Contact us anytime to know more — Abhishek P., Founder & CFO CISIN
Microsoft Teams is just one of many cloud-based applications employees use to remain productive while working remotely, but it also poses cyber-security threats to IT departments. IT staff augment rely on various monitoring and management tools in order to better understand their network; hackers continue looking for opportunities to launch attacks against it.
Cyber risks for businesses were rapidly on the rise before adopting remote working. Threats include professionalization, an increase in phishing attacks and ransomware attacks and dispersed workforces posing greater exposure.
Highly-skilled threat agents regularly exploited remotely working to gain financial gain - which resulted in theft of intellectual property theft as well as supply chain threats, among others.
Traditional approaches to product security involved releasing products quickly to market before worrying about security, but this didn't work well: this puts too many cybersecurity obligations onto customers while leaving unprotected points in supply chains.
Cyber threats have increased exponentially, and pressure to prevent attacks against economic or other critical infrastructure is growing ever greater.
Both private sector firms and the general public failed to recognize a need for change when it came to security in development processes; as a result, neither saw a need to alter this practice. EO addresses modernizing technology and security by various means, such as using NIST Framework protection against software supply chain attacks as well as working closely with Big Tech partners for improving security awareness skills development programs and Secure-by-Design principles development principles as an aid against devastating cyber threats.
Three Core Principles Of Secure-By-Design
CISA has developed three key principles to provide support for critical infrastructure security:
- Safety should never fall solely upon customers; technology manufacturers bear responsibility for safeguarding customer wellbeing.
- The tech industry should become more transparent to enable a greater understanding of consumer safety issues and hold companies responsible for the products they are creating and selling.
- Technology leaders must explicitly prioritize creating secure products. One effective approach would be publishing a roadmap outlining how their product designs and updates will ensure security both by design and by default.
To best comprehend the significance of security-by-design architecture and its role in overall development, it's necessary to first gain an understanding of this term.
What is Secure by Design?
Security by Design, or Secure-by Design, as it's commonly referred to, brings cybersecurity into software and hardware development from day one, considering all development components at each stage of production for increased protection and peace of mind.
Secure-by-design principles aim to minimize cybersecurity fixes like patch updates and software upgrades discovered after products hit the market by taking into account both newly written code and open-source programs used by developers as part of this approach.
Cybersecurity and Secure-by Design
Software today typically combines code written by its developer with third-party libraries or open-source code from third parties.
While developers have complete control of what they produce, their output cannot affect what end users use it for. Anyone may correct open-source flaws; unfortunately, there's no single way to correct all flaws at once.
Any vulnerability in software supply can create havoc - from shutting down networks to opening the way for ransomware attacks; SolarWinds is one such software that has the capacity to disrupt both government and industry; an attack in its supply chains could prove devastating, prompting increased attention on national cybersecurity by the White House; particularly with regard to software supply chains.
Implementing secure-by-design principles allows developers to anticipate and mitigate vulnerabilities during development without completely eliminating all potential loopholes.
Secure by design allows organizations not only to integrate practices for testing code during each development stage but also to ensure products can receive updates and fixes in the future. A lack of secure-by-design architecture is evident in firmware for many IoT products - anyone who has tried updating their router, printer, or security camera software is aware of how difficult updating their device's software can be, much less its firmware updates; threat actors take note.
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What is Secure by Design?
Once software goes live, it becomes vulnerable to attack. Secure-by-design principles allow organizations to ensure that their end products remain secure - as listed by OWASP on its Secure Design Page.
- Failsafe or Fail Secure
- Layered defense
- Least Privilege
- Separation Of Duties
- Open Design
- Finding the weakest link.
Implementation of security by design principles relies upon close cooperation among developers throughout all stages of development, especially because developers themselves do not possess training in spotting security issues.
A security team responsible for applying this concept in practice must be involved at every stage of software and hardware design - providing advice about network connections, plug-ins and components without jeopardizing security.
As organizations make the move to Secure-by Design, many will experience a cultural shift. Development teams may never have collaborated before on security matters, and leadership must remain vigilant for delays when bringing products to market; nonetheless, their end users will still benefit from safer products since most cybersecurity responsibilities no longer lie with them - this makes for greater supply chain security overall.
Reduce Vulnerability in Five Easy Steps
CISIN has watched the threat landscape evolve over time. Our company has taken five steps in response to help other IT departments create more secure environments.
