need to oversee third-party ICT providers as part of a broader risk management framework. AlgoSec integrates seamlessly with other security tools, providing unified visibility into third-party risks across your hybrid environment. With its automated recertification processes, AlgoSec ensures that security policies governing third-party access are regularly reviewed and aligned with business needs. Benefit : This proactive management of third-party risks helps prevent potential breaches and ensures compliance with DORA’s ICT Business Continuity requirements (Article 11). 6. Backup, Restoration, and Recovery AlgoSec helps secure backup and recovery systems by recertifying firewall rules that protect critical assets and applications. DORA’s Backup, Restoration, and Recovery (Article 12) requirements emphasize that security controls must be periodically tested. AlgoSec automates these tests, ensuring your firewall rules support secure, segregated backup systems. Benefit : Automated recertification prevents outdated or insecure rules from jeopardizing your backup processes, ensuring you meet regulatory demands. Stay ahead of compliance with AlgoSec Meeting evolving regulations like DORA requires more than a one-time adjustment—it demands a dynamic, proactive approach to security and compliance. AlgoSec’s application-centric platform is designed to evolve with your business, continuously aligning firewall rules with active applications and automating the process of policy recertification and compliance reporting. By automating key processes such as risk assessments, firewall rule management, and policy recertification, AlgoSec ensures that your organization is always prepared for audits. Continuous monitoring and real-time alerts keep your security posture compliant with DORA and other regulations, while automated reports simplify audit preparation—minimizing the time spent on compliance and reducing human error. With AlgoSec, businesses not only meet compliance regulations but also enhance operational efficiency, improve security, and maintain alignment with global standards. As DORA and other regulatory frameworks evolve, AlgoSec helps you ensure that compliance is an integral, seamless part of your operations. Read our latest whitepaper and watch a short video to learn more about our application-centric approach to firewall rule recertification Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call
- AlgoSec | Bridging Network Security Gaps with Better Network Object Management
Prof. Avishai Wool, AlgoSec co-founder and CTO, stresses the importance of getting the often-overlooked function of managing network... Professor Wool Bridging Network Security Gaps with Better Network Object Management Prof. Avishai Wool 2 min read Prof. Avishai Wool Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 4/13/22 Published Prof. Avishai Wool, AlgoSec co-founder and CTO, stresses the importance of getting the often-overlooked function of managing network objects right, particularly in hybrid or multi-vendor environments Using network traffic filtering solutions from multiple vendors makes network object management much more challenging. Each vendor has its own management platform, which often forces network security admins to define objects multiple times, resulting in a counter effect. First and foremost, this can be an inefficient use of valuable resources from a workload bottlenecking perspective. Secondly, it creates a lack of naming consistency and introduces a myriad of unexpected errors, leading to security flaws and connectivity problems. This can be particularly applicable when a new change request is made. With these unique challenges at play, it begs the question: Are businesses doing enough to ensure their network objects are synchronized in both legacy and greenfield environments? What is network object management? At its most basic, the management of network objects refers to how we name and define “objects” within a network. These objects can be servers, IP addresses, or groups of simpler objects. Since these objects are subsequently used in network security policies, it is imperative to simultaneously apply a given rule to an object or object group. On its own, that’s a relatively straightforward method of organizing the security policy. But over time, as organizations reach scale, they often end up with large quantities of network objects in the tens of thousands, which typically lead to critical mistakes. Hybrid or multi-vendor networks Let’s take name duplication as an example. Duplication on its own is bad enough due to the wasted resource, but what’s worse is when two copies of the same name have two distinctly different definitions. Let’s say we have a group of database servers in Environment X containing three IP addresses. This group is allocated a name, say “DBs”. That name is then used to define a group of database servers in Environment Y containing only two IP addresses because someone forgot to add in the third. In this example, the security policy rule using the name DBs would look absolutely fine to even a well-trained eye, because the names and definitions it contained would seem identical. But the problem lies in what appears below the surface: one of these groups would only apply to two IP addresses rather than three. As in this case, minor discrepancies are commonplace and can quickly spiral into more significant security issues if not dealt with in the utmost time-sensitive manner. It’s important to remember that accuracy is the name in this game. If a business is 100% accurate in the way it handles network object management, then it has the potential to be 100% efficient. The Bottom Line The security and efficiency of hybrid multi-vendor environments depend on an organization’s digital hygiene and network housekeeping. The naming and management of network objects aren’t particularly glamorous tasks. Having said that, everything from compliance and automation to security and scalability will be far more seamless and risk averse if taken care of correctly. To learn more about network object management and why it’s arguably more important now than ever before, watch our webcast on the subject or read more in our resource hub . Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call
- AlgoSec | Securely accelerating application delivery
