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PCI DSS 4.0: How to Delight the Auditors

While we all know the actual point of PCI is vastly more far-reaching, we can’t deny that the juggernaut of PCI DSS 4.0 compliance is getting past the auditors. However, there is a right way to do it that doesn’t just check the box – it creates the underlying business operations that enable you to pass an audit any day, at any time, with just the...
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How to comply with PCI DSS 4.0 while juggling day-to-day tasks

In our webinar, Insights for Navigating PCI DSS 4.0 Milestones, we discuss some of the challenges organizations face as they try to comprehend the new requirements of PCI DSS 4.0. One of the questions we commonly hear is, “How do we prepare for PCI 4.0 deadlines while still maintaining day-to-day operations?” The discussion involved David Bruce, our...
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VERT Threat Alert: May 2023 Patch Tuesday Analysis

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s May 2023 Security Updates, which include a new release notes format. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1055 on Wednesday, May 10th. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2023-29336 Up first this month is a vulnerability reported by Avast in Win32k. This...
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Explaining the PCI DSS Evolution & Transition Phase

The boon of online business and credit card transactions in the early 90s and 2000s resulted in an increasing trend of online payment fraud. Since then, securing business and online card transactions has been a growing concern for all business and payment card companies.  The increasing cases of high-profile data breaches and losses from online fraud...
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The K-12 Report: A Cybersecurity Assessment of the 2021-2022 School Year

The K-12 Report breaks down the cyber risks faced by public schools across the country and is sponsored by the CIS (Center for Internet Security) and the MS-ISAC (Multi-State Information Sharing & Analysis Center). Published “to prepare K-12 leaders with the information to make informed decisions around cyber risk”, the report provides a data-driven...
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A Day in the Life of a SOC Team

This piece was originally published on Fortra’s AlertLogic.com Blog. Managed detection and response (MDR) would be nothing without a SOC (security operations center). They’re on the frontline of our clients’ defenses — a living, breathing layer of intelligence and protection to complement our automated cybersecurity features. These are the people who...
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VERT Threat Alert: April 2023 Patch Tuesday Analysis

  Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s April 2023 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1050 on Wednesday, April 12th. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2023-28252 A vulnerability in the Common Log File System (CLFS) Driver has been exploited in-the-wild. CLFS provides a general...
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Distributed Energy Resources and Grid Security

As the United States government, the energy industry, and individual consumers work toward cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions, it is crucial to consider how new and advancing technologies affect, and are affected by, cybersecurity concerns. ­­­­Increasing use of smart energy devices can be useful for consumers to have more control over their...
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Don’t fail an audit over a neglected annual policy review

When did you last have a light-bulb moment? For me, it was very recent. I was working with a client, supporting them in their latest Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) annual compliance assessment, and, in discussion with the Qualified Security Assessor (QSA), I had a sudden urge to challenge something we’ve all, always, believed to...
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A Look at The 2023 Global Automotive Cybersecurity Report

From its inception, the automotive industry has been shaped by innovation and disruption. In recent years, these transformations have taken shape in rapid digitization, ever-growing Electric Vehicle (EV) infrastructure, and advanced connectivity. These shifts have redirected the automotive industry, meeting and surpassing customer expectations for what...
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How Retiring Gas and Coal Plants Affects Grid Stability

Legacy gas and coal plants are being aged out – and no one wants to pay enough to keep them going. With increased pressure from green energy laws and added competition from renewable sources, these monsters of Old Power are being shown the door. Considering they've predated and precipitated all Industrial Revolutions (except for this last one – that was...
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VERT Threat Alert: March 2023 Patch Tuesday Analysis

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s March 2023 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1046 on Wednesday, March 15th. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2023-24880 Up first this month is a publicly disclosed and exploited vulnerability impacting Windows SmartScreen. SmartScreen...
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ISO27001 Updates: Change is afoot

If you blinked, you might have missed it… On October 25th 2022, the new standard for the Information Security Management System,  ISO27001 was released. Without fuss, and without fanfare. But, to quote a famous movie, “There was a great disturbance in the force.” ISO27001 is possibly one of the world's best-known standards for Information Security...
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The Language of Cybersecurity Frameworks, Guidance, Regulations, and Standards

When it comes to acronyms, Technology and Cybersecurity often rival various branches of government.  Technology acronyms are usually somewhat bland, amounting to little more than the arcane argot of the profession, such as SOC, SIEM, and DNS.  Government, however, rarely disappoints in its inventiveness, whether it is the acronym of the Puppies...
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VERT Threat Alert: February 2023 Patch Tuesday Analysis

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s February 2023 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1042 on Wednesday, February 15th. In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2023-21823 The first vulnerability in the list this week is CVE-2023-21823, a vulnerability in Windows Graphic Component...
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How to Advance ICS Cybersecurity: Implement Continuous Monitoring

Industrial control systems are fundamental to all industrial processes, from power generation to water treatment and manufacturing. ICS refers to the collection of devices that govern a process to ensure its safe and effective execution. These devices include Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, Distributed Control Systems (DCS),...
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The State of the US National Cybersecurity Strategy for the Electric Grid

The distribution systems of the U.S. energy grid — the portions of the grid that carry electricity to consumers — are growing more susceptible to cyber-attacks, in part due to the advent of monitoring and control technology and their reliance on them. However, the magnitude of the possible consequences of such attacks is not fully understood. Reports by...
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VERT Threat Alert: January 2023 Patch Tuesday Analysis

Today’s VERT Alert addresses Microsoft’s January 2023 Security Updates. VERT is actively working on coverage for these vulnerabilities and expects to ship ASPL-1037 on Wednesday, January 11th.  In-The-Wild & Disclosed CVEs CVE-2023-21549 A vulnerability in the SMB Witness Service was reported by two Akamai researchers, Stiv Kupchik and Ophir Harpaz....
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The Future of Connected, Autonomous, Shared, and Electric (CASE) Vehicles is Upon Us.

The popularity of electric vehicles is partly a response to the desire of achieving sustainability and carbon footprint reduction. Automobile manufacturers are making substantial investments to tackle emissions issues, create environment-friendly vehicles, and align with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) requirements. To achieve brand edge and...
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Tripwire & Towerline: Easing the burden of the NERC CIP audit process

When we speak of necessary evils, some images readily spring to mind. A dental appointment, automobile insurance, and many others. In cybersecurity, audits fit this image quite well. There are many uncomfortable aspects of audits, including the need to maintain accurate records, as well as finding the time to perform all the work required to satisfy the...