Currently, apps play an indispensable part in cybersecurity, protecting you against costly threats while following all regulations for cybersecurity regulations. Indulgence or ignorance could leave users vulnerable while accessing every app can compromise digital privacy resulting in laziness or ignorance compromising digital privacy and potentially leading to vulnerabilities.
globally, the security of applications spending billions is of primary concern as messaging apps may be misused to harass other users or create chaos preventing users from misusing messaging apps or messaging services simply used as a nuisance!
Limit Shadow IT
All aspects of a network must be seen and managed effectively, knowing who your employees are and which resources they can access.
With today's dispersed nature of technology, shadow IT poses a growing concern; shadow IT refers to when employees use services like Dropbox and Google Workspace that have not been approved by their IT department and limit team visibility into systems; seemingly innocent apps may cause data loss as hackers could exploit vulnerabilities within them to access other apps and services.
Adopt Zero Trust
Increased companies are adopting hybrid and remote work arrangements, making it critical that staff, data, and company resources are protected effectively.
A security that operates under an assumption of compromise protects resources while operating from zero trust premises is ideal for protecting employee wellness and company resources. Every request by companies for information and services from suppliers is carefully examined to make sure no unauthorized network access has taken place.
Zero-trust principles allow enterprises to effectively monitor their networks while managing policies; multi factor authentication may also be possible. Location, identity, or any other criteria used to assess user access can all help define who's eligible. Zero trust systems improve visibility while helping identify threats and reduce vulnerabilities - it creates an atmosphere where employees may gain more access than ever to valuable data and knowledge.
Strengthen Software Development Processes
Cyber attacks usually focus on money or data theft, software developers should remain alert to a growing threat: supply chain attacks.
Hackers are capable of altering code remotely in order to gain entry and cause harm or harm to users. In order to thwart attacks and increase resilience, software developers need to ensure their environments and building processes remain safe.
Software development at CISIN has long been a top priority. We learned to craft programs using various environments with unique access credentials for easier creation of products created using multiple environments; hackers may face greater difficulty accessing code to corrupt those made using dynamic environments intended to destroy themselves after use, thus streamlining development processes; additionally, these dynamic environments serve a purpose in protecting networks by stopping hackers from penetrating it or remaining there for too long.
Red Teams: Leverage
Assessing vulnerabilities and identifying threats doesn't need to be complicated for businesses. Red teams offer enterprises an efficient solution that reduces the time taken in identifying every potential risk by simulating real-time attacks against network weaknesses simulated using brute-force attacks or phishing campaigns, using simulations of real-time threats against real network weaknesses like brute force or phishing attacks as examples, red teams allow IT professionals to hone their technical
skills while adapting quickly to threats as they arise, thus helping prevent breaches by adapting more rapidly adapting quickly to threats while investigating breaches as compared with investigating breaches alone - including documenting all actions taken by red teams against identified breaches identifying attacks taken as they identify them before.
It Is Possible To Defend Yourself When You Make Your People Part
Technology and automated processes will be essential in combating hackers and breaches, but human action still poses significant risks.
Enterprises should treat employees like part of a security team to create an ideal network; additionally, regularly scheduled training should ensure employees practice good cyber hygiene practices.
Security by design has become a top priority across the C-suite, not only IT. Privacy can be at stake due to increasing numbers of security breaches; hackers have found ways to bypass measures and penetrate lines despite numerous solutions developed by researchers.
Every business, no matter its size, faces complex threats as the threat landscape evolves rapidly - therefore, creating a community to support you in protecting against these types of threats is key for survival.
Cybersecurity Trends To Watch Out For In 2023
The Rise of Automotive Hacking
Modern vehicles feature advanced driver assistance systems such as airbags, cruise control and engine timing to provide drivers with enhanced driving experiences.
Furthermore, automated software provides seamless connectivity. Bluetooth and WiFi communications may pose vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit; as the use of automated cars increases in 2023, more hackers may gain control over them or listen in on conversations using microphones; self-driving vehicles require even stricter cybersecurity measures than before to keep hackers at bay.
Artificial Intelligence: Potential and Benefits
AI technology has pervaded all sectors of the market, and machine learning technology is revolutionizing cybersecurity.
Artificial Intelligence has become an essential element in automated security systems as it serves to perform face detection and threat detection functions; additionally, it's being employed for targeted attacks to bypass current security protocols; AI-enabled systems can detect new attacks and instantly alert admins of potential data breaches instantly.
The New Target is Mobile
Cyber security trends reveal an alarming rise in mobile banking attacks or malware (up to 50 per cent), making handheld devices an attractive target for hackers and placing more individuals at risk from our photos, financial transactions and emails.
In 2023, malware or viruses on smartphones may become the focus of cyber trends.
The Cloud Is Also Vulnerable
As more companies make the shift to cloud services, it becomes ever more crucial that they monitor and update security to safeguard data.