In this guest blog, Jeff Yager from IT Central Station (soon to be PeerSpot), discusses how actual AlgoSec users have been able to... Security Policy Management Securely accelerating application delivery Jeff Yeger 2 min read Jeff Yeger Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 11/15/21 Published In this guest blog, Jeff Yager from IT Central Station (soon to be PeerSpot), discusses how actual AlgoSec users have been able to securely accelerate their app delivery. These days, it is more important than ever for business owners, application owners, and information security professionals to speak the same language. That way, their organizations can deliver business applications more rapidly while achieving a heightened security posture. AlgoSec’s patented platform enables the world’s most complex organizations to gain visibility and process changes at zero-touch across the hybrid network. IT Central Station members discussed these benefits of AlgoSec , along with related issues, in their reviews on the site. Application Visibility AlgoSec allows users to discover, identify, map, and analyze business applications and security policies across their entire networks. For instance, Jacob S., an IT security analyst at a retailer, reported that the overall visibility that AlgoSec gives into his network security policies is high. He said, “It’s very clever in the logic it uses to provide insights, especially into risks and cleanup tasks . It’s very valuable. It saved a lot of hours on the cleanup tasks for sure. It has saved us days to weeks.” “AlgoSec absolutely provides us with full visibility into the risk involved in firewall change requests,” said Aaron Z. a senior network and security administrator at an insurance company that deals with patient health information that must be kept secure. He added, “There is a risk analysis piece of it that allows us to go in and run that risk analysis against it, figuring out what rules we need to be able to change, then make our environment a little more secure. This is incredibly important for compliance and security of our clients .” Also impressed with AlgoSec’s overall visibility into network security policies was Christopher W., a vice president – head of information security at a financial services firm, who said, “ What AlgoSec does is give me the ability to see everything about the firewall : its rules, configurations and usage patterns.” AlgoSec gives his team all the visibility they need to make sure they can keep the firewall tight. As he put it, “There is no perimeter anymore. We have to be very careful what we are letting in and out, and Firewall Analyzer helps us to do that.” For a cyber security architect at a tech services company, the platform helps him gain visibility into application connectivity flows. He remarked, “We have Splunk, so we need a firewall/security expert view on top of it. AlgoSec gives us that information and it’s a valuable contributor to our security environment.” Application Changes and Requesting Connectivity AlgoSec accelerates application delivery and security policy changes with intelligent application connectivity and change automation. A case in point is Vitas S., a lead infrastructure engineer at a financial services firm who appreciates the full visibility into the risk involved in firewall change requests. He said, “[AlgoSec] definitely allows us to drill down to the level where we can see the actual policy rule that’s affecting the risk ratings. If there are any changes in ratings, it’ll show you exactly how to determine what’s changed in the network that will affect it. It’s been very clear and intuitive.” A senior technical analyst at a maritime company has been equally pleased with the full visibility. He explained, “That feature is important to us because we’re a heavily risk-averse organization when it comes to IT control and changes. It allows us to verify, for the most part, that the controls that IT security is putting in place are being maintained and tracked at the security boundaries .” A financial services firm with more than 10 cluster firewalls deployed AlgoSec to check the compliance status of their devices and reduce the number of rules in each of the policies. According to Mustafa K. their network security engineer, “Now, we can easily track the changes in policies. With every change, AlgoSec automatically sends an email to the IT audit team. It increases our visibility of changes in every policy .” Speed and Automation The AlgoSec platform automates application connectivity and security policy across a hybrid network so clients can move quickly and stay secure. For Ilya K., a deputy information security department director at a computer software company, utilizing AlgoSec translates into an increase in security and accuracy of firewall rules. He said, “ AlgoSec ASMS brings a holistic view of network firewall policy and automates firewall security management in very large-sized environments. Additionally, it speeds up the changes in firewall rules with a vendor-agnostic approach.” “The user receives the information if his request is within the policies and can continue the request,” said Paulo A., a senior information technology security analyst at an integrator. He then noted, “Or, if it is denied, the applicant must adjust their request to stay within the policies. The time spent for this without AlgoSec is up to one week, whereas with AlgoSec, in a maximum of 15 minutes we have the request analyzed .” The results of this capability include greater security, a faster request process and the ability to automate the implementation of rules. Srdjan, a senior technical and integration designer at a large retailer, concurred when he said, “ By automating some parts of the work, business pressure is reduced since we now deliver much faster . I received feedback from our security department that their FCR approval process is now much easier. The network team is also now able to process FCRs much faster and with more accuracy.” To learn more about what IT Central Station members think about AlgoSec, visit https://www.itcentralstation.com/products/algosec-reviews Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call
- AlgoSec | A Guide to Upskilling Your Cloud Architects & Security Teams in 2023
