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Explore Algosec's customer success stories to see how organizations worldwide improve security, compliance, and efficiency with our solutions. AlgoSec Case Study: Natilik and Rothschild Organization Natilik and Rothschild Industry Financial services Headquarters Download case study Share Customer
success stories AlgoSec Case Study: Natilik and Rothschild Interview details Interviewee: Robert Elgidge, Security Solutions Director at Natilik Company: Natilik, UK-based global managed service provider Client: Rothschild, a multinational financial services institution Background Natilik, a global managed service provider, collaborated with AlgoSec to address the complex security challenges faced by Rothschild, a financial services leader with over 60 offices in 40 countries and $2.5 billion in annual revenue. Rothschild’s operations include investment banking, asset management, and private banking, as well as advisory roles for governments. Given their critical global role, securing and streamlining their IT infrastructure was a top priority. As part of their modernization strategy, Natilik also leveraged AWS to support Rothschild’s expanding cloud footprint and used the AlgoSec Horizon platform to provide unified visibility and security management across both AWS and on-prem environments. This hybrid approach allowed Natilik to centralize security policy analysis, application connectivity mapping, and risk prioritization across firewalls, cloud controls, and distributed sites. Watch the interview: Natilik’s expertise spans five key solution areas: Collaboration and modern work : enabling seamless communication and productivity across teams. Customer engagement : enhancing customer experiences through tailored digital solutions. Modern networks : building secure, scalable, and high-performing network infrastructures. Multi-cloud and data centers : supporting hybrid and multi-cloud environments for agility and scalability. Cybersecurity : providing end-to-end protection, which underpins all other solution areas. Cybersecurity forms the backbone of their offerings, ensuring clients like Rothschild can navigate an evolving threat landscape while maintaining compliance and operational excellence. Primary use case Rothschild’s primary challenges stemmed from fragmented security policies and inefficient manual processes. According to Robert Elgidge: “Rothschild’s large global firewall estate led to poor visibility and cumbersome management. AlgoSec was introduced to simplify these complexities, but initially, the company struggled with change management, approvals, and deploying firewall rules. Although AlgoSec offered the technology and intelligence needed, a significant amount of manual work was required to align stakeholders and integrate workflows.” With the introduction of AWS into their hybrid architecture, Natilik used AlgoSec Horizon to bridge visibility gaps between cloud and on-prem environments. Horizon’s application-centric discovery and cross-environment policy analysis helped Natilik consolidate cloud security groups, optimize hybrid access rules, and ensure consistent enforcement across AWS and traditional firewalls. AlgoSec’s deployment ultimately allowed Rothschild to consolidate security policies and automate manual processes, reducing errors and freeing resources for higher-value projects. Most valuable features Robert highlighted several standout features of AlgoSec: “AlgoSec’s rule intelligence feature was crucial. It identified which firewall rules were essential and which could be removed, dramatically simplifying the structure. This optimization not only improved performance but also saved significant costs. Initially, Rothschild considered investing in new firewall infrastructure, but AlgoSec’s ability to streamline and prioritize existing rules negated that need. The resulting performance boost was substantial, avoiding unnecessary expenses and improving operational efficiency.” By focusing on rule prioritization and optimization, AlgoSec enhanced Rothschild’s security posture and operational outcomes. With the addition of AlgoSec’s cloud-native capabilities (via its Horizon/ACE architecture), this rule intelligence and optimization extends not only to physical and on-prem firewalls, but also to cloud-native firewalls and security-group configurations ensuring effective policy hygiene across hybrid and multi-cloud estates. Areas for improvement Despite AlgoSec’s benefits, Robert noted areas for potential improvement: “Internal challenges with workflows and approvals persisted. While AlgoSec provided the technical capabilities, a more tailored approach to building or improving management processes would have been helpful. The main difficulties lay in the bureaucratic side of things, such as aligning request and approval roles.” These challenges highlighted the importance of aligning organizational processes with advanced security technologies. Usage duration “My experience with AlgoSec began in 2022, during its deployment at Rothschild. Shortly after, I transitioned to another organization that also used AlgoSec, which gave me further insight into its capabilities across different environments.” Solution stability Robert praised AlgoSec’s reliability: “There were no stability issues. Once AlgoSec was fully integrated, it became the central authority for rule management. We removed manual admin rights from the technical team, ensuring all changes went through AlgoSec. This approach eliminated human error and reinforced the solution’s effectiveness.” This stability now also covers hybrid and cloud-native policy environments, so Rothschild benefits from the same governance and control whether rules apply to physical appliances or cloud firewalls. Customer service and support “The technical support team was highly skilled and responsive. However, in regions like Brazil, where collaboration often involves discussions and in-person meetings, a purely technical approach didn’t always fully address our needs. A more consultative support model could enhance the customer experience in these scenarios.” Initial setup “Deploying AlgoSec was challenging due to the complexity of Rothschild’s network. However, the technical support team acted quickly to address any issues, ensuring the implementation proceeded smoothly. Once the environment was stabilized, maintenance and ongoing use were straightforward.” Return on investment AlgoSec delivered a strong return on investment for Rothschild: “The money saved on after-hours work alone justified the tool within the first year. By optimizing firewall rules and automating workflows, we achieved significant operational savings. This freed up resources for other critical business initiatives, directly contributing to profitability.” With the addition of cloud-native policy management, Rothschild now sees potential additional savings by avoiding redundant firewall investments and streamlining cloud infrastructure as part of their hybrid estate. Pricing, setup costs, and licensing “Compared to other solutions like Tufin and FireMon, AlgoSec was competitively priced and stayed within budget. There were no significant additional costs apart from standard licensing fees. While we did hire new personnel to support change management, that was more related to internal processes than the technology itself.” Final insights Robert shared his advice for organizations considering AlgoSec: “AlgoSec is best suited for larger enterprises with complex environments, especially those with multiple firewall vendors and over 500 rules. For smaller setups, the added complexity of a dedicated solution might not be necessary. However, for businesses dealing with significant network complexity, AlgoSec simplifies management and delivers substantial value. With its cloud-native capabilities, hybrid-ready architecture, and unified policy management across on-prem and cloud, it’s more relevant than ever for organisations operating across diverse infrastructures.I’d rate it 10 out of 10 for companies with the right use case.” Schedule time with one of our experts

Confidently automate your security policy change process with AlgoSec FireFlow from planning through risk analysis, implementation and validation Automated security policy management Leverage intelligent automation to confidently automate your security policy change process from planning through risk analysis, implementation, and validation. Schedule a demo Explore automation maturity Experience zero-touch change management Accelerate security policy changes while ensuring accuracy, saving time, and preventing errors – with zero-touch. Watch a video Speed up secure application deployment AppChange allows for changes at the business application level, including during application migrations, server deployment, and decommissioning. Learn more Save time by identifying devices that are in the way Automatically identify devices that are blocking connectivity flow, so you know what rules need to change. Download the Ebook Design smarter security policies Make existing rules and objects smarter to reduce complexity. Mitigate risk Make sure your changes don’t introduce risk, vulnerability, or compliance violations. Automatically analyze every proposed change before it’s implemented. Make changes exactly as intended Validate that changes were successfully and accurately applied and tickets not prematurely closed. Integrate with your existing processes Don’t change the way you work – use the tools you already know. Seamlessly integrate with your existing IT Service Management solution. End-to-end security management Intelligent automation is only one piece of a robust security policy. See how our full solution suite completes the picture. Firewall Analyzer See the whole picture Enable visibility across your hybrid network, optimize firewall rules, and prioritize risks. Firewall Analyzer solution AlgoSec Cloud Effortless cloud management Security management across the multi-cloud and multi-vendor estate AlgoSec Cloud solution AppViz Optimize the discovery of applications and services Leverage advanced AI to identify your business applications and their network connectivity accurately. AppViz solution Equip yourself with the technical details to discuss with your team and managers Ready for a deep dive? Contact us today Got everything you need?
