Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

The rapid and widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) has ushered in a new era of technological advancement, revolutionizing various industries and becoming immensely popular worldwide. AI-driven applications and solutions have streamlined processes, improved efficiency, and enhanced the overall user experience. However, this surge in AI’s popularity also comes with a dark side.

CIS IIS 10 Benchmark provides prescriptive guidance for establishing a secure configuration posture for Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) version 10. The benchmark provides guidance for establishing a secure configuration posture for IIS version 10. The benchmark is divided into two levels of security controls: Level 1 and Level 2. Level 1 provides a set of fundamental security measures that can be implemented with little or no impact on service availability.

IIS server, Microsoft’s Windows web server is one of the most used web server platforms on the internet. IIS 10 hardening according to the IIS CIS benchmarks is essential for preventing cyber-attacks and achieving CIS compliance. Common breaches happen by using IIS unsecured server protocols and configurations, such as SMB and TLS/SSL. The IIS default configurations is not recommended to use and should be changed to meet the IIS CIS benchmarks requirements.

In today’s ever-evolving digital landscape, organizations operating in regulated industries face the challenge of meeting stringent regulatory requirements to ensure the security and privacy of their systems and data. NIST compliance, guided by key NIST publications, plays a vital role in helping organizations navigate these complex regulatory landscapes effectively.

Do not allow COM port redirection in RDP is the name of a security setting stated in Windows servers CIS benchmarks/STIGs. A COM port is an I/O interface that enables the connection of a serial device to a computer. In some cases COM ports are called “serial ports”. Most computers are not equipped with COM ports anymore but there are many serial port devices still used in computer networks.

NTLM V1 and V2, and Kerberos are three authentication protocols. These protocols aim to enhance security, especially in the Active Directory environment. Authentication protocols are popular attack vectors. They can help attackers gain access and elevate privileges. It is important to choose the relevant and most secured protocol for your environments and configure it properly. The most veteran protocol among the three is NTLMv1.

In 2014 and with extensive community involvement NIST Cybersecurity Framework was created for private sector organizations in the United States. It is also aligned with other NIST standards and guidelines, such as NIST 800-53 and FedRAMP. NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF or Framework) is intended to be a living document that is refined and improved over time and was updated in 2018 and called CSF 1.1. We will be discussing NIST CSF 2.0.

The cybersecurity landscape is witnessing a phenomenon that has come to be known as the “Great Resignation” among Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs). The challenges faced by CISOs in coping with ever-increasing regulations, compliance mandates, and the need for skilled resources have reached a tipping point. Coupled with a lack of cooperation from the C-suite, these factors have led to a surge in burnout among CISOs.

The Center for Internet Security (CIS) team continuously release updates about cybersecurity best practices for new technologies. As of March 2023 all CIS Windows Server and Windows Workstation Benchmarks will be updated once a year to align with Microsoft’s update schedule. Major version updates that CIS will release (i.e., updating from v1.12.0 to v2.0.0) will account for significant changes in the operating system.

CIS Critical Security Control, known now as CIS Controls have recently been updated and revised in the CIS Controls v8 released by the Center for Internet Security (CIS). The CIS Controls are a collection of industry-recognized best practices for businesses dealing with data security risks. Such measures were created to make things easier and keep the IT operations and security teams attention on crucial tasks. In v8, CIS changes a little the perspective around baseline security and system hardening.