Cloud threats are at an all-time high. But not only that, hackers are becoming more sophisticated with cutting-edge tools and new ways to... Cloud Security A Guide to Upskilling Your Cloud Architects & Security Teams in 2023 Rony Moshkovich 2 min read Rony Moshkovich Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 8/2/23 Published Cloud threats are at an all-time high. But not only that, hackers are becoming more sophisticated with cutting-edge tools and new ways to attack your systems. Cloud service providers can only do so much. So, most of the responsibility for securing your data and applications will still fall on you. This makes it critical to equip your organization’s cloud architects and security teams with the necessary skills that help them stay ahead of the evolving threat landscape. Although the core qualities of a cloud architect remain the same, upskilling requires them to learn emerging skills in strategy, leadership, operational, and technical areas. Doing this makes your cloud architects and security teams well-rounded to solve complex cloud issues and ensure the successful design of cloud security architecture. Here, we’ll outline the top skills for cloud architects. This can be a guide for upskilling your current security team and hiring new cloud security architects. But besides the emerging skills, what are the core responsibilities of a cloud security architect? Responsibilities of Cloud Security Architects A cloud security architect builds, designs, and deploys security systems and controls for cloud-based computing services and data storage systems. Their responsibilities will likely depend on your organization’s cloud security strategy. Here are some of them: 1. Plan and Manage the Organization’s Cloud Security Architecture and Strategy: Security architects must work with other security team members and employees to ensure the security architecture aligns with your organization’s strategic goals. 2. Select Appropriate Security Tools and Controls: Cloud security architects must understand the capabilities and limitations of cloud security tools and controls and contribute when selecting the appropriate ones. This includes existing enterprise tools with extensibility to cloud environments, cloud-native security controls, and third-party services. They are responsible for designing new security protocols whenever needed and testing them to ensure they work as expected. 3. Determine Areas of Deployments for Security Controls: After selecting the right tools, controls, and measures, architects must also determine where they should be deployed within the cloud security architecture. 4. Participating in Forensic Investigations: Security architects may also participate in digital forensics and incident response during and after events. These investigations can help determine how future incidents can be prevented. 5. Define Design Principles that Govern Cloud Security Decisions: Cloud security architects will outline design principles that will be used to make choices on the security tools and controls to be deployed, where, and from which sources or vendors. 6. Educating employees on data security best practices: Untrained employees can undo the efforts of cloud security architects. So, security architects must educate technical and non-technical employees on the importance of data security. This includes best practices for creating strong passwords, identifying social engineering attacks, and protecting sensitive information. Best Practices for Prioritizing Cloud Security Architecture Skills Like many other organizations, there’s a good chance your company has moved (or is in the process of moving) all or part of its resources to the cloud. This could either be a cloud-first or cloud-only strategy. As such, they must implement strong security measures that protect the enterprise from emerging threats and intrusions. Cloud security architecture is only one of many aspects of cloud security disciplines. And professionals specializing in this field must advance their skillset to make proper selections for security technologies, procedures, and the entire architecture. However, your cloud security architects cannot learn everything. So, you must prioritize and determine the skills that will help them become better architects and deliver effective security architectures for your organization. To do this, you may want to consider the demand and usage of the skill in your organization. Will upskilling them with these skills solve any key challenge or pain point in your organization? You can achieve this by identifying the native security tools key to business requirements, compliance adherence, and how cloud risks can be managed effectively. Additionally, you should consider the relevance of the skill to the current cloud security ecosystem. Can they apply this skill immediately? Does it make them better cloud security architects? Lastly, different cloud deployment (e.g., a public, private, edge, and distributed cloud) or cloud service models (e.g., Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)) bring unique challenges that demand different skillsets. So, you must identify the necessary skills peculiar to each proposed project. Once you have all these figured out, here are some must-have skillsets for cloud security architects. Critical Skills for Cloud Security Architect Cloud security architects need several common skills, like knowledge of programming languages (.NET, PHP, Python, Java, Ruby, etc.), network integration with cloud services, and operating systems (Windows, macOS, and Linux). However, due to the evolving nature of cloud threats, more skills are required. Training your security teams and architects can have more advantages than onboarding new recruits. This is because existing teams are already familiar with your organization’s processes, culture, and values. However, whether you’re hiring new cloud security architects or upskilling your current workforce, here are the most valuable skills to look out for or learn. 1. Experience in cloud deployment models (IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS) It’s important to have cloud architects and security teams that integrate various security components in different cloud deployments for optimal results. They must understand the appropriate security capabilities and patterns for each deployment. This includes adapting to unique security requirements during deployment, combining cloud-native and third-party tools, and understanding the shared responsibility model between the CSP and your organization. 