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You’re about to dive deep! Cloud Security Watch the video "We cut the time it takes to implement firewall rules by at least 50%" What they say about us Placeholder Name Get the latest insights from the experts The 100x Revolution, learn how to Future-Proof your business applications with Secure Application Connectivity. Anywhere. Download the eBook Case Study- Nationwide Testimonial - AlgoSec Watch it now Product introduction video- Learn the key capabilities of the AlgoSec Secure application connectivity platform. Watch it now FireFlow automates the security change policy process from planning through deployment to production. FireFlow integrates with your existing with IT Service Management (ITSM) solutions, such as ServiceNow, BMC Remedy and HP for quick, accurate changes. What is FireFlow? Using FireFlow you can manage all inbound firewall rules to protect the network against incoming traffic, such as disallowed connections, malware, and denial-of-service (DoS) attacks and outbound firewall rules to protect against outgoing traffic, originating inside a network. How can I manage my firewall's inbound & outbound rules? FireFlow enables firewall security policy management through automated changes to firewall policies. FireFlow zero-touch change management integrates strategy, planning and design, implementing proactive risk analysis, validation and auditing to prevent errors and save time. How can I manage my firewall security policy? Firewall change requests are requests for a firewall configuration change which result in a change to the network security infrastructure. Firewall change requests must be monitored to prevent unintentional errors that violate compliance standards or increase vulnerabilities to the network. What are firewall change requests? Firewall policy rules determine what traffic your firewall allows and what is blocked. Firewall rules examine the control information in individual packets, and either block or allow them according to the criteria that you define. Firewall rules control how the firewalls protect your network from malicious programs and unauthorized access. What are firewall policy rules? When making changes to firewall rules, be aware of any potential security risks. Firewall rules should always be documented, with the creation and expiration date, the name of the person who added the rule and clarification of the rule’s purpose and what applications, services, devices, users and data it affects. What are the best practices for managing firewall policy rules? FAQ Schedule time and let's talk about intelligent automation Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue Schedule time and let's talk about intelligent automation

View AlgoSec s press releases to stay on top of the latest company announcements Press releases Filter by release year AlgoSec Security Management Solution A33.20 removes network security change friction across hybrid and multi-cloud networks January 22, 2026 The new capabilities empower teams to move faster with clarity, control, and business-aligned risk prioritization 2026 AlgoSec’s Horizon Platform Fuels Company Growth and Global Application-Centric Security September 9, 2025 A gross dollar retention rate of over 90% and 36% year-over-year new business growth highlight adoption across industries 2025 AlgoSec Security Management solution A33.10 delivers new compliance reporting and precise discovery of application connectivity May 20, 2025 The new product version release provides extended multi-cloud hybrid network visibility, reduces risk exposure and addresses new compliance regulations in a unified platform 2024 AlgoSec Wins SC Award for Best Security Company, Global InfoSec Award for Best Service Cybersecurity Company May 14, 2025 These award wins follow a year of double-digit year-on-year annual recurring revenue growth and the launch of the AlgoSec Horizon Platform 2024 AlgoSec’s 2025 State of Network Security Report Reveals Growing Adoption of Zero-Trust Architecture and Multi-Cloud Environments April 3, 2025 Annual vendor-agnostic research found businesses continue to prioritize multi-cloud environments, with Cisco, Microsoft Azure, AWS, Palo Alto Networks and Fortinet leading the way 2024 AlgoSec Achieves Strong Growth in 2024, Expands Customer Partnerships and Services Driven by Application-Centric Vision March 20, 2025 Continued growth underscores AlgoSec’s commitment to innovation and leadership in application-centric security to drive business value 2024 AlgoSec Launches AlgoSec Horizon, its Most Advanced Application-Centric Security Platform for Converging Cloud and On-Premise Environments February 11, 2025 AlgoSec Horizon platform empowers organizations to seamlessly secure applications across complex, converging cloud and on-premise network environments with AI-driven visibility, automation and risk mitigation 2024 AlgoSec Wins Two Cisco Partnership Awards, Recognizing the Value for Securing Application Connectivity Across Hybrid Networks November 20, 2024 Cisco awards AlgoSec with EMEA Co-Sell Partner of the Year and Cisco Meraki Marketplace Tech Partner of the Month based on the company’s continued innovation and dedication to application security 2024 AlgoSec launches its AI-powered Security Platform, to securely manage application-centric connectivity and remediate risk in real time September 25, 2024 The new release deploys advanced AI for fast and accurate application discovery, provides clear visualization and mapping of application connectivity and potential security risks in complex hybrid environments 2024 2023 AlgoSec Security Management Solution A33.20 removes network security change friction across hybrid and multi-cloud networks Date The new capabilities empower teams to move faster with clarity, control, and business-aligned risk prioritization AlgoSec’s Horizon Platform Fuels Company Growth and Global Application-Centric Security Date A gross dollar retention rate of over 90% and 36% year-over-year new business growth highlight adoption across industries AlgoSec Security Management solution A33.10 delivers new compliance reporting and precise discovery of application connectivity Date The new product version release provides extended multi-cloud hybrid network visibility, reduces risk exposure and addresses new compliance regulations in a unified platform AlgoSec Wins SC Award for Best Security Company, Global InfoSec Award for Best Service Cybersecurity Company Date These award wins follow a year of double-digit year-on-year annual recurring revenue growth and the launch of the AlgoSec Horizon Platform AlgoSec’s 2025 State of Network Security Report Reveals Growing Adoption of Zero-Trust Architecture and Multi-Cloud Environments Date Annual vendor-agnostic research found businesses continue to prioritize multi-cloud environments, with Cisco, Microsoft Azure, AWS, Palo Alto Networks and Fortinet leading the way AlgoSec Achieves Strong Growth in 2024, Expands Customer Partnerships and Services Driven by Application-Centric Vision Date Continued growth underscores AlgoSec’s commitment to innovation and leadership in application-centric security to drive business value AlgoSec Launches AlgoSec Horizon, its Most Advanced Application-Centric Security Platform for Converging Cloud and On-Premise Environments Date AlgoSec Horizon platform empowers organizations to seamlessly secure applications across complex, converging cloud and on-premise network environments with AI-driven visibility, automation and risk mitigation AlgoSec Wins Two Cisco Partnership Awards, Recognizing the Value for Securing Application Connectivity Across Hybrid Networks Date Cisco awards AlgoSec with EMEA Co-Sell Partner of the Year and Cisco Meraki Marketplace Tech Partner of the Month based on the company’s continued innovation and dedication to application security AlgoSec launches its AI-powered Security Platform, to securely manage application-centric connectivity and remediate risk in real time Date The new release deploys advanced AI for fast and accurate application discovery, provides clear visualization and mapping of application connectivity and potential security risks in complex hybrid environments 2022 AlgoSec Security Management Solution A33.20 removes network security change friction across hybrid and multi-cloud networks Date The new capabilities empower teams to move faster with clarity, control, and business-aligned risk prioritization AlgoSec’s Horizon Platform Fuels Company Growth and Global Application-Centric Security Date A gross dollar retention rate of over 90% and 36% year-over-year new business growth highlight adoption across industries AlgoSec Security Management solution A33.10 delivers new compliance reporting and precise discovery of application connectivity Date The new product version release provides extended multi-cloud hybrid network visibility, reduces risk exposure and addresses new compliance regulations in a unified platform AlgoSec Wins SC Award for Best Security Company, Global InfoSec Award for Best Service Cybersecurity Company Date These award wins follow a year of double-digit year-on-year annual recurring revenue growth and the launch of the AlgoSec Horizon Platform AlgoSec’s 2025 State of Network Security Report Reveals Growing Adoption of Zero-Trust Architecture and Multi-Cloud Environments