Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

March 2024

Security in the Digital Age: How Fax Apps Ensure Confidentiality and Compliance

Where data breaches and privacy concerns are rampant, ensuring the confidentiality and compliance of sensitive information is paramount. From healthcare to finance, legal to government sectors, organizations grapple with the challenge of safeguarding data while adhering to regulatory requirements. Amidst the plethora of communication tools available, fax applications emerge as stalwart guardians of security, offering a robust solution for transmitting sensitive information securely. In this article, we delve into the world of fax apps, exploring how they bolster confidentiality and compliance in the digital age.

Setting Objectives with ISO 27001's ISMS: A Strategic Overview

ISO 27001 is an international standard specifying how organizations should develop and implement an effective information security management system (ISMS). Organizations can apply ISO 27001 to manage their information security risks and be certified as ISO 27001-compliant. The measures to achieve compliance are specified in Annex A of the standard; organizations should select and apply the necessary controls to safeguard their stakeholders based on their own company risk profile.

Creating an Efficient Document Repository for Compliance

Modern organizations have huge demands for regulatory compliance, which means a huge amount of documentation that your business must generate and manage to show that it is fulfilling those compliance obligations. As such, a document management system is crucial for an effective compliance program. This article will review what document management systems should be able to do, common challenges in building a document management system, and how to get started with doing so.

Ensure PII Compliance in India with OpenAI & Top LLMs

India's data protection laws are evolving to safeguard the privacy of its citizens. One crucial aspect is the requirement that Personally Identifiable Information (PII) remain within India's borders for processing. This data residency requirement poses a challenge for businesses that want to leverage powerful AI language models (LLMs) like those offered by OpenAI, which often process data in global centers.

Celebrating 1,000 reviews on G2 and our first-ever Customer Week

Everything we do at Vanta, from the products we build to the support we deliver, is focused on putting customers first. So we’re especially excited to share our latest customer milestone. ‍ We’ve crossed 1,000 reviews on G2 and for the sixth consecutive quarter, Vanta has been named the #1 Leader in G2’s Grid® Report for Security Compliance | Spring 2024.

Vanta Introduces ISO 42001 to Ensure Responsible AI Usage and Development

Helping customers leverage AI responsibly with a focus on the AI lifecycle and continuous improvement. VantaCon comes to London 23 April to bring together leading voices on the intersection of AI and trust. Featuring Google DeepMind, Financial Times, Sequoia Capital, Proofpoint, Checkout.com and more.

Introducing ISO 42001: Ensuring responsible AI usage and development

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become integral to many industries, driving new innovation and opportunities for growth. At the same time, the rapid adoption of AI has created new risks for companies, ranging from ethical governance in accountability and fairness to reputation and trust — coupled with the increased cyber risk for organizations developing, deploying, and using AI systems.

Protecting Customer Data: Key Principles Every Company Should Know

In the digital age, protecting customer data is a cornerstone of trust and reliability between a company and its consumers. As cyber threats loom larger and data breaches become more frequent, safeguarding sensitive information cannot be ignored. Companies that excel in data protection comply with stringent regulations and gain a competitive edge by building solid relationships with their customers.

A Swiss Army Knife for ISO 27001:2022 Compliance

ISO standards may not always jump out as the most exciting of topics for dinner party conversation, but their growing importance in business cannot be denied. And this year it is well worth us talking about ISO 27001:2022 specifically (though perhaps not over dinner). It is expected that as many as 90,000* organisations might renew their certification or gain it for the very first time this year. The auditors will be busy!

FedRAMP for The Private Sector: What You Need to Know

FedRAMP is the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, and it’s one of the common security frameworks used by the government, its agencies, and the contractors that work with it. However, it’s not solely restricted to the government: FedRAMP can be used in the private sector just as well. The question is, how does it work if you want to do so, do you need to follow it, and what are the benefits of doing so?

Datadog Security extends compliance and threat protection capabilities for Google Cloud

Organizations are adopting Google Cloud at a growing rate. This growth is partially influenced by both the rise of AI computing and a push towards multi-cloud usage. A recent report found that 85 percent of organizations deploy their applications on multi-cloud architecture. With the shift to AI computing and multi-cloud adoption, organizations are reconsidering their cloud security coverage now more than ever.

TrustCloud Product Updates: March 2024

You know us: Every month we’re cooking up something new! Here are the latest updates to hit TrustCloud this month. TrustShare Import your knowledge base without going through the questionnaire import process. Now you can import your knowledge base in one click without having to wait. Importing your knowledge base also won’t impact your total questionnaire usage counts, which will make it easier to keep track of your total questionnaire usage.