2. Knowledge of cloud security frameworks and standards Cloud security frameworks, standards, and methodologies provide a structured approach to security activities. Interpreting and applying these frameworks and standards is a critical skill for security architects. Some cloud security frameworks and standards include ISO 27001, ISAE 3402, CSA STAR, and CIS benchmarks. Familiarity with regional or industry-specific requirements like HIPAA, CCPA, and PCI DSS can ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. Best practices like the AWS Well-Architected Framework, Microsoft Cloud Security Benchmark, and Microsoft Cybersecurity Reference Architectures are also necessary skills. 3. Understanding of Native Cloud Security Tools and Where to Apply Them Although most CSPs have native tools that streamline your cloud security policies, understanding which tools your organization needs and where is a must-have skill. There are a few reasons why; it’s cost-effective, integrates seamlessly with the respective cloud platform, enhances management and configuration, and aligns with the CSP’s security updates. Still, not all native tools are necessary for your cloud architecture. As native security tools evolve, cloud architects must constantly be ahead by understanding their capabilities. 4. Knowledge of Cloud Identity and Access Management (IAM) Patterns IAM is essential for managing user access and permissions within the cloud environment. Familiarity with IAM patterns ensures proper security controls are in place. Note that popular cloud service providers, like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform, may have different processes for implementing IAM. However, the key principles of IAM policies remain. So, your cloud architects must understand how to define appropriate IAM measures for access controls, user identities, authentication techniques like multi-factor authentication (MFA) or single sign-on (SSO), and limiting data exfiltration risks in SaaS apps. 5. Proficiency with Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms CNAPP is a cloud-native security model that combines the capabilities of Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM), Cloud Workload Protection Platform (CWPP), and Cloud Service Network Security (CSNS) into a single platform. Cloud solutions like this simplify monitoring, detecting, and mitigating cloud security threats and vulnerabilities. As the nature of threats advances, using CNAPPs like Prevasio can provide comprehensive visibility and security of your cloud assets like Virtual Machines, containers, object storage, etc. CNAPPs enable cloud security architects to enhance risk prioritization by providing valuable insights into Kubernetes stack security configuration through improved assessments. 6. Aligning Your Cloud Security Architecture with Business Requirements It’s necessary to align your cloud security architecture with your business’s strategic goals. Every organization has unique requirements, and your risk tolerance levels will differ. When security architects are equipped to understand how to bridge security architecture and business requirements, they can ensure all security measures and control are calibrated to mitigate risks. This allows you to prioritize security controls, ensures optimal resource allocation, and improves compliance with industry-specific regulatory requirements. 7. Experience with Legacy Information Systems Although cloud adoption is increasing, many organizations have still not moved all their assets to the cloud. At some point, some of your on-premises legacy systems may need to be hosted in a cloud environment. However, legacy information systems’ architecture, technologies, and security mechanisms differ from modern cloud environments. This makes it important to have cloud security architects with experience working with legacy information systems. Their knowledge will help your organization solve any integration challenges when moving to the cloud. It will also help you avoid security vulnerabilities associated with legacy systems and ensure continuity and interoperability (such as data synchronization and maintaining data integrity) between these systems and cloud technologies. 8. Proficiency with Databases, Networks, and Database Management Systems (DBMS) Cloud security architects must also understand how databases and database management systems (DBMS) work. This knowledge allows them to design and implement the right measures that protect data stored within the cloud infrastructure. Proficiency with databases can also help them implement appropriate access controls and authentication measures for securing databases in the cloud. For example, they can enforce role-based access controls (RBAC) within the database environment. 9. Solid Understanding of Cloud DevOps DevOps is increasingly becoming more adopted than traditional software development processes. So, it’s necessary to help your cloud security architects embrace and support DevOps practices. This involves developing skills related to application and infrastructure delivery. They should familiarize themselves with tools that enable integration and automation throughout the software delivery lifecycle. Additionally, architects should understand agile development processes and actively work to ensure that security is seamlessly incorporated into the delivery process. Other crucial skills to consider include cloud risk management for enterprises, understanding business architecture, and approaches to container service security. Conclusion By upskilling your cloud security architects, you’re investing in their personal development and equipping them with skills to navigate the rapidly evolving cloud threat landscape. It allows them to stay ahead of emerging threats, align cloud security practices with your business requirements, and optimize cloud-native security tools. Cutting-edge solutions like Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPPs) are specifically designed to help your organization address the unique challenges of cloud deployments. With Prevasio, your security architects and teams are empowered with automation, application security, native integration, API security testing, and cloud-specific threat mitigation capabilities. Prevasio’s agentless CNAPP provides increased risk visibility and helps your cloud security architects implement best practices. Contact us now to learn more about how our platform can help scale your cloud security. Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call