Date Annual vendor-agnostic research found businesses continue to prioritize multi-cloud environments, with Cisco, Microsoft Azure, AWS, Palo Alto Networks and Fortinet leading the way AlgoSec Achieves Strong Growth in 2024, Expands Customer Partnerships and Services Driven by Application-Centric Vision Date Continued growth underscores AlgoSec’s commitment to innovation and leadership in application-centric security to drive business value AlgoSec Launches AlgoSec Horizon, its Most Advanced Application-Centric Security Platform for Converging Cloud and On-Premise Environments Date AlgoSec Horizon platform empowers organizations to seamlessly secure applications across complex, converging cloud and on-premise network environments with AI-driven visibility, automation and risk mitigation AlgoSec Wins Two Cisco Partnership Awards, Recognizing the Value for Securing Application Connectivity Across Hybrid Networks Date Cisco awards AlgoSec with EMEA Co-Sell Partner of the Year and Cisco Meraki Marketplace Tech Partner of the Month based on the company’s continued innovation and dedication to application security AlgoSec launches its AI-powered Security Platform, to securely manage application-centric connectivity and remediate risk in real time Date The new release deploys advanced AI for fast and accurate application discovery, provides clear visualization and mapping of application connectivity and potential security risks in complex hybrid environments Choose a better way to manage your network Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... 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Webinars Network Security Vision with Application Visibility | Live discussion and demo You’re always making changes to your network, commissioning and decommissioning servers, moving data to and from the cloud, revising application connectivity settings and policies, and/or adding and removing business applications. But how do you make sure that you are not running blind and making network configuration mistakes that may lead to outages? Are you leaving firewall openings for unused applications, making your network vulnerable to insider threats or outside attackers? Stop running blind. Expand your vision with application visibility. With application visibility, you associate your traffic flows to the related business applications, enhance network visibility, improve troubleshooting, gain enhanced compliance reports, and even save time while improving security on your network. In this webinar, Avishai Wool, AlgoSec’s co-founder and CTO, and Yoni Geva, AlgoSec’s Product Manager, will demonstrate – in a live demo – how to overcome these challenges and ensure business continuity through application visibility. Join the webinar and learn how to: Associate your business applications with your security policy rules. Identify the network traffic relevant for each application. Identify hidden risks and vulnerabilities in your applications. Associate compliance violations with relevant business applications. Improve troubleshooting by identifying affected applications. Better document the applications on your network. March 5, 2020 Prof. Avishai Wool CTO & Co Founder AlgoSec Yoni Geva Product Manager Relevant resources Adopting an application-centric approach to security management: getting business leaders interested Keep Reading The Need for Application-Centric Security Policy Management Keep Reading Choose a better way to manage your network Choose a better way to manage your network Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

Boost Cisco ACI adoption with AlgoSec. Simplify security management, enhance visibility, and streamline policy automation for your ACI environment. Increasing Cisco ACI adoption with AlgoSec ---- ------- Schedule a Demo Select a size ----- Get the latest insights from the experts Choose a better way to manage your network

Управляйте политикам сетевой безопасности независимо от места размещения сетевых устройств Получите полную видимость, автоматизацию изменений и соответствие требованием регуляторов Безопасное подключение приложений. В любом месте. Автоматизируйте подключение приложений и политику безопасности в вашей гибридной сети, чтобы вы могли действовать быстро и оставаться в безопасности. Получить демо-версию Watch a video Получите полную видимость Визуализация всей сетевой инфраструктуры и управление политиками безопасности в традиционных сетях, публичных и частных облаках. Поиск, идентификация, и определение бизнес-приложений в масштабах всей сети. Всегда в соответствии с требованиями регуляторов Настройте автоматические отчеты и существенно сократите время, необходимое для подготовки к аудиту. «Соответствие» – это комплекс мер, который делается не в момент прихода аудиторов. Производите изменения автоматизировано и безопасно Исключите ошибки конфигурации за счет автоматизации процесса изменения сетевых политик безопасности – от планирования и анализа рисков, до применения и валидации. Получите контроль над всеми сетевыми политиками безопасности Schnelle, sichere Bereitstellung von Applikationen und effiziente Verwaltung von Security-Richtlinien für Public Clouds, Private Clouds, Container und On-Premises-Netzwerke Более 2,200 компаний по всему миру доверяют нам, начиная с 2004 года Получить демо-версию Найдите более удобный способ управлять сетью

Explore Algosec's customer success stories to see how organizations worldwide improve security, compliance, and efficiency with our solutions. BM&FBOVESPA Invests In Security Policy Management To Improve Operational Efficiencies Organization BM&FBOVESPA Industry Financial Services Headquarters Sao Paulo, Brazil Download case study Share Customer
success stories "AlgoSec helps us maintain a problem-free environment. And because of operational efficiencies, the product paid for itself within the first year. With AlgoSec, we can do more with less" Leading Latin American Stock Exchange Maintains a Secure, Compliant Trading Environment AlgoSec Business Impact • Recouped investment in AlgoSec within the first year• Reduce rule review project from 1 month to 1 day• Helps maintain a secure, compliant environment• Frees up staff to focus on other crucial security tasks Background Headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil, BM&FBOVESPA is the largest stock exchange in Latin America. BM&FBOVESPA has a diversified and integrated trading model offering a complete custody system. Trading takes place in an exclusively electronic environment. The Exchange enables customers to trade equities, to hedge and to execute arbitrage, investment diversification, allocation and the leveraging of positions. Challenge To keep its systems and transactions secure, BM&FBOVESPA utilizes firewalls from several vendors. In total these firewalls have about 40,000 firewall rules, with another 5,000 added annually. Even with two full-time employeesfocused on maintaining firewall rules, the steady addition of rules and objects created clutter and consumed the firewall appliances’ CPU and memory. Therefore, BM&FBOVESPA realized that an automated solution for firewall policy management was the natural next step in the maturity of its information security processes. “Manually managing our firewall policies was difficultand time consuming. We needed a solution that supported a variety of different firewall vendors and could integrate and manage all policies in an automated manner,” said Wellington Vita, Information Security Manager of BM&FBOVESPA. Solution Following a recommendation from Compugraf, one of BM&FBOVESPA’s key security partners, Vita and his team evaluated AlgoSec’s Security Management solution. The proof of concept clearly showed the value of the solution and the ease and speed with which it could be deployed. The ability to integrate and manage devices from multiple vendors and provide visibility across the entire network was also important in BM&FBOVESPA’s decision to select AlgoSec. Results BM&FBOVESPA uses AlgoSec on a daily basis to manage its firewall policies. “AlgoSec is a great product which helps us maintain the core of our environment -the firewall policy. With AlgoSec we can easily identify unused rules and objects, as well as rules that were not compliant with our information security policy.” noted Vita. “While using AlgoSec, we also discovered a new benefit. AlgoSec enables our information security architects to understand how information flows between firewalls, which helps them significantly with their information security projects.” The gains in efficiency and productivity have dramatically reduced the time consumed by firewall policy management. “Because of operational efficiencies AlgoSec paid for itself in the first year,” said Vita. In addition to cutting the time needed to perform ongoing policy management, the solution enabled BM&FBOVESPA to meet deadlines that would previously have been unachievable. “A month ago, we had to review our incoming internet access rules in two days — and did. Without AlgoSec, it would have taken us at least a month to accomplish this task,” added Vita.“AlgoSec helps us maintain a problem-free environment. And we have been able to move members of our team who previously handled these maintenance jobs onto other tasks, so we can do more with less. I recommend AlgoSec to other companies — it will help them improve their firewall policy management processes,” concluded Vita. Schedule time with one of our experts