Security Compliance Best Practices

In view of the constantly emerging threats, more and more companies are understanding that they need to level up their responses to risks and adopt more strategic compliance operations, leaving checkbox compliance behind. According to the 2024 IT Risk and Comliance Benchmark Report, the number of companies that have started paying more attention to security risks and tied them to compliance activities has risen by 80%.

Meeting Compliance Regulations with SIEM and Logging

SIEM and log management provide security to your organization; these tools allow your security analysts to track events such as potential and successful breaches of your system and react accordingly. Usually, it doesn’t matter how you ensure your organizational safety as long as you do. However, is your organization in the health, financial, or educational industry?

CMMC Scoping: Unveiling the Core of Cybersecurity Compliance

In the intricate landscape of defense contracting, the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) has emerged as a beacon for fortifying the defense industrial base’s cybersecurity posture. Central to CMMC compliance is the critical process of scoping – a systematic approach to identifying systems and assets subject to assessments. Let’s delve into the essence of scoping, emphasizing its significance, and understanding how it evolves through different CMMC levels.

Cybersecurity for the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority's (CIMA)

As the primary financial services regulator of the Cayman Islands, the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (CIMA) is responsible for managing and protecting the assets of all Cayman Islands banks, which includes its cybersecurity and risk management strategies. CIMA does this mainly through the Rule and Statement of Guidance – Cybersecurity for Regulated Entities, which establishes regulatory laws and guidelines to safeguard the security posture of its regulated entities.

Splunk, Azure, or Sentinel for FedRAMP/NIST Compliance

Whenever a business wants to work with the federal government, they are going to have to comply with certain frameworks to guarantee that, as part of the federal supply chain, it is secured to an appropriate level. The specific frameworks and standards vary based on factors such as impact levels and whether or not you’re in an industry with specific guidelines, like HIPAA or DoD standards.

A Complete Guide to NIST Compliance 2024

The NIST cybersecurity framework is a set of guidelines and best practices to help organizations improve their security posture. The recommendations and standards allow the organization to be better equipped to identify and detect cyberattacks and provide guidelines for responding, mitigating, and recovering from cyberattacks. In this guide, we discuss everything from the core functions of the NIST framework to how Appknox can help you automate NIST compliance management. So, let’s dive right in.

10 Key GDPR Requirements

Is your business unknowingly at risk? The stakes are high when it comes to how businesses handle personal data. A staggering 90% of people have made it clear: they won’t support companies who don’t prioritize data privacy and protection. This is no small concern – tech giants like Facebook and Google have fueled a global debate on privacy, often finding themselves in legal trouble after mishandling user data.

How to use Vanta and AWS for logging, monitoring, and IDS

This blog is part of a series about how to use Vanta and AWS to simplify your organization’s cloud security. To learn more about how to use Vanta and AWS, watch our Coffee and Compliance on-demand webinar. ‍ Amazon Web Services, or AWS, is one of the most popular cloud providers for organizations today — providing one of the most flexible and secure cloud environments available.

Chief Audit Executives: Job Description, Responsibilities & More

Any business or service provider looking to work with the federal government or one of its departments or agencies is going to need to comply with one of the security frameworks as appropriate for their role, usually something like CMMC, FedRAMP, or HITRUST. A key part of these security frameworks is verification and validation that security measures are in place and that continuous monitoring is effective.

Strategies for Living with Undetectable AI Content Proliferation

The relentless march of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has brought us to the precipice of a new era in content creation. AI-powered language models are now capable of generating human-quality text, blurring the lines between machine and human-made content. This proliferation of undetectable AI content presents a unique challenge - how do we navigate a world where information authenticity is increasingly difficult to discern? While some may view undetectable AI content with apprehension, it has the potential to revolutionize various fields.

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.

Expanding Cyber Risk Management Accountability in the EU With NIS 2

‍ ‍No organization, no matter the industry, is exempt from suffering from a cyber attack. The European Union formally recognized this modern-day reality in late 2022 when it published Directive (EU) 2016/1148, more commonly known as the NIS 2 Directive. As an updated version of the original directive enacted in 2016, this newer, sweeping cybersecurity regulation expanded its original scope to encompass even more business sectors.

The First CNAPP with Out-of-the-Box NIS2 and DORA Compliance

In an era where cloud attacks and threats are happening very fast and constantly evolving, the European Union (EU) has stepped up its cybersecurity game with two new regulations: the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and the revised Directive on Security of Network and Information Systems (NIS2). With more strict requirements on compliance controls and breach disclosures, these regulations are set to transform how businesses manage their cyber risks in Europe.

