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Security vs. Compliance: What's the Difference?

Security and compliance – a phrase often uttered in the same breath as if they are two sides of the same coin, two members of the same team, or two great tastes that go great together. As much as I would like to see auditors, developers, and security analysts living in harmony like a delicious Reese’s cup, a recent gap analysis that I was part of...
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Tripwire Patch Priority Index for March 2024

Tripwire's March 2024 Patch Priority Index (PPI) brings together important vulnerabilities for Microsoft, Google, and Apple. First on the patch priority list are patches for Windows Kernel and Multiple Apple products. These CVEs (CVE-2024-21338, CVE-2024-23296, CVE-2024-23225) have been added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. Up...
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Bake-off: Ensuring Security in the Cyber Kitchen

I’ll start this one with an apology – I’ve been watching a lot of the TV show The Bear (which I’d highly recommend!) and thus been thinking a lot about kitchen processes and the challenges of making everything come together nicely (both in life and in a recipe). If you are unfamiliar with the show, it is a comedy-drama about a chef who manages his...
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What Is Log Management and Why you Need it

Thanks to the burgeoning supply chain, a host of IoT and work-from-home devices, and an expanding cloud presence, organizations are constantly ingesting new hardware into their IT environments. With each new line of code comes a fresh chance for a hidden vulnerability. With each unfound weakness, attackers gain one more opportunity to gain a foothold...
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Critical insights into Australia’s supply chain risk landscape

Australian organizations find themselves navigating a minefield of supply chain risks, with a surge in incidents stemming from multi-party breaches. These breaches are often caused by vulnerabilities in cloud or software providers and are emerging as a challenge that demands attention and proactive strategies. From July to December 2023,  483 data...
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Achieving Continuous Compliance with Tripwire’s Security Configuration Manager

Security and compliance are often tightly intertwined. The main difference is that sometimes, security can outpace compliance efforts. While it is easy to infer that a more secure system exceeds a compliance requirement, an auditor should not be expected to deduce the state of a system; the evidence needs to be clear. There are many factors that can...
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The Importance of Host-Based Intrusion Detection Systems

What Is a Host-Based Intrusion Detection System (HIDS)? A host-based intrusion detection system, or HIDS, is a network application that monitors suspicious and malicious behavior, both internally and externally. The HIDS’ job is to flag any unusual patterns of behavior that could signify a breach. By bringing this activity to the team’s attention, the...
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VERT Threat Alert: March 2024 Patch Tuesday Analysis

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s March 2024 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1097 as soon as coverage is completed. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs There were no in-the-wild or disclosed CVEs included in the March Patch Tuesday release. CVE Breakdown by Tag While...
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Reducing Cyber Risks with Security Configuration Management

Protecting sensitive data and other assets requires an organization to be adaptable and stay informed on things like the digital landscape and threat trends. While some aspects of security are within an organization’s control, it can be extremely difficult to manage all of the risks and vulnerabilities that are likely to arise. Security configuration...
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So You Want to Achieve NERC CIP-013-1 Compliance...

Energy efficiency and availability is a major concern for all countries and governments. The electric grid is a vital sector, and any malfunctions will create ripple effects on any nation’s economy. As the grid is heavily dependent on cyber-enabled technologies and a vast chain of suppliers, contractors, and partners, the ability to safeguard the...
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The Role of Security Configuration Management (SCM) in Preventing Cyberattacks

In the intricate realm of cybersecurity, the relentless surge of cyber threats demands a constant reassessment of defensive strategies. Amidst this dynamic landscape, a subtle yet indispensable player takes center stage — Security Configuration Management (SCM). This blog embarks on an insightful journey into the critical role played by SCM in the...
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#TripwireBookClub – Black Hat GraphQL

     The most recent book that we’ve read over here is Black Hat GraphQL: Attacking Next Generation APIs written by Dolev Farhi and Nick Aleks. The book is described as being for, “anyone interested in learning how to break and protect GraphQL APIs with the aid of offensive security testing.” As someone who works primarily with REST APIs, I was more...
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Tripwire Patch Priority Index for February 2024

Tripwire's February 2024 Patch Priority Index (PPI) brings together important vulnerabilities for Microsoft, ConnectWise, and Google. First on the patch priority list are patches for ConnectWise ScreenConnect, Microsoft Exchange Server, Microsoft Windows SmartScreen, and Microsoft Windows Internet Shortcut files. These CVEs (CVE-2024-1709, CVE-2024...
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Making Sense of Financial Services Cybersecurity Regulations

The financial services sector faces unprecedented cybersecurity challenges in today's digital age. With the industry being a prime target for cybercriminals, understanding and adhering to cybersecurity regulations has never been more crucial. This article delves into the labyrinth of cybersecurity regulations affecting financial services, underscoring...
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Customizing Security with Security Configuration Management (SCM)

Many of the breaches of the past ten years have taken advantage of weak or nonexistent security settings. Conversely, for example, companies that configured their Docker application to the CIS recommended security settings for container users and privileges were not as vulnerable to container escape exploits. Arguably, a configuration change prevented...
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PCI DSS Compliance - Meeting the Third-Party Vendor Requirements

Today, almost every organization is engaged with a third-party vendor at some level when offering products or services. Take, for instance, an e-commerce business that may not be able to function properly unless multiple third-party integrations are involved, such as CRMs, payment gateways, live chat APIs, or a shipping gateway, to name a few. Though...
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VERT Threat Alert: February 2024 Patch Tuesday Analysis

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s February 2024 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1093 as soon as coverage is completed. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2024-21351 This CVE describes a bypass in the Windows SmartScreen Security Feature. At this point, these bypasses have...
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3 Tips for Enterprise Patch Management

With all the technology we have today, installing software updates has become a near-daily, full-time activity. Patch management for large-scale enterprise IT systems can be one of the most stressful parts of an IT professional’s job. In today’s large and evolving IT networks where many new services are going online every day and software components are...
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The Dangers of Default: Cybersecurity in the Age of Intent-Based Configuration

Technology has recently been evolving at the speed of light. We have seen the onset of increased cyber threats across all industries. Gone are the times when threat actors had a specific goal and target. We now live in an age where robots collect, collate, and save information for a more opportune and profitable day. It is ever more important to...
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Security Risks of Kubernetes Helm Charts and What to do About Them

Kubernetes has emerged as the leading platform for orchestrating containerized applications. However, developers and administrators rely on an ecosystem of tools and platforms that have emerged around Kubernetes. One of these tools is Helm, a package manager that simplifies Kubernetes deployments. However, with the convenience and efficiency Helm offers...