While cloud apps like Google or Microsoft provide high levels of protection, users themselves often make errors that compromise data or cause malicious attacks or phishing schemes to occur.
Read More: How To Protect Ourselves From Biggest Cyber Threat?
Cyber-attacks: Prime Target
Organizations worldwide will continue to struggle with data. Securing digital information - be it organizational or individual - has become the top priority.
Hackers exploit any minor bug in software or browser of computers in order to gain access to personal information stored therein.
Iot With 5g Network: A New Era Of Technology And Risks
What Is 5G, And Why Does it Matter? The Internet of Things will become a reality soon with 5G's growth; what it entails and why it matters are both vital considerations.
Communication among multiple devices exposes them to outside influences or attacks by unknown software bugs. Google Chrome was found with numerous vulnerabilities, while 5G architecture is relatively new and needs further research so as to close any loopholes which could allow attackers access into our systems.
we don't yet fully comprehend all possible attacks that might compromise it so manufacturers must adhere strictly when building these products to avoid data breaching!
Automatism and Integration
Automation is increasingly necessary as data continues to explode exponentially. Engineers and professionals in today's increasingly stressful work environments demand automation more than ever; agile software development incorporates security measurements for more comprehensive protection; cyber security is integral in large, complex web app development processes requiring automation measures as part of software engineering practices.
Ransomware That Targets Specific Individuals
Targeted ransomware attacks are another significant cybersecurity trend we cannot afford to ignore. Industries across industrialized nations rely heavily on software for daily operations; hence ransomware attacks usually target specific industries or systems.
While ransomware often threatens victims with the publishing of personal details if no ransom payment is received immediately, such attacks may also impact larger organizations or nations directly.
State-Sponsored Cyber Warfare
Struggles between Western and oriental powers to establish superiority will remain intense in 2023, even as attacks between US-Iran or Chinese hackers cause global news coverage, often having an effect on elections or criminal activities during election seasons; with over 70 elections set to occur this year alone and criminal activities increasing accordingly; cybersecurity trends expected in 2023 include high-profile data breach incidents as well as breaches pertaining to industrial secrets or political secrets that become the target.
Insider Threats
Human error is by far the leading cause of data breaches. A single slip-up or intentional flaw could bring down an organization and compromise millions of records in an instant.
Verizon's report on data breaches provides insight into cybersecurity trends; 34% of attacks come directly or indirectly through employees - so make sure to raise more awareness in your workplace regarding protecting data!
Remote Work Cybersecurity
Due to the pandemic, many businesses have had no choice but to embrace remote work; this has introduced additional cybersecurity concerns for organizations.
Cyberattacks may impact remote workers more as their networks and devices may not be properly secured; organizations must take appropriate precautions, such as multi factor authentication and secure VPNs, in order to safeguard these workers effectively.
Social Engineering Attacks
As social engineering attacks increase, attackers have adopted increasingly sophisticated phishing and spear phishing attacks that use techniques such as phishing to gain access to sensitive data.
Therefore, organizations need to ensure their staff receive proper training on reporting suspicious activities as soon as they arise in order to detect attacks promptly and take measures necessary to prevent them.
Cybersecurity: The Biggest Issues And Challenges In 2023
Some cyber threats remain, while others come and go year to year. Here are the key cybersecurity companies should prepare to deal with in 2023.
Ransomware as Extortion Ransomware
Ransomware as Extortion Ransomware was initially developed as malware that focused on data encryption to extort payments from users.
Attackers would encrypt legitimate users' files to stop them from accessing them; once complete, they could demand payment via ransom.
Since ransomware's explosive growth has led to increased security research into how best to detect and mitigate its threats, more attention has been focused on cybersecurity research to recognize and counter these attacks.
Malware detection allows companies to stop data encryption before it happens on target systems - or restore backup copies without paying ransoms!
Some ransomware developers have adopted an exclusively ransom-focused strategy, forgoing encryption altogether. Their breaches can be carried out more rapidly, be harder to detect and cannot easily be restored through backup systems - all making their attacks both more dangerous for businesses as well as more cost-effective.
Cloud Computing Threats
Cloud computing has quickly become more mainstream among companies, and this trend poses serious security implications.
Cloud environments may be more susceptible to attacks due to unfamiliarity with best security practices and their shared model for cloud security systems.
Cybercriminals have increasingly turned their sights toward cloud services with new exploits to discover vulnerabilities, creating an alarming trend wherein cybercriminals may gain access to sensitive customer data by exploiting cloud solutions or services provided by service providers and organizations alike.