Understanding CMMC 2.0: New Rules, Guidelines, and Timelines

2025 may seem far off, but the reality is that CMMC is no longer on the distant horizon; it is knocking on our door. In an industry where the compliance process is long and the market of assessors is far fewer than needed, taking a proactive approach is a must. Join CISO Global's Gary Perkins, Baan Alsinawi, Tom Cupples, and special Guest Ben Bryan on February 21st as they discuss CMMC 2.0, the new rules and guidelines that come with it, and what your compliance timeline may look like.

PCI DSS Requirement 12 - Changes from v3.2.1 to v4.0 Explained

Welcome to our latest blog post where we delve into the intricacies of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Requirement 12. This requirement, which focuses on maintaining an Information Security Policy, is a cornerstone of the PCI DSS framework. It outlines the need for comprehensive policies and programs that govern and provide direction for the protection of an entity’s information assets.

ConMon: FedRAMP Continuous Monitoring and How It Works

ConMon: FedRAMP Continuous Monitoring and How It Works Obtaining a software approval with the federal government and its agencies as a contractor and obtaining an Authority to Operate (ATO) is not a one-time process. We’re not just referring to the need to recertify annually and pass occasional audits. We’re talking about an additional part of the process, the final part of the NIST Risk Management Framework: Monitoring.

What is OSCAL and Why Does It Matter for NIST and FedRAMP?

What is OSCAL and Why Does It Matter for NIST and FedRAMP? Complying with federal cybersecurity guidelines is a difficult task. Unfortunately, many contractors and cloud service providers take a rather lax view of compliance, and it’s an all-too-common scenario for a company to build up standards and practices for audit time and let them slip immediately thereafter until the lead-up to the next audit. Part of this is simply the immense complexity of cybersecurity.

Understanding ITAR Compliance: A Guide for Australian Companies

The United States and Australian Governments have established strict regulations to safeguard the technology that can be used for military applications. The most sensitive technology is regulated by the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and it is imperative for any company working with ITAR-controlled technologies and data to comply with these regulations. Failure to comply can lead to severe legal and financial repercussions, as well as reputational damage.

ISO/SAE 21434 compliance in 2024: what's new and how to act

Most modern vehicles are equipped with a variety of software systems and resemble sophisticated computers on wheels. The ISO/SAE 21434 standard is a framework that provides recommendations and requirements for secure software development in the automotive industry. But what is ISO 21434 exactly? And what can we expect from automotive software security in 2024? Read on and find out!

Data Classification Guide and The NIST Classification Levels

One of the biggest challenges for a business with any sort of information security needs is ensuring proper handling of that information. With hundreds of data breaches, large and small, happening every single year, you don’t want to be a statistic. More than that, though, if you’re working on a government contract and using a framework like HITRUST, HIPAA, or FedRAMP, you need to adhere to high standards.

HIPAA Risk Assessment : Turn Threats into Opportunities for Stronger Compliance

Welcome to our latest webinar recording on “HIPAA Risk Assessment: Turn Threats into Opportunities for Stronger Compliance”, presented by VISTA InfoSec. This webinar provides an in-depth understanding of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the crucial role of a #hipaa Risk Assessment in ensuring HIPAA compliance. It aims to help organizations identify potential risks and transform them into opportunities for stronger compliance.

Efficiency at Its Best: Exploring the Advantages of Accounts Payable Outsourcing Services

The business world is rapidly evolving, and the rise of accounts payable outsourcing services is a testament to this transformation. As organizations seek to streamline their operations and focus on their core competencies, many are turning to these services for their myriad benefits. This article delves into the advantages of accounts payable outsourcing services, dissecting their contribution to time savings, scalability, process improvement, and data security.

CIS Control Compliance and Centralized Log Management

Your senior leadership started stressing out about data breaches. It’s not that they haven’t worried before, but they’ve also started looking at the rising tide of data breach awareness. Specifically, they’re starting to see more new security and privacy laws passed at the state and federal levels. Now, you’ve been tasked with the very unenviable job of choosing a compliance framework, and you’re looking at the Center for Internet Security (CIS) Controls.

GDPR Compliance: The Critical Role of Data Protection Officers

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a comprehensive data protection law covering the European Union (EU) and is widely regarded as one of the world’s strictest privacy regulations. The GDPR unifies data regulation within the EU and provides individuals control over their personal data. The GDPR includes information about Data Protection Officers (DPOs).