- AlgoSec | Checking the cybersecurity pulse of medical devices
Hospitals are increasingly becoming a favored target of cyber criminals. Yet if you think about medical equipment that is vulnerable to... Cyber Attacks & Incident Response Checking the cybersecurity pulse of medical devices Prof. Avishai Wool 2 min read Prof. Avishai Wool Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 6/14/16 Published Hospitals are increasingly becoming a favored target of cyber criminals. Yet if you think about medical equipment that is vulnerable to being hacked at a hospital, you might not immediately think of high-end, critical equipment such as MRI and X-ray scanners, and nuclear medicine devices. After all, these devices go through rigorous approval processes by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) before they are approved for safe use on patients. Yet today many, if not most, medical devices, have computers embedded in them, are connected to the hospital network, and often to the internet as well, so they provide a potential attack vector for cyber criminals. In late 2015 security researchers found that thousands of medical devices were vulnerable to attack and exposed to the public Internet. Interestingly, these researchers also found that many of the devices in question were running Windows XP – which is no longer supported or updated by Microsoft – and did not run antivirus software to protect them against malware. This combination raises an obvious security red flag. Ironically, these security vulnerabilities were further exacerbated because of the very FDA approvals process that certifies the devices. The approval process is, quite rightly, extremely rigorous. It is also lengthy and expensive. And if a manufacturer or vendor makes a change to a device, it needed to be re-certified. Until very recently, a ‘change’ to a medical device meant any sort of change – including patching devices’ operating systems and firmware to close off potential network security vulnerabilities. You can see where this is going: making simple updates to medical equipment to improve its defenses against cyberattacks was made that much more difficult and complex for the device manufacturers, because of the need for FDA re-certification every time a change was made. And of course, this potential delay in patching vulnerabilities made it easy for a hacker to try and ‘update’ the device in his own way, for criminal purposes. Hackers are usually not too concerned about getting FDA approval for their work. Fortunately, the FDA released new guidelines last year that allowed equipment manufacturers to patch software as required without undergoing re-certification—provided the change or modification does not ‘significantly affect the safety or effectiveness of the medical device’. That’s good news – but it’s not quite the end of the story. The FDA’s guidelines are only a partial panacea to the overall problem. They overlook the fact that many medical devices are running obsolete operating systems like Windows XP. What’s more, the actual process of applying patches to the computers in medical devices can vary enormously from manufacturer to manufacturer, with some patches needing to be downloaded and applied manually, while others may be pushed automatically. In either case, there could still be a window of weeks, months or even years before the device’s vendor issues a patch for a given vulnerability – a window that a hacker could exploit before the hospital’s IT team becomes aware that the vulnerability exists. This means that hospitals need to take great care when it comes to structuring and segmenting their network . It is vital that connected medical devices – particularly those where the internal OS may be out of date – are placed within defined, segregated segments of the network, and robustly protected with next-generation firewalls, web proxies and other filters. While network segmentation and filtering will not protect unpatched or obsolete operating system, they will ensure that the hospital’s network is secured to the best of its ability . Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call
- AlgoSec | AlgoSec and Zero-Trust for Healthcare
Before I became a Sale Engineer I started my career working in operations and I don’t remember the first time I heard the term zero trust... Zero Trust AlgoSec and Zero-Trust for Healthcare Adolfo Lopez 2 min read Adolfo Lopez Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 2/26/24 Published Before I became a Sale Engineer I started my career working in operations and I don’t remember the first time I heard the term zero trust but I all I knew is that it was very important and everyone was striving to get to that level of security. Today I’ll get into how AlgoSec can help achieve those goals, but first let’s have a quick recap on what zero trust is in the first place. There are countless whitepapers and frameworks that define zero trust much better than I can, but they are also multiple pages long, so I’ll do a quick recap. Traditionally when designing a network you may have different zones and each zone might have different levels of access. In many of these types of designs there is a lot of trust that is given once they are in a certain zone. For example, once someone gets to their workplace at the hospital, the nursing home, the dental center or any other medical office and does all the necessary authentication steps (proper company laptop, credentials, etc…) they potentially have free reign to everything. This is a very simple example and in a real-world scenario there would hopefully be many more safeguards in place. But what does happen in real world scenarios is that devices still manage to get trusted more than they should. And from my own experience and from working with customers this happens way too often. Especially in the healthcare industry this is becoming more and more important. These days there are many different types of medical devices, some that hold sensitive information, some scanning instruments, and some that might even be critical to patient