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Tripwire Products: Quick Reference Guide

Here at The State of Security, we cover everything from breaking stories about new cyberthreats to step-by-step guides on passing your next compliance audit. But today we’d like to offer a straight-forward roundup of Fortra's Tripwire product suite. Get to know the basics of Tripwire’s core solutions for file integrity monitoring (FIM), security...
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Akira ransomware - what you need to know

What is Akira? Akira is a new family of ransomware, first used in cybercrime attacks in March 2023. Akira? Haven't we heard of that before? Maybe you're thinking of the cyberpunk Manga comic books and movie that came out in the 1980s. Or perhaps you're thinking of an unrelated ransomware of the same name which emerged in 2017. Maybe that's it....
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Red Teaming: 4 Ways to Get the Best Value While Improving Your Security

What is Red Teaming? Red Teaming will always have similar concepts and strategies, but no Red Team endeavour is the same, and the meaning may change from one organization to another. Simply stated, Red Teaming is acting as an adversary within your own network to achieve a scenario or objective that a potential attacker can leverage or has value. A...
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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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Cybersecurity for Small Businesses: How to Protect Your Company on a Budget

As a small business owner, you wear many hats. You're the CEO, the accountant, the salesperson, and the HR manager. With so much on your plate, cybersecurity might not be at the top of your priority list. But it should be. Small businesses are a prime target for cybercriminals, and a security breach can be devastating to your company's reputation...
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Tripwire Patch Priority Index for April 2023

Tripwire's April 2023 Patch Priority Index (PPI) brings together important vulnerabilities for Microsoft and Adobe. First on the patch priority list this month are patches for Microsoft Edge. These patches resolve over 15 vulnerabilities such as spoofing, type confusion, and use after free vulnerabilities. Up next are 3 patches for Microsoft...
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An overview of the OSI model and its security threats

The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model is a conceptual framework developed by the International Standards Organization (ISO). It has been in use for over 40 years, and is cited in every computer network book. It is also a favorite resource for just about every cybersecurity exam. The OSI model is represented in seven layers that help us...
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Cybersecurity in the Cloud: The Challenging Hurdles It Has To Overcome

Cloud Security Challenges Organizations embracing cloud environments must understand that cloud applications and services have become popular targets for cybercriminals. A few notable and inherent risks with cloud deployments include: API Vulnerabilities Unfortunately, API exploits are on the rise, costing organizations dearly. Whether it’s...
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3 Tips to Strengthen AWS Container Security

This piece was originally published on Fortra’s AlertLogic.com Blog. If you’re building an application, you want to ensure it’s reliable, consistent, and rapidly deployable in any cloud environment. That’s what containers are used for — packaging instructions into a digital object for reuse. Without them, you’ll struggle to run some application...
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Allowlisting and Blocklisting: What you need to know

The phone rings, displaying "Potential Spam," warning of the possible downfall of accepting the call. We also have the option to set specific ringtones for the special people in our lives, so we audibly know immediately who’s calling. For other callers, like the once-a-year important call from our insurance or investment rep, we'll at least add...
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What is a WAF? (Web Application Firewall)

This piece was originally published on Fortra’s AlertLogic.com Blog. A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding WAFs: How it Works, Types, and Security Models Web applications drive digital transformation, remote work, employee productivity, and consumer interactions. The ability to connect to critical applications over the internet gives workforce...
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Cloud security 101: Understanding and defending your cloud infrastructure

Many organizations have either been formed in, or have migrated to cloud-based environments due to the efficiency, flexibility, mobility, cost savings, and other benefits. The majority of applications that are used today are incorporated with the cloud. Most of our data and processes exist in the cloud. But simple as it is, just uploading your files...
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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...
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Electrical Grid Security: NERC CIP, Cyber Threats and Key Challenges

Electrical grid security has been getting a lot of attention recently. It started fairly quietly, and then when it was a featured story on a news program, it rose to the top of the collective consciousness. However, the news stories that followed were focused entirely on the physical vulnerabilities of the US power grids. Few, if any stories covered...
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EPA Has ‘New Rules’ for Protecting Public Drinking Water

The EPA isn't mincing words when it comes to protecting public drinking water. Earlier this month they released a memorandum putting specifics into the general advice to maintain cybersecurity at public water systems (PWSs). Per the report, “[The] EPA clarifies with this memorandum that states must evaluate the cybersecurity of operational technology...
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Fortra: Your Cybersecurity Ally

It was just a short time ago that Fortra came into being, as the new face of HelpSystems. Fortra is a company that combines a group of cybersecurity products and services into one portfolio. As with all acquisitions, many customers wondered what benefits this would bring to the Tripwire product line. We took the opportunity to speak with Fortra’s...
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What Is Microsegmentation and 5 Compelling Security Use Cases

What Is Microsegmentation? Microsegmentation is a security technique that partitions a network into small, isolated sections to reduce the attack surface and reduce an organizations risk. Each microsegment is typically defined by specific security policies, accessible only to authorized users and devices. Microsegmentation is often seen as a more...
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Cybersecurity in the Energy Sector: Risks and Mitigation Strategies

The demand for cybersecurity in the energy sector is often understated. There is a misconception that very little IT is involved, and much of it does not impact operations. But 97% of surveyed ICS security professionals in the energy, oil, and gas sector believe cybersecurity is a growing concern. No industry has been untouched by digital...