Attackers exploit trust relationships between service providers and organizations for greater impactful attacks against target organizations.
Mobile Malware
As mobile device usage becomes more wide range, so too has mobile malware become a threat. On both official and unofficial app stores alike, malicious applications that appear as harmless applications - flashlights, games or QR code readers are becoming increasingly prevalent.
Mobile device infections have progressed beyond using fake apps to include counterfeit and cracked versions of official ones offered through third-party stores or direct downloads.
Cybercriminals offer these malicious copies via third-party stores or direct download, using name recognition technology in order to install malware onto user devices.
Wipers and Destructive Malware
Wipers, destructive malware, can have far greater ramifications for businesses than ransomware because it destroys data rather than taking control of it and demanding payment to get access.
Wipers were once relatively uncommon, yet 2023 saw their reappearance amid Ukraine and Russia's conflict. Multiple families of wipers have since been developed; cyberattacks against Iran and Albania demonstrate its growing popularity, signaling cyberterror and hacktivism's increase.
Arming Legitimate Tools Distinguishing between malware and legitimate tools used for penetration testing or system administration can often be tricky since, many times, the functionality created by cyber threat actors to build malware can also exist within an operating system or be found through legitimate tools - making signature-based detection impossible in this situation.
Attacking cyber threats, actors increasingly employ this tactic in order to "live off of the land". Utilizing legitimate features can reduce the chances of detection while increasing the chances of an attack occurring; using current solutions enables cybercriminals to scale their attacks more widely while using state-of-the-art hacking tools for cybercrimes.
Zero-day Vulnerabilities of Supply Chains
Zero-day security vulnerabilities pose a persistent yet pressing threat to corporate cybersecurity in today's business environment.
Zero-day vulnerabilities exist where there is no solution, giving cybercriminals time to exploit any vulnerable points before an update from vendors arrives; even after patches become available, businesses don't always apply them immediately, and cyber attackers often target already "fixed" vulnerabilities over a prolonged period. Reasons behind delays might include resource availability, visibility or prioritization considerations.
Software engineer supply chains are one of the areas most vulnerable to zero-day vulnerabilities and attacks since many organizations lack full access to open-source code used for applications that their apps depend on.
Cybercriminals could exploit unpatched security flaws in external libraries used for applications and launch attacks against an organization directly or use widely used vulnerable libraries to launch attacks against multiple entities at the same time.
Cybercrime Is an Ever-Expanding Threat to Businesses
The threat posed by cybercrime to business has grown substantially worldwide over time and will most likely persist well into 2023.
An advanced corporate cybersecurity program must include comprehensive threat protection with continuous round-the-clock monitoring for any threats from any source as well as access to threat intelligence updates.
Cyber Security in 2023: How to Prepare for the Challenges
Consider the following when designing or upgrading your security architecture.
Securing Our Nation
With IT infrastructures expanding rapidly and cybercriminals deploying ever more complex attacks on them, cybersecurity has become increasingly challenging to maintain.
Businesses require an expanding selection of security tools in order to fend off advanced threats.
Configuring and overseeing an organization's cybersecurity infrastructure becomes more of a difficult task when using standalone solutions.
Consolidation can facilitate easier implementation by offering all essential security features on one platform that reduces administrative overhead as well as increase effectiveness, efficiency and threat mitigation capabilities of security teams/architecture/threat management capabilities.
Preventive Security
Most corporate cybersecurity strategies focus on detection.
Once an attack has been identified as active, security personnel and solutions take measures to limit or stop it immediately. Responsive approaches allow attackers a small window of opportunity between initiating an attack and remediation occurring - giving cyber threat actors time to harm an organization, expand their footprint, or make remediation costly and time-consuming.
Preventative security should always take precedence over detection. A company can reduce costs associated with inbound threats by detecting and blocking them before they ever make their way onto company systems.
Comprehensive Protection
Due to the evolution of IT architectures in corporate environments, cybercriminals now possess multiple attack points against organizations.
Emerging technologies like cloud adoption, remote working arrangements, mobile devices and IoT present unique security risks that must be considered when planning comprehensive protection strategies for organizations.
Cyberthreat experts can exploit multiple vulnerabilities within corporate systems to gain entry. A strong cybersecurity program should offer comprehensive protection and coverage against all possible attack vectors.
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Conclusion of Article
To stay ahead of malicious cyber activity, organizations must take proactive measures to become secure by design.
You can protect your company from future and current attacks by following this article's steps - which include creating a security plan and incident response strategy, staying current on cybersecurity trends and staying aware of security trends - thus creating a solid foundation of defense that can ward off cybercriminals.