support. More importantly many are connected to some type of network. Because of this level of connectivity, we do need to start shifting toward this idea of zero trust. In healthcare cybersecurity isn’t just a matter of maintaining the network, it’s about maintaining the critical operations of the hospitals running smoothly and patient data safe and secure. Maintaining security policies is critical to achieving zero trust. Below you can see some of the key features that AlgoSec has that can help achieve that goal. Feature Description Security Policy Analysis Analyze existing security policy sets across all parts of the network (on-premises and cloud) with various vendors. Policy Cleanup Identify and remove redundant rules, duplicate rules, and more from the first report. Specific Recommendations Over time, recommendations become more specific, such as identifying unnecessary rules (e.g., a printer talking to a medical device without actual use). Application Perspective Tie firewall rules to actual applications to understand the business function they support, leading to more targeted security policies. Granularity & Visibility Higher level of visibility and granularity in security policies, focusing on specific application flows rather than broad network access. Security Posture by Application View and assess security risks and vulnerabilities at the application level, improving overall security posture. One of my favorite aspects of the AlgoSec platform is that we not only help optimize your security policies, but we also start to look at security from an application perspective. Traditionally, firewall change requests come in and it’s just asking for very specific things, “Source A to Destination B using Protocol C.” But using AlgoSec we tie those rules to actual applications to see what business function this is supporting. By knowing the specific flows and tying them to a specific application this allows us to keep a closer eye on the actual security policies we need to create. This helps with that zero trust journey because having that higher level of visibility and granularity helps to keep the rules more specific. Instead of a change request coming in that is allowing wide open access between two subnets the application can be designed for only the access that is required. It also allows for an overall better view of the security posture. Zero trust, like many other ideas and frameworks in our industry might seem farfetched at first. We ask ourselves, how do we get there or how do we implement without it becoming so cumbersome that we give up on it. I think it’s normal to be a bit pessimistic about achieving the goal and it’s completely fine to look at some projects as moving targets that we might not have a hard deadline on. There usually isn’t a magic bullet that accomplish our goals, especially something like achieving zero trust. Multiple initiatives and projects are necessary. With AlgoSec’s expertise in application connectivity and policy management, we can be a key partner in that journey. Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call
- AlgoSec | Introducing AlgoSec Cloud Enterprise: Your Comprehensive App-First Cloud Security Solution
Is it getting harder and harder to keep track of all your cloud assets? You're not alone. In today's dynamic world of hybrid and... Cloud Security Introducing AlgoSec Cloud Enterprise: Your Comprehensive App-First Cloud Security Solution Iris Stein 2 min read Iris Stein Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 1/27/25 Published Is it getting harder and harder to keep track of all your cloud assets? You're not alone. In today's dynamic world of hybrid and multi-cloud environments, maintaining clear visibility of your IT infrastructure has never been more complex. 82% of organizations report that lack of visibility is a major factor in cloud security breaches. Traditional tools often fall short, leaving potential security vulnerabilities exposed and your business at risk. But there's good news! Introducing AlgoSec Cloud Enterprise (ACE) , a game-changer for managing and securing your on-premises and cloud networks. ACE provides the visibility, automation, and control you need to protect your business, no matter where your applications reside. What is AlgoSec Cloud Enterprise? AlgoSec Cloud Enterprise (ACE) is a comprehensive application-centric security solution built for the modern cloud enterprise. It empowers organizations to gain complete visibility, enforce consistent policies, and accelerate application delivery across cloud and on-premises environments. AlgoSec Cloud Enterprise (ACE) is the latest addition to AlgoSec's Horizon Platform, a comprehensive suite of security solutions designed to protect your applications and data. By integrating ACE into the Horizon Platform, AlgoSec offers a unified approach to securing your entire IT infrastructure, from on-premises to multi-cloud environments. For existing AlgoSec customers: ACE seamlessly integrates with your current AlgoSec deployments, extending your security posture to encompass the dynamic world of cloud and containers. For new AlgoSec customers: ACE provides a unified solution to manage security across your entire cloud estate, simplifying operations and reducing risk. Key Features and Capabilities ACE is packed with powerful features to help you take control of your application security: Deep application visibility: ACE discovers and maps all your applications and their components, providing a comprehensive view of your application landscape. You gain insights into application dependencies, vulnerabilities, and risks, enabling you to identify and address security gaps proactively. Unified security policy management: Define and enforce consistent security policies across all your environments, from the cloud to on-premises. This ensures uniform protection for all your applications and simplifies security management. Automated security and compliance: Automate critical security tasks, such as vulnerability assessment, compliance monitoring, and security change management. This reduces the risk of human error and frees up your security team to focus on more strategic initiatives. Organizations using automation in their security operations report a 25% reduction in security incidents . Streamlined change management: Accelerate application delivery with