Compared to on-premises data storage, cloud computing comes with a lot of benefits. On-demand access to company data, flexibility, and... Cloud Security What is a Cloud Security Assessment? (and How to Perform One) 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 7/12/23 Published Compared to on-premises data storage, cloud computing comes with a lot of benefits. On-demand access to company data, flexibility, and fast collaboration are just a few. But along with these advantages come increased security risks. To manage them, companies should invest in regular cloud security assessments. What Is a Cloud Security Risk Assessment? A cloud security assessment evaluates the potential vulnerabilities of an organization’s cloud environment. These assessments are essential to mitigate risks and ensure the continued security of cloud-based systems. By looking at cloud applications, services, and data, companies can better understand the biggest threats to their cloud environment. By managing these threats, businesses can avoid costly workflow interruptions. A security assessment can be done by an organization’s internal security team or by an outside security expert. This can happen one time only, or it can be done regularly as part of an organization’s overall cybersecurity plan. How Do Cloud Security Risk Assessments Protect Your Business? Cloud-based systems and services are an essential part of most businesses nowadays. Unfortunately, what makes them convenient is also what makes them vulnerable to security threats. A cloud security risk assessment helps organizations find out what might go wrong and prevent it from happening. It also helps with prioritizing and managing the most serious issues before they become full-on data breaches. One way assessments do this is by identifying misconfigurations. Cloud misconfigurations are behind many security breaches. They result from errors introduced by network engineers working on early cloud systems. A cloud security assessment earmarks these and other outmoded security features for repair. What’s more, cloud security assessments identify third-party risks from APIs or plugins. When your company identifies risks and manages permissions, you keep your cloud environment safe. By mitigating third-party risks, you can still benefit from outside vendors. Of course, none of this information is valuable without employee education. Employees need to know about risks and how to stop them; this is the best way to reduce the number of security incidents caused by human error or carelessness. To put it simply, a cloud security assessment helps your business run smoothly. When you know the risks your company faces and can manage them, you reduce the impact of security-related incidents. That means you can recover faster and get back to work sooner. 7 Benefits of Cloud Security Risk Assessments Cloud security risk assessments provide lots of benefits. They can help you: Improve cloud security posture . Understanding the ins and outs of a cloud-based system helps organizations plan better. For example, they can modify their security budget or improve their risk management strategy based on the results. Uncover security vulnerabilities . Cloud security assessments pinpoint weak spots. This includes misconfigurations , access control issues, and missing multi-factor authentications (MFAs). Once identified, organizations can fix the issues and avoid security breaches. Develop a more secure multi-cloud environment . Most organizations use multiple cloud platforms. Usually, this involves private or public clouds or a combination of both. This is ideal from a financial and agility perspective. But every extra layer in a cloud environment introduces potential risks. A cloud security assessment is essential in identifying these cross-cloud threats. Achieve compliance with industry standards and regulatory bodies . Ensuring compliance with GDPR, PCI-DSS, and HIPAA helps protect organizations from millions of dollars of potential fines . Manage your reputation. A sensitive data leak or other cloud security incident damages a company’s reputation. Think of companies like Target, Facebook, and LinkedIn. All have faced backlash after security breaches . Conducting cloud security assessments shows that organizations value customer and stakeholder privacy. Detect past threats . A cloud security assessment looks for things that might be wrong with the way your cloud system is set up. It can also help you find out if there have been any past security problems. By doing this, you can see if someone has tried to tamper with the security of your cloud system in the past, which could signal a bigger problem. Increase efficiency . Cloud security assessments show you which security measures are working and which aren’t. By getting rid of security tools that aren’t needed, employees have more time to work on other tasks. Cost savings . The most compelling reason to run a cloud security assessment is that it helps save money. Cost savings come from eliminating unnecessary security measures and from missed work time due to breaches. What Risks Do Cloud Security Assessments Look For? Cloud security assessments focus on six areas to identify security vulnerabilities in your cloud infrastructure: overall security posture, access control and management, incident management, data protection, network security, and risk management and compliance. Some specific risks cloud security assessments look for include: Cloud Misconfigurations Misconfigurations are one of the most common threats to overall security posture. In fact, McAfee’s enterprise security study found that enterprises experience 3,500 security incidents per month because of misconfigurations. From improperly stored passwords to insecure automated backups, misconfiguration issues are everywhere. Because they’re so common, fixing this issue alone can reduce the risk of a security breach by up to 80%, according to Gartner . Access Control and Management Problems This assessment also highlights ineffective access control and management. One way it does this is by identifying excessive network permissions. Without the proper guardrails (like data segmentation) in place, an organization’s attack surface is greater. Plus, its data is at risk from internal and external threats. If an employee has too much access to a company’s network, they might accidentally delete or change important information. This could cause unintended system problems. Additionally, if hackers get access to the company’s network, they could easily steal important data. Cloud security assessments also look at credentials as part of user account management. A system that uses only static credentials for users or cloud workloads is a system at risk. Without multifactor authentication (MFA) in place, hackers can gain access to your system and expose your data. Improper Incident Management and Logging When it comes to incident management, a cloud security assessment can reveal insufficient or improper logging — problems that make detecting malicious activities more difficult. Left unchecked, the damage is more severe, making recovery more time-consuming and expensive. Insufficient Data and Network Security Data protection and network security go hand in hand. Without proper network controls in place (for example firewalls and intrusion detection), data in the cloud is vulnerable to attack. A cloud security assessment can identify gaps in both areas. Based on the results of a cloud security assessment, a company can make a risk management plan to help them react as quickly and effectively as possible in the event of an attack. The last aspect of cloud security the assessment looks at is compliance with industry standards. 7 Steps To Perform a Cloud Security Assessment The main components of cloud security assessments include: Identifying your cloud-based assets, discovering vulnerabilities through testing, generating recommendations, and retesting once the issues have been addressed. The steps to performing a cloud security assessment are as follows: Step One: Define the project Get a picture of your cloud environment. Look at your cloud service providers (CSPs), third-party apps, and current security tools. First, decide which parts of your system will be evaluated. Next, look at the type of data you’re handling or storing. Then consider the regulations your business must follow. Step Two: Identify potential threats Look at both internal and external threats to your cloud-based system. This could include endpoint security, misconfigurations, access control issues, data breaches, and more. Then figure out how likely each type of attack is. Finally, determine what impact each attack would have on your business operations. Step Three: Examine your current security system Look for vulnerabilities in your existing cloud security. In particular, pay attention to access controls, encryption, and network security. Step Four: Test Penetration testing, port scanners, and vulnerability scanners are used to find weaknesses in your cloud environment that were missed during the original risk assessment. Step Five: Analyze Look at the results and determine which weaknesses need immediate attention. Deal with the issues that will have the biggest impact on your business first. Then, focus