CrowdStrike Launches SEC Readiness Services to Prepare Boardrooms for New Regulations

CrowdStrike is today debuting CrowdStrike SEC Readiness Services to guide organizations along the path to compliance as they navigate the new SEC cybersecurity disclosure rules. These services, powered by the AI-native CrowdStrike Falcon® XDR platform and industry-leading CrowdStrike Services team, give customers the insight they need to harden defenses, make materiality decisions and navigate the annual disclosure process with confidence.

Test and evaluate your WAF before hackers

Since 1991, Web Application Firewall, commonly referred to as WAF, has become one of the most common application security technologies available on the market. Since the last century, WAFs have evolved by incorporating the cloud and using Machine Learning instead of RegExp. Currently, few technologies, such as NG-WAF, RASP, WAAP, and a few others, have internal WAF capabilities, which prevent web applications and API threats.

Ensuring PCI DSS 4.0 Compliance with Feroot: A Deep Dive into Requirement 6.4.3

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) 4.0, issued a comprehensive set of requirements, to safeguard online payment systems against breaches and theft of cardholder data. Requirement 6.4.3 is one of the critical components for businesses that take online payment and focuses on the management and integrity of scripts on webpages that take payment card (i.e.m credit card) payments.

New York Department of Financial Services Rules Part 500: Are You Ready for Amendment 2?

Hackers move fast. The cybersecurity industry works hard to move as fast (or faster) than hackers. And regulators work to keep pace. In 2017, the New York Department of Financial Services enacted the sector’s most ambitious set of cybersecurity regulations: 23 NYCRR Part 500. These “Part 500” rules have been updated to reflect the evolving threat landscape, the most recent change (“Amendment 2”) implemented in December 2023 to address emerging cybersecurity needs.

Post-SOC 2 Gap Analysis: Next Steps for Full Compliance

Achieving SOC 2 compliance demonstrates to customers that your organization takes data security and privacy seriously. The journey to achieve SOC 2 compliance, however, is not easy. For example, when you perform a preliminary assessment to determine your current state of security, you’re likely to find multiple gaps between that current state and what SOC 2 standards expect you to have. You’ll need to close those gaps to achieve full SOC 2 compliance.

PCI DSS Requirement 11 - Changes from v3.2.1 to v4.0 Explained

In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, staying updated with the latest standards and protocols is crucial. One such standard that has undergone significant changes is the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Requirement 11. This requirement, focused on the regular testing of security systems and networks, has seen notable updates in its transition from version 3.2.1 to version 4.0.

How to use Vanta and AWS to manage vulnerabilities

This blog is part of a series about how to use Vanta and AWS to simplify your organization’s cloud security. To learn more about how to use Vanta and AWS, watch our Coffee and Compliance on-demand webinar. ‍ Amazon Web Services, or AWS, is one of the most popular cloud providers for organizations today — providing one of the most flexible and secure cloud environments available.

What is Compliance in Healthcare: Definition, Regulations, and Solutions

Compliance in healthcare is a critical component to preserving the sanctity of modern society. Compliance in any industry ensures adherence to a minimum set of requirements to ensure quality of service; while undoubtedly important everywhere, it’s more so in healthcare due to its direct impact on human lives. For example, while financial compliance secures the safety of our funds, healthcare compliance ensures the safety of our personal selves.

Enhancing Compliance through Integrated Solutions: A Webinar with #err0 & #BoxyHQ #webinar

The webinar "Enhancing Compliance through Integrated Solutions" by BoxyHQ and err0, moderated by Schalk Neethling, featured insights from Cesar Nicola and Deepak Prabhakara on improving software compliance and security. It focused on the integration of err0's error management with unique codes and BoxyHQ's audit logs for enhanced compliance.

Best Industry Practices for Maintaining SOC 2 Compliance

As data breaches and cyberattacks become more widespread, most businesses are making information security and data privacy a top priority. That means they want to know whether your business can be trusted with their sensitive information. SOC 2 compliance is one of the most effective methods to instill that confidence.

FAQ: What is FIPS 140-2 and "Validated Cryptography"?

As time marches on and technology develops, there’s a constant push and pull between information security and attempts to breach that security. Obscurity – simply hiding from sight – isn’t enough with automated processes capable of scanning any possible address looking for signs of life, so much of modern computer security comes down to cryptography. Pretty much everyone has some experience with cryptography, from our childhood spy media to modern computer science.

PCI DSS Requirement 10 - Changes from v3.2.1 to v4.0 Explained

Keeping track of who is accessing your systems and data is a critical part of any security program. Requirement 10 of the PCI DSS covers logging and monitoring controls that allow organizations to detect unauthorized access attempts and track user activities. In the newly released PCI DSS 4.0, Requirement 10 has seen some notable updates that expand logging capabilities and provide more flexibility for merchants and service providers.