automated security workflows. ACE simplifies change management processes, ensuring that security keeps pace with the speed of your business. Maintain a full audit trail of all changes for complete compliance and accountability. Detect and prevent risks across the supply chain and CI/CD pipelines: Identify vulnerabilities in applications and block malicious containerized workloads from compromising business-critical production environments. Addressing Customer Pain Points ACE is designed to solve the real-world challenges faced by security teams today: Reduce application risk: Proactively identify and mitigate vulnerabilities and security threats to your applications. Accelerate application delivery: Streamline security processes and automate change management to speed up deployments. Ensure application compliance: Meet regulatory requirements and industry standards with automated compliance monitoring and reporting. Gain complete visibility: Understand your application landscape and identify potential security risks. Simplify application security management: Manage security policies and controls from a single, unified pane of glass. Prevent vulnerabilities from moving to production Ready to take your application security to the next level? Visit the AlgoSec Cloud Enterprise product page to learn more. Download our datasheet, request a personalized demo, or sign up for a free trial to experience the power of ACE for yourself. We're confident that ACE will revolutionize the way you secure your applications in the cloud. Contact us today to get started! Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call
- AlgoSec | CSPM vs. CNAPP: Which Solution to Choose?
Protecting cloud-based applications and workloads requires robust security solutions such as CSPM, CIEM and CWPP. CNAPP tries to answer... Cloud Security CSPM vs. CNAPP: Which Solution to Choose? Rony Moshkovich 2 min read Rony Moshkovich Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 11/24/22 Published Protecting cloud-based applications and workloads requires robust security solutions such as CSPM, CIEM and CWPP. CNAPP tries to answer all 3 but how do you know which solution is right for your specific organization? Ava Chawla, AlgoSec’s Global Head of Cloud Security unravels the differences between them and shares her expert opinion on the solution that offers the most value for organizations. What is Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM)? A CSPM tool monitors the logs and configuration files of the services you use in your cloud environment. It will scan the entire cloud environment to detect and prevent misconfiguration errors. This is important because configurations in the cloud happen quickly and just as quickly introduce new threats into the environment. For robust ongoing protection, you need to monitor the environment continuously and automatically. Here’s where CSPM comes in. The best CSPM solutions implement configuration best practices and automatically initiate corrective actions to remove risks, thus improving cloud security, ensuring adherence to compliance policies, and reducing the likelihood of breaches. Additionally, they are agentless, do not require long configuration, and don’t add to your cloud bills by utilizing additional cloud resources. What is Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM)? In cloud environments, identity goes beyond users and groups. It also plays a vital role in managing all the resources and services that need to access data. All these accesses happen very quickly and constitute a complex web of interactions. It’s crucial to know when and between whom these interactions occur to ensure that only legitimate resources can access or modify data. But as your cloud resources increase, the complexity of entitlements also grows. It’s not easy to keep track of these entitlements or to maintain the security-focused principle of least privilege (PoLP). CIEM tools are specialized identity-centric solutions to manage cloud access risk and govern entitlements in hybrid and multi-cloud environments. With CIEM, you can manage entitlements across all your cloud resources and maintain PoLP to mitigate the risk created by granting excessive permissions to cloud resources. What is a Cloud Workload Protection Platform (CWPP)? CWPP solutions manage cloud applications and workloads. They can reach back into on- prem environments and thus effectively detect and prevent security problems like malware and vulnerabilities across the entire hybrid landscape. CWPP solutions can scale automatically and support your organization as your cloud environment grows or changes. What is a Cloud Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP)? Each of these solutions are geared towards a specific area of cloud security. CSPM prevents misconfiguration errors, CIEM platforms manage cloud access risks, and CWPP protects your assets and workloads. But what if you want a single solution that can completely manage the security of your cloud environment? Try a Cloud Native Application Protection Platform . CNAPP solutions combine security posture management, workload protection, and entitlement management into one single platform to provide comprehensive, holistic security across multi-cloud environments. Thus, you can protect your entire cloud estate with one solution instead of having to implement and manage multiple point solutions. Another advantage of a CNAPP tool is that it will enable you to “shift left”. Thus, you can not only secure applications in production environments, but also manage the runtime and DevOps aspects of security. For this reason, these platforms are aimed at both security professionals and DevOps practitioners. Conclusion and Next Steps A CNAPP solution is the most comprehensive solution. However, in today’s market there is no one tool that truly covers all the functionalities that CNAPP promises. Therefore, each organization should choose the solution that fits its immediate needs, including taking other considerations into account such as the skill level and the maturity of its cloud adoption. One important thing to remember: Regardless of the solution you choose, make sure it’s agentless. Agentless is important in today’s cloud security because agent-based solutions are hard to manage, expensive, and intrusive. If you’re looking for a modern agentless CSPM with container protection to safeguard your cloud-based application and workload data, then Prevasio might be the best option for you. Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call