on the issues most likely to occur. Finish by handling lower-priority threats. Step Six: Develop an action plan Come up with a time-bound remediation plan. This plan should spell out how your organization will deal with each security vulnerability. Assign roles and responsibilities as part of your incident response program. Depending on the results, this could include updating firewalls, monitoring traffic logs, and limiting access control. Step Seven: Maintain Cloud security assessments can be done as a one-off, but it’s much better to monitor your systems regularly. Frequent monitoring improves your organization’s threat intelligence. It also helps you identify and respond to new threats in real time. Getting Help With Your Cloud Security Assessment Cloud security assessment tools are used to identify vulnerabilities in a cloud infrastructure which could lead to data loss or compromise by attackers. As an agentless cloud security posture management (CSPM) tool , Prevasio helps identify and fix security threats across all your cloud assets in minutes. Our deep cloud scan checks for security weaknesses, malware, and compliance. This helps ensure that your company’s cloud environment is protected against potential risks. But any CSPM can do that . Prevasio is the only solution that provides container security dynamic behavior analysis. Our technology spots hidden backdoors in your container environments. It also identifies supply chain attack risks. Paired with our container security static analysis for vulnerabilities and malware, your containers will never be safer. Our CSPM works across multi-cloud, multi-accounts, cloud-native services , and cloud assets. Whether you’re using Microsoft Azure, S3 buckets in AWS, or Cosmos DB in GCP, Prevasio is the security system your company has been looking for. But we do more than identify security threats. We increase your team’s efficiency. How? By providing a prioritized list of cloud risks ranked according to CIS benchmarks. That means no more uncertainty about what needs to get done. Our easy-to-understand results help your team concentrate on the most important things. This saves time and money by reducing the need for extra administrative work. A Final Word on Cloud Security Assessments Performing regular cloud security assessments helps your business spot security issues before they become major problems. When you reinforce your security controls and define your incident response plan, you make your organization more efficient. Plus, you keep things going even when issues arise. Put together, these proactive measures can save you money. Sign up today and see how Prevasio can help your team ! FAQs About Cloud Security Assessments What are the four areas of cloud security? The four pillars of cloud security are data availability, data confidentiality, data integrity, and regulatory compliance. What is included in a security assessment? Cloud security assessments include: Identifying your cloud-based assets, discovering vulnerabilities through testing, generating recommendations, and retesting once the issues have been addressed. Schedule a demo Related Articles 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 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 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

Explore Algosec's customer success stories to see how organizations worldwide improve security, compliance, and efficiency with our solutions. Bt Streamlines Firewall Change Control And Proves Compliance Across Its Global Networks Organization BT Industry Telecom Headquarters London, UK Download case study Share Customer
success stories "AlgoSec now does the heavy lifting for us. It allows the engineers to focus more on providing greater levels of security than on process and change, so we’re able to provide a much more secure infrastructure for BT" Background A leading world-wide provider of communications services and solutions, BT serves customers in more than 170 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband, TV and internet products and services; and converged fixed/mobile products and services. Challenge BT’s internal network is a complex, highly segmented environment that has evolved over the last two decades throughout its worldwide locations. BT’s infrastructure relies on a large number of third-party domains and business-to-business connections with over 1,000 policy enforcement points, some of which date back a number of years.“The challenge facing BT is around the size of the estate, the complexity and our ability to demonstrate at audit that the rules within the policy are still appropriate, still valid, and still authorized,” says Phil Packman, General Manager of Security Gateway Operations for BT. “Equally, we’re challenged to ensure that rules don’t make it into the rulebase unless they’re approved and authorized.” BT therefore realized that it needed automation and reporting to better control its massive rulebase, and provide an approved audit trail to both auditors and internal stakeholders. Solution BT set about to solve its security challenges by creating a set of criteria for evaluating off-the-shelf, automated security solutions. “The criteria were based on ‘total costof ownership,’ our roadmap, and probably most importantly, the willingness of the partner to work with us,” says Packman. AlgoSec uniquely met BT’s requirements.Another feature BT liked was AlgoSec’s ability to prove that policies are implemented as approved. According to Packman, this was a capability “which we’d not seen in other products, and which we couldn’t achieve with our in-house tools.”AlgoSec’s commitment to customer success and its money-back guarantee were also deciding factors in BT’s selection process. Results Immediately after deployment, AlgoSec enabled BT to reduce error rates, make improvements to their rulebase implementation process and ultimately give BT better control over its network security. Packman explains: “Most notably, we were able to track down rogue connectivity, or connectivity that we didn’t understand properly. It gave us an almost immediate view of certain high-risk situations.”In addition, by using AlgoSec’s compliance reports, Packman’s engineering team were able to instantly demonstrate that no rules could be added to the firewall policy without proper approval — saving countless hours.Simplifying the audit preparation process led to a surprise benefit for BT’s Security Gateway Operations Team, which performs rule implementation and authorization: “AlgoSec has allowed us to change the skills profile of the team because the tool does the heavy lifting for us. Now our engineers can focus more on providing greater levels of security than on process and change, so we’re able to provide a much more secure infrastructure for BT.”Packman also endorses AlgoSec’s customer service, stating that the relationship has been a very positive one. “This has really helped put our minds at rest. We believe we’ve done the right thing in terms of deploying AlgoSec.”Using AlgoSec continues to enable BT to manage the complexity of its network with confidence, as it pursues growing and competitive global markets for its IT, computing, and communications services. Packman summarizes: “We have met every objective we hoped to achieve with AlgoSec.” Schedule time with one of our experts

Enhance your network security with application segmentation solutions from Guardicore and AlgoSec, providing advanced visibility and control to protect critical assets. Application segmentation: Guardicore and AlgoSec ---- ------- Schedule a Demo Select a size ----- Get the latest insights from the experts Choose a better way to manage your network

Understand HIPAA network compliance requirements. Learn how to safeguard patient data with robust network security measures and ensure compliance with HIPAA regulations. HIPAA network compliance & security requirements explained What are HIPAA network compliance requirements, rules, and violations? The advancement in data management technology has revolutionized how healthcare providers offer their services. Digital or electronic solutions are integrated into healthcare processes to improve productivity, enhance efficiency, and meet patients’ demands. Before digital transformation swept across the healthcare industry, healthcare providers at all levels relied upon manual methods and traditional data processing to carry out their day-to-day activities. Today, modern solutions, like computerized physician order entry (CPOE) and electronic health records (EHR), have replaced them, streamlining repetitive tasks, encouraging collaboration, and improving data sharing. Even though using computerized systems and other medical record management systems is very helpful, the security of confidential healthcare information has been a major challenge. To ensure that the privacy and security of patients’ information are maintained, the government created a law to enforce compliance (by organizations) with security best practices. This is where HIPAA comes in! Schedule a Demo What is HIPAA compliance? This refers to compliance with regulatory standards that outline what organizations that handle protected health information (PHI) must do to ensure the privacy and security of patients’ data. The U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires healthcare