Enhancing Compliance through Integrated Solutions: A Webinar with err0 & BoxyHQ

​Join us for an exclusive webinar where Deepak Prabhakara from BoxyHQ and Cesar Nicola from Blue Trail Soft (err0) unveil how integrating err0's error management solutions with BoxyHQ's Audit Logs can revolutionize compliance for companies. This free event is a must-attend for those seeking to fortify their compliance and security.

Understand Security Misconfiguration | OWASP Top 10

🔒 Unlocking Secure Software: Understanding Security Misconfiguration 🔒 In this OWASP Top 10 video, we delve into the critical topic of Security Misconfiguration (A05). 🛡️ Security Misconfiguration poses a significant risk in the OWASP Top 10. It occurs when applications or systems are configured with errors, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation by malicious actors. Whether it’s unchanged default settings or outdated software, these misconfigurations can have dire consequences.

PCI DSS Requirement 9 - Changes from v3.2.1 to v4.0 Explained

In the ever-evolving landscape of data security, staying updated with the latest standards and regulations is crucial. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is no exception. With the recent release of PCI DSS v4.0, there have been significant updates and changes that organizations need to be aware of. This blog post will delve into one such critical area – Requirement 9: Restrict Physical Access to Cardholder Data.

Ensuring Cybersecurity Compliance: Navigating CMMC Assessment and Affirmation Requirements

For defense contractors, cybersecurity is a non-negotiable priority. The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program outlines rigorous assessment and affirmation requirements for contractors and subcontractors. Let’s dive into the key elements that shape this crucial aspect of CMMC compliance.

CMMC 2.0: Your Questions Answered

By now, you are likely aware that the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Program Proposed Rule was published in the Federal Register on December 26, 2023. This set into motion a series of deadlines, which will culminate in the full implementation of CMMC 2.0. It also set into motion a flurry of activity within the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) and the realization that a deadline for compliance looms large.

The Role of Self-Attestation in Compliance: Benefits and Challenges

Self-attestations are an increasingly popular tool for cybersecurity compliance frameworks such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) directives. The idea is that organizations attest to meeting specific security controls and requirements without third-party validation.

Making Sense of the SEC's New Rules for Cybersecurity Risk and Disclosure (Part I)

As the digital age unfolds, we continue to see seismic increases — decade-to-decade, year-to-year, and even month-to-month — in the amount of data we create as well as its value to us, both individually and collectively. From medical records, financial statements, and classified government documents to transactional processing systems, customer information, social media engagements, pictures of our pets, and so much more, data is the lifeblood of modern society.

Optimizing Compliance Management With the Best GRC Software

To optimize compliance management within an organization, it’s crucial to select the right governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) software for your business. This guide will review the importance of GRC software, how it helps with compliance management, what essential features to look for, and which GRC solutions are top-rated for 2024, with a special focus on ZenGRC as a leading option. GRC software plays a pivotal role helping businesses navigate the modern risk management landscape.

Navigating the EU compliance landscape: How Detectify helps support customers in their NIS2 Directive, CER, and DORA compliance challenges

Navigating the complex and ever-changing compliance landscape is difficult for many companies and organizations. With many regulations, selecting the appropriate security tooling that aligns with the compliance needs of your business becomes a significant challenge.

Planning with Purpose: 10 Tips to Develop Your Year-Long Security and Compliance Training Program

Our team at KnowBe4 recently got together to talk about planning for annual security and compliance training. You might be thinking, “Aren’t you a little late in planning for the year? It’s March already...” We are actually talking about 2025. Not everyone trains millions of learners all around the world like we do, so your planning for compliance and security training might be on a different timescale.

Meet EO 14028 requirements with Datadog Log Management, Cloud Workload Security, and Cloud SIEM

As of August 2023, only 3 out of 23 US government agencies were compliant with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requirements for log management and security observability. These requirements are outlined in M-21-31, a 2021 memorandum that was issued following Executive Order 14028 on improving national cybersecurity. Until all of these agencies implement the new requirements, the federal government’s ability to fully detect, investigate, and remediate cybersecurity threats will be constrained.

FAQ: What Are the DoD Requirements for Wiping Data?

In today’s digital age, destroying data is not as easy as it once was. Before the advent of computers, if you needed to destroy sensitive government information to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, all you often needed to do was light some papers on fire. With computers, you might think that it’s a simple matter. After all, if you’ve ever accidentally deleted a file or had a hard disk crash, you’ve probably lost data and haven’t been able to recover it.