- AlgoSec | How to Make Container Security Threats More Containable
As cloud adoption and digital transformation increases, more sensitive data from applications is being stored in data containers. This is... Application Connectivity Management How to Make Container Security Threats More Containable Prof. Avishai Wool 2 min read Prof. Avishai Wool Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 9/8/22 Published As cloud adoption and digital transformation increases, more sensitive data from applications is being stored in data containers. This is why effective container security controls to securely manage application connectivity is an absolute must. AlgoSec CTO and Co-Founder, Prof. Avishai Wool provides some useful container security best practices to help you do just that. What is Container Security? Organizations, now more than ever, are adopting container technology. Instead of powering up servers and instances in the cloud, they are using containers to run business applications. Securing these is equally as important as securing other digital assets that the business is dependent on. There are two main pillars to think about: The code: you want to be able to scan the containers and make sure that they are running legitimate code without any vulnerabilities. The network: you need to control access to and from the container (what it can connect to), both inside the same cluster, other clusters, and different parts of the network. How critical is container security to managing application connectivity risks? To understand the role of container security within the overall view of network security, there are three points to consider. First, if you’re only concerned about securing the containers themselves, then you’re looking at nano-segmentation , which involves very granular controls inside the applications. Second, if you’re thinking about a slightly wider scope then you may be more concerned with microsegmentation , where you are segmenting between clusters or between servers in a single environment. Here you will want to enforce security controls that determine the allowable communication between specific endpoints at specific levels. Finally, if the communication needs to go further, from a container inside one cluster within one cloud environment to an asset that’s outside of the data center, then that might need to go through broader segmentation controls such as zoning technologies, security groups or a firewall at the border. So, there are all these layers where you can place network security policies. When you’re looking at a particular connectivity request (say for a new version of an application) from the point of view of a given container you should ask yourself: what is the container connected to? What is it communicating with? Where are those other sides of the connectivity placed? Based on that determination, you will then know which security controls you need to configure to allow that connectivity through the network. How does containerization correlate with application centric security policy management? There are a number of different aspects to the relationship between container security and application security. If an application uses containers to power up workloads then container security is very much an integral part of application security. When you’re adding new functionality to an application, powering up additional containers, asking containers to perform new tasks whereby they need to connect to additional assets, then the connectivity of those containers needs to be secured. And security controls need to be regulated or changed based on what the application needs them to do. Another factor in this relationship is the structure of the application. All the containers that run and support the application are often located in one cluster or a micro-segment of the network. So, much of the communication takes place inside that cluster, between one container or another, all in the same cluster. However, some of it can go to another cluster or somewhere that’s not even containerized. This is actually a good thing from an application point of view as the container structure can be used to understand the application structure as well. Not sure about container orchestration? Here’s what to know Container orchestration is part of a bigger orchestration play which is, in general, related to the concept of infrastructure as code. You want to be able to power up an environment with all the assets it requires, and have it function simultaneously so you can duplicate it. There are various orchestration technologies that can be used to deploy the security policies for containers , which is an excellent way to maintain container-based applications in a consistent and repeatable manner. Then if you need to double it or multiply it by 100, you can get cookie-cutter copies of the same thing. How will container security solutions play out in the future? Organizations today have the technology to enforce security controls at the container level, but these controls are very granular and it’s time-consuming to set policies and enforce them, particularly with issues like staff or skills shortages. Looking ahead, companies are likely to take a hierarchical view where container-based security is controlled at the application level by app owners or developers, and at the broader levels to ensure that the measures deployed throughout the network have the same degree of sophistication. Procedures and tooling are all evolving, so we don’t have a definitive answer as to how this will all end up. What are organizations going to be doing? Where will they place their controls? Who has the power to make the changes? When newer technologies are deployed, customer adoption will be crucial to understanding what makes the most sense. This will be interesting as there will be multiple scenarios to help companies master their security blueprint as we move forward. To learn how the use of containerization as a strategy can help reduce risk and drive application-centric security, check out this video . Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... 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