providers and their business associates to implement physical, network, and process security measures to ensure the security of PHI. HIPAA regulations set clear standards that health organizations must meet when managing patients’ sensitive data, like patient medical records, health insurance information, and other personally identifiable information. Schedule a Demo Who needs to be HIPAA-compliant? According to the HIPAA, the Privacy Rule covers: Health plans Health care clearinghouses Healthcare providers who execute certain financial and administrative transactions electronically. Schedule a Demo What are HIPAA compliance requirements? There are some measures organizations are required to implement to protect patients’ sensitive data. If your company is a “covered entity”, it is expected to meet the following compliance requirements: 1. Have a dedicated HIPAA privacy officer There is a need for a professional who understands HIPAA and how to comply with the regulations. The officer will guide your organization on the right path and implement necessary measures to avoid HIPAA violations. And when a data breach or violation happens, the officer should restore order following the provisions of the act. 2. Identify and classify sensitive data Does your organization manage data that is not subject to HIPAA regulations? If that is the case, identify and classify sensitive information that should be handled according to HIPAA requirements. This helps you to implement security measures with little or no ambiguity. 3. Staff training Malicious actors usually target employees of organizations they want to attack. To equip your staff with the ability to spot attacks from a distance, you need to institute staff training. Your employees need to learn how to implement physical, administrative, and technical safeguards to protect PHI. 4. Institute strict data management policies Getting your staff trained on HIPAA laws and regulations is not enough. They need good leadership to uphold data security standards. Establish data management policies to enforce best practices and regulate access privileges. 5. Equip your facilities with security solutions Access control is a significant part of HIPAA compliance. Ensure unauthorized users don’t have access to computers, documents, or sensitive parts of workstations. You can achieve this by implementing security measures that regulate access to data and notify you when someone trespasses. 6. Install encryption software where necessary Data encryption solutions make files inaccessible to cybercriminals. Cloud solutions and other digital methods of storing data have increased the surface area for attacks. Malicious cyber actors are relentlessly scouring the internet for security vulnerabilities. Safeguarding patients’ data with encryption software is the way to go. 7. Enforce common best practices Visiting a malware-compromised website or clicking an ‘infected’ link can make your organization prone to a security breach. Encourage safe browsing and adopt security solutions, like email security software and antivirus systems. 8. File disposal policy Don’t dispose of documents or storage devices without rendering them unreadable. The best way to dispose of documents and records is to destroy them – by shredding or burning them. 9. Establish procedures for handling data breaches The primary goal is to prevent a security breach. However, the undesirable happens, and you need to be ready for the worst-case scenario. Establish and maintain procedures for managing security challenges. Ensure you appoint well-trained security experts who can respond swiftly when a breach occurs. 10. Monitor & review your assets & procedures regularly Keep an eye on your data assets and management policies. This helps you to identify inefficiencies and adopt measures to plug loopholes. Regular review is necessary to ensure you are keeping up with best practices. Remove outdated solutions and procedures to stay a thousand steps ahead of criminals. 11. Implement a strict backup policy Implement a backup strategy that conforms with the dictates of HIPAA. That said, having a good backup policy helps you clean up a data breach quickly. The general backup best practice is to have three copies of data at three different premises – on-site, off-site, and cloud locations. 12. Establish and maintain a disaster recovery plan A disaster recovery plan outlines how your organization will restore operations and manage stakeholders after a security breach. It details how your security team will respond to emergencies or the aftermath of security problems. Remember, your disaster recovery system should comply with the provisions of HIPAA. Schedule a Demo What are the four main HIPAA rules? The major HIPAA rules are the Privacy Rule , Security Rule , Breach Notification Rule , and Omnibus Rule . Let’s take a look at each rule. The HIPAA privacy rule The HIPAA Privacy Rule is a regulatory framework that mandates covered entities and their business associates to uphold patients’ rights to data privacy. The privacy rule states what constitutes electronically protected health information, how it should be safeguarded, and the DOs and DON’Ts of PHI management. In a nutshell, this rule establishes how patients’ sensitive information should be protected, stored, used, shared, and disclosed. Any identifiable patient data is subject to the Privacy Rule. The PHI includes: Any past, present or future documentation on physical or mental conditions Healthcare records of the patient Records showing past, present, or future healthcare payment information According to the Privacy Rule , covered entities and their business associates are responsible for protecting PHI. There are cases where organizations can disclose private health information. But such scenarios are strictly defined by the rule and subject to legal interpretation. The HIPAA security rule While the Privacy Rule defines what privacy and ePHI (electronic PHI) are, the Security Rule is a framework that outlines the standards required to ensure the security of electronically protected health information. The security rule covers every aspect of your organization’s operations, from administration and physical processes to computers and technology equipment. The security rule has five sections: general rules, administrative safeguards, physical safeguards, technical safeguards, and organizational requirements. The General Rules The General rules mandate organizations to: Protect ePHI from reasonably anticipated threats or hazards Prevent any reasonably anticipated uses or disclosures of PHI that are not in line with the provisions of the Privacy Rule Enforce compliance with the security rule by the employees The Administrative Safeguards The Administrative Safeguards require the implementation of security policies and procedures. It dictates that the Security Officer should be responsible for conducting risk analyses, staff training, adopting risks and vulnerability management measures, and other administrative measures. The Physical Safeguards The physical safeguards outline how physical access to ePHI should be regulated. Whether the ePHI is stored in the cloud, in a remote data center, or on on-premise servers, there should be a strict policy that regulates access. This section of the security rule also states how access to workstations and devices should be safeguarded. The Technical Safeguards This part of the security rules focuses on ensuring that every person accessing ePHI is legitimate and does exactly what they are supposed to do. The technical safeguards help to ensure that security challenges are identified and rectified timely. The safeguards cover access controls, audit controls, integrity controls, transmission security, and any person or entity authentication. Organizational Requirements This section states the things business associate agreements must cover. Organizational Requirements stipulate that: Business associate agreements must provide that the business associates comply with the relevant parts of the security rule. Business associates must ensure compliance with subcontractors by entering into an Agreement with them. Business associates will report any security breach to the concerned covered entity. The HIPAA breach notification rule As much as organizations strive to comply with the requirements of HIPAA, security breaches still happen. It’s difficult, if not impossible, for covered entities and business associates to protect data with 100% effectiveness. Organizations must notify the public and the data subjects about a breach and disclose the steps they are taking to contain the problem. The Breach Notification Rule outlines what covered entities need to do when a breach occurs. Organizations are required to: Notify the people affected by the breach Inform the affected people within 60 days of the discovery of the security incident Provide a public notice if more than 500 individuals are impacted And more! The HIPAA omnibus rule According to the Omnibus Rule, organizations outside of covered entities (business associates and contractors) must meet compliance obligations. This rule states that covered entities are responsible for ensuring that business associates and contractors are compliant. Consequently, covered entities have to implement compliance measures to avoid any violations. Schedule a Demo