System hardening is the process of configuring a system to a more secure state. Many technology solutions are not securely configured by default, so system administrators must harden systems while retaining their desired functionality. Thankfully, system administrators do not have to figure out system hardening on their own. Instead, they can reference security benchmarks which describe recommended secure configurations for a system.

Many organizations are migrating to cloud infrastructures. The cloud presents new levels of flexibility and scalability in the way organizations operate. But as with any new opportunity, it also creates new forms of risk. How can organizations succeed at identifying and remediating these security risks?

NIST released the much-anticipated update to its popular Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) in February 2024. The NIST CSF is one of the most widely used cybersecurity frameworks, designed to help organizations of any size in any industry holistically start, mature, and sustain a cybersecurity program. The latest version of the NIST CSF—NIST CSF 2.0—brings several enhancements over the previous version. This article will cover what you need to know about the new NIST CSF 2.0.

Cybersecurity professionals possess many tools to reduce risk. However, it is no accident in a field so concerned with technology that technological tools are often prioritized over others: as the Law of Instrument says, “if the only tool you have is a hammer, it is tempting to treat everything as if it were a nail.” Therefore, cybersecurity professionals should not neglect the other tools, such as awareness and training.

Cybersecurity compliance frameworks serve two functions: (1) they voluntarily provide a roadmap for organizations to follow to create robust, sustainable cybersecurity programs and (2) they mandatorily serve as legal or regulatory obligations to which organizations must demonstrate adherence. The ultimate intent of cybersecurity