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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 deceased brother’s sandwich shop. When I see...
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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 in the organization and compromise sensitive...
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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 cause compliance shifts. Configurations are...
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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 HIDS enables in-house staff to investigate...
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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 management (SCM) is one way to take control of...
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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 ongoing battle against cyberattacks, shedding...
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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 many breaches. Security configuration...
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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 understand the security measures individuals and...
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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, it also introduces significant security...
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IBM i and Tripwire Enterprise: What you need to know

The IBM i is a midrange server that is used across many industries and businesses varying in sizes. Backed by its long history and support by IBM, a world-class innovator, the IBM i platform stands alone in the midrange server offerings. Some of the largest companies in the world use IBM i running on the IBM Power server as their strategic platform for manufacturing planning, retail, distribution...
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Resolving Top Security Misconfigurations: What you need to know

One of the most common factors that can lead to cybersecurity incidents is a security misconfiguration in software or application settings. The default settings that come with the implementation of these tools and solutions are often not configured securely, and many organizations do not invest the time and resources into ensuring that they are. Several regulatory organizations have established...
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What is the Windows Security Account Manager (SAM)?

To most people, the process of logging into a Microsoft Windows machine is a simple process of entering a username and a password. However, for a cybersecurity professional, the process is a carefully orchestrated mechanism. Unfortunately, throughout the history of the various Windows operating system versions, criminals have also sought ways to disrupt this process in order to breach a network...
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The Evolution of Anomaly Detection and the Importance of Configuration Monitoring in Cybersecurity

Back in 1992, when I was more concerned about my acne breakouts and being selected for the Junior cricket team, a freshman at Purdue University was studying the impact of the 1988 Morris Worm event and how it brought about unwarranted changes on Unix systems as it propagated across the network, resulting in the first Denial of Service (DoS) attack. He quickly realised that it was hard to know when...
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How to Reduce Your Attack Surface

What is an Attack Surface? An attack surface is the total number of channels, pathways, or areas that threat actors can utilize to gain unauthorized access to networks. The result is that they can obtain private information or carry out a cyber-attack. An attack surface comprises the organizational assets a threat actor can exploit to gain unauthorized access. Attack surfaces include systems that...
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SMB Protocol Explained: Understanding its Security Risks and Best Practices

Server Message Block (SMB) protocol is a communication protocol that allows users to communicate with remote servers and computers, which they can open, share, edit files, and even share and utilize resources. With the expansion of telecommunications, this protocol has been a prime target for threat actors to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data and devices. In 2017, we introduced 5 general...
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Secure Access Control in 2024: 6 Trends to Watch Out For

What Is Secure Access Control? Secure access control, part of the broader field of user management , is a key concept in the realm of information security, particularly in the business environment. It refers to the process of selectively restricting and allowing access to a place or resource. In the context of information technology, it is a vital element of data protection, dictating who or what...
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5 Tripwire Enterprise Misconfigurations to Avoid

Configuration management is vitally important as part of a sound cybersecurity strategy. We have previously published how patching alone is not enough, as that does not alter a system’s customized configuration. Misconfigurations can be as damaging to security as a deliberate attack on a system. As the manufacturer of Tripwire Enterprise (TE) , we thought that it would be prudent to help our...
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What is a CMDB?

There are countless tools and technologies available to help an organization stay on top of its IT assets, and a configuration management database (CMDB) is an extremely useful one. The database keeps track of relevant information regarding various hardware and software components and the relationships between them. It allows IT teams to have an organized view of configuration items (CIs) that can...
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Compliance vs. Security: Striking the Right Balance in Cybersecurity

Compliance and security often go hand in hand as ideas that attempt to protect against cyber threats. While both compliance and security are designed to lower risk, they are not mutually inclusive—that is, not everything that is required for compliance will necessarily help with security, and not everything that bolsters security will necessarily put you in compliance. Both are vital to...
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Revealed! The top 10 cybersecurity misconfigurations, as determined by CISA and the NSA

A joint cybersecurity advisory from the United States's National Security Agency (NSA) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has shone a light on the top ten most common cybersecurity misconfigurations found in large private and public organisations. The report aims to detail the weaknesses found in many large organisations, and the need for software makers to properly...