What are HIPAA violations and how to avoid them? Violation is said to have occurred when an organization fails to comply with or meet the requirements of HIPAA. There are two major categories of violations: civil and criminal violations. Civil violations are committed accidentally or without malicious intent. On the other hand, criminal violations are done with malicious intent. As expected, penalties for civil violations are less than that for criminal violations. Here are some examples of violations and tips on how to avoid them: Illegal exposure of patients’ data Disclosing patients’ data to unauthorized parties accidentally or on purpose violates HIPAA provisions. There is a guideline for disclosing sensitive healthcare information. When due process is not followed, a violation occurs. And the penalty for unlawful disclosure of medical records depends on a range of factors, including whether it’s a civil or criminal violation. To avoid this type of violation, implement strict administrative policies. Allow only a few well-trained administrators to have the privilege to access or disclose data. When data access is strictly regulated, you can easily prevent unauthorized access and keep tabs on data management. Failure to implement proper security best practices The HIPAA security rule outlines the security protocols covered entities are required to implement. Given the complexity of data protection today, it’s easy to leave important things undone. You can avoid this by appointing an experienced security officer. You should also set up a committee of security professionals responsible for ensuring the proper implementation of security protocols. Lack of a consistent training policy It takes consistent staff training to meet the requirements of HIPAA. Both old and new employees need to be trained from time to time on how to protect healthcare data. Make training an integral part of your administrative policy. Non-compliance to security regulations is mainly caused by people. No matter the type of access management or security risk mitigation software you implement, you need an informed workforce to ensure compliance. Lack of proper notification after a security breach The HIPAA breach notification rule states how healthcare service providers should notify affected data subjects and public officials after a security incident. Failure to do so accordingly results in HIPAA violation. To avoid this, appoint a HIPAA compliance officer to monitor compliance gaps and ensure that requirements are met at every point in time. In addition, your contingency plan or disaster recovery system should contain a guideline on how to notify impacted parties when things go wrong. Lack of measures to address existing compliance gaps Neglecting existing compliance gaps or not doing the needful to avoid potential security problems violates HIPAA. Healthcare organizations are expected to act proactively, leveraging risk assessment and risk management policy to protect PHI. To close compliance gaps, do the following: Establish a HIPAA compliance enforcement team and a compliance officer Keep all software updated Conduct HIPAA audits regularly Work with a health information technology and security company that offers HIPAA compliance services. Schedule a Demo How can your network become HIPAA compliant with AlgoSec? HIPAA compliance requirements can be challenging to meet. The requirements are many, and you need teams of dedicated experts to interpret and design compliance strategies. Managing in-house teams of compliance experts is capital-intensive and time-consuming. Therefore outsourcing compliance duties to a technology and security vendor is the way to go. AlgoSec provides comprehensive network security solutions you need for your organization to become HIPAA compliant. AlgoSec automatically identifies compliance gaps and provides remediation guidance. It also allows you to easily generate daily audit and compliance reporting across your entire network – whether the data is in the on-premise data center, in the private cloud or in the public cloud. Best of all, AlgoSec generates pre-populated, audit-ready compliance reports that help reduce HIPAA audit preparation efforts and costs. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you comply with HIPAA provisions. Schedule a Demo Select a size What are HIPAA network compliance requirements, rules, and violations? What is HIPAA compliance? Who needs to be HIPAA-compliant? What are HIPAA compliance requirements? What are the four main HIPAA rules? What are HIPAA violations and how to avoid them? How can your network become HIPAA compliant with AlgoSec? Get the latest insights from the experts Use these six best practices to simplify compliance and risk mitigation with the AlgoSec platform White paper Learn how AlgoSec can help you pass PCI-DSS Audits and ensure continuous compliance Solution overview See how this customer improved compliance readiness and risk management with AlgoSec Case study Choose a better way to manage your network

Learn about the Center for Internet Security (CIS) Controls and how they enhance your cybersecurity posture. Discover how AlgoSec helps achieve and maintain CIS compliance. What is CIS Compliance? (and How to Apply CIS Benchmarks) What are CIS benchmarks? CIS provides best practices to help companies like yours improve their cloud security posture. You’ll protect your systems against various threats by complying with its benchmark standards. This post will walk you through CIS benchmarks, their development, and the kinds of systems they apply to. We will also discuss the significance of CIS compliance and how Prevasio may help you achieve it. CIS stands for Center for Internet Security . It’s a nonprofit organization that aims to improve companies’ cybersecurity readiness and response. Founded in 2000, the CIS comprises cybersecurity experts from diverse backgrounds. They have the common goal of enhancing cybersecurity resilience and reducing security threats. CIS compliance means adhering to the Center for Internet Security (CIS) benchmarks. CIS benchmarks are best practices and guidelines to help you build a robust cloud security strategy. These CIS benchmarks give a detailed road map for protecting a business’s IT infrastructure. They also encompass various platforms, such as web servers or cloud bases. The CIS benchmarks are frequently called industry standards. They are normally in line with other regulatory organizations, such as ISO, NIST, and HIPAA. Many firms adhere to CIS benchmarks to ensure they follow industry standards. They also do this to show their dedication to cybersecurity to clients and stakeholders. The CIS benchmarks and CIS controls are always tested through on-premises analysis by leading security firms. This ensures that CIS releases standards that are effective at mitigating cyber risks. Schedule a Demo How are the CIS benchmarks developed? A community of cybersecurity professionals around the world cooperatively develops CIS benchmarks. They exchange their knowledge, viewpoints, and experiences on a platform provided by CIS. The end result is consensus-based best practices that will protect various IT systems. The CIS benchmark development process typically involves the following steps: 1. Identify the technology: The first step is to identify the system or technology that has to be protected. This encompasses a range of applications. It can be an operating system, database, web server, or cloud environment. 2. Define the scope: The following stage is to specify the benchmark’s parameters. It involves defining what must be implemented for the technology to be successfully protected. They may include precise setups, guidelines, and safeguards. 3. Develop recommendations: Next, a community of cybersecurity experts will identify ideas for safeguarding the technology. These ideas are usually based on current best practices, norms, and guidelines. They may include the minimum security requirements and measures to be taken. 4. Expert consensus review: Thereafter, a broader group of experts and stakeholders assess the ideas. They will offer comments and suggestions for improvement. This level aims to achieve consensus on the appropriate technical safeguards. 5. Pilot testing: The benchmark is then tested in a real-world setting. At this point, CIS aims to determine its efficacy and spot any problems that need fixing. 6.Publication and maintenance: The CIS will publish the benchmark once it has been improved and verified. The benchmark will constantly be evaluated and updated to keep it current and useful for safeguarding IT systems. Schedule a Demo What are the CIS benchmark levels? CIS benchmarks are divided into three levels based on the complexity of an IT system. It’s up to you to choose the level you need based on the complexity of your IT environment. Each level of the benchmarks offers better security recommendations than the previous level. The following are the distinct categories that benchmarks are divided into: Level 1 This is the most basic level of CIS standards. It requires organizations to set basic security measures to reduce cyber threats. Some CIS guidelines at this level include password rules, system hardening, and risk management . The level 1 CIS benchmarks are ideal for small businesses with basic IT systems. Level 2 This is the intermediate level of the CIS benchmarks. It is suitable for small to medium businesses that have complex IT systems. The Level 2 CIS standards offer greater security recommendations to your cloud platform. It has guidelines for network segmentation, authentication, user permissions, logging, and monitoring. At this level, you’ll know where to focus your remediation efforts if you spot a vulnerability in your system. Level 2 also covers data protection topics like disaster recovery plans and encryption. Level 3 Level 3 is the most advanced level of the CIS benchmarks. It offers the highest security recommendations compared to the other two. Level 3 also offers the Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) profiles for companies. STIG are configuration guidelines developed by the Defense Information Systems Agency. These security standards help you meet US government requirements. This level is ideal for large organizations with the most sensitive and vital data. These are companies that must protect their IT systems from complex security threats. It offers guidelines for real-time security analytics, safe cloud environment setups, and enhanced threat detection. Schedule a Demo What types of systems do CIS benchmarks apply to? The CIS benchmarks are applicable to many IT systems used in a cloud environment. The following are examples of systems that CIS benchmarks can apply to: Operating systems: CIS benchmarks offer standard secure configurations for common operating systems, including Amazon Linux, Windows Servers, macOS, and Unix. They address network security, system hardening, and managing users and accounts. Cloud infrastructure: CIS benchmarks can help protect various cloud infrastructures, including public, private, and multi-cloud. They recommend guidelines that safeguard cloud systems by various cloud service providers. For example, network security, access restrictions, and data protection. The benchmarks cover cloud systems such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, IBM, Oracle, and Google Cloud Platform. Server software: CIS benchmarks provide secure configuration baselines for various servers, including databases (SQL), DNS, Web, and authentication servers. The baselines cover system hardening, patch management, and access restrictions. Desktop software: Desktop apps such as music players, productivity programs, and web browsers can be weak points in your IT system. CIS benchmarks offer guidelines to help you protect your desktop software from vulnerabilities. They may include patch management, user and account management, and program setup. Mobile devices: The CIS benchmarks recommend safeguarding endpoints such as tablets and mobile devices. The standards include measures for data protection, account administration, and device configuration. Network devices: CIS benchmarks also involve network hardware, including switches, routers, and firewalls. Some standards for network devices include access restrictions, network segmentation, logging, and monitoring. Print devices: CIS benchmarks also cover print devices like printers and scanners. The CIS benchmark baselines include access restrictions, data protection, and firmware upgrades. Schedule a Demo Why is CIS compliance important? CIS compliance helps you maintain secure IT systems. It does this by helping you adhere to globally recognized cybersecurity standards. CIS benchmarks cover various IT systems and product categories, such as cloud infrastructures. So by ensuring CIS benchmark compliance, you reduce the risk of cyber threats to your IT systems. Achieving CIS compliance has several benefits: Your business will meet internationally accepted cybersecurity standards The CIS standards are developed through a consensus review process. This means they are founded on the most recent threat intelligence and best practices. So you can rely on the standards to build a solid foundation for securing your IT infrastructure. It can help you meet regulatory compliance requirements for other important cybersecurity frameworks CIS standards can help you prove that you comply with other industry regulations. This is especially true for companies that handle sensitive data or work in regulated sectors. CIS compliance is closely related to other regulatory compliances such as NIST, HIPAA, and PCI DSS. By implementing the CIS standards, you’ll conform to the applicable industry regulations. Achieving CIS continuous compliance can help you lower your exposure to cybersecurity risks In the process, safeguard your vital data and systems. This aids in preventing data breaches, malware infections, and other cyberattacks. Such incidents could seriously harm your company’s operations, image, and financial situation. A great example is the Scottish Oil giant, SSE. It had to pay €10M in penalties for failing to comply with a CIS standard in 2013. Abiding by the security measures set by CIS guidelines can help you achieve your goals faster as a business The guidelines cover the most important and frequently attacked areas of IT infrastructure. CIS compliance enhances your general security posture It also decreases the time and resources needed to maintain security. It does this by providing uniform security procedures across various platforms. Schedule a Demo How to achieve CIS compliance? Your organization can achieve CIS compliance by conforming to the guidelines of the CIS benchmarks and CIS controls. Each CIS benchmark usually includes a description of a recommended configuration. It also usually contains a justification for the implementation of the configuration. Finally, it offers step-by-step instructions on how to carry out the recommendation manually. While the standards may seem easy to implement manually, they may consume your time and increase the chances of human errors. That is why most security teams prefer using tools to automate achieving and maintaining CIS compliance. CIS-hardened images are great examples of CIS compliance automation tools. They are pre-configured images that contain all the necessary recommendations from CIS benchmarks. You can be assured of maintaining compliance by using these CIS-hardened images in your cloud environment. You can also use CSPM tools to automate achieving and maintaining CIS compliance. Cloud Security Posture Management tools automatically scan for vulnerabilities in your cloud. They then offer detailed instructions on how to fix those issues effectively. This way, your administrators don’t have to go through the pain of doing manual compliance checks. You save time and effort by working with a CSPM tool. Schedule a Demo Use Prevasio to monitor CIS compliance. Prevasio is a cloud-native application platform (CNAPP) that can help you achieve and maintain CIS compliance in various setups, including Azure, AWS, and GCP. A CNAPP is basically a CSPM tool on steroids. It combines the features of CSPM, CIEM, IAM, and CWPP tools into one solution. This means you’ll get clearer visibility of your cloud environment from one platform. Prevasio constantly assesses your system against the latest version of CIS benchmarks. It then generates reports showing areas that need adjustments to keep your cloud security cyber threat-proof. This saves you time as you won’t have to do the compliance checks manually. Prevasio also has a robust set of features to help you comply with standards from other regulatory bodies. So using this CSPM tool, you’ll automatically comply with HIPAA, PCI DSS, and GDPR. Prevasio offers strong vulnerability evaluation and management capabilities besides CIS compliance monitoring. It uses cutting-edge scanning algorithms to find known flaws, incorrect setups, and other security problems in IT settings. This can help you identify and fix vulnerabilities before fraudsters can exploit them. Schedule a Demo The bottom line on CIS compliance Achieving and maintaining CIS compliance is essential in today’s continually changing threat landscape . However, doing the compliance checks manually takes time. You may not also spot weaknesses in your cloud security in time. This means that you need to automate your CIS compliance. And what better solution than a cloud security posture management tool like Prevasio? Prevasio is the ideal option for observing compliance and preventing malware that attack surfaces in cloud assets. Prevasio offers a robust security platform to help you achieve CIS compliance and maintain a secure IT environment. This platform is agentless, meaning it doesn’t run on the cloud like most of its competitors. So you save a lot in costs every time Prevasio runs a scan. Prevaiso also conducts layer analysis. It helps you spot the exact line of code where the problem is rather than give a general area. In the process, saving you time spent identifying and solving critical threats. Schedule a Demo Select a size What are CIS benchmarks? How are the CIS benchmarks developed? What are the CIS benchmark levels? What types of systems do CIS benchmarks apply to? Why is CIS compliance important? How to achieve CIS compliance? Use Prevasio to monitor CIS compliance. The bottom line on CIS compliance Get the latest insights from the experts Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) Read more Hybrid cloud management: All you need to know Learn more Prevasio CNAPP data-sheet Solution brochure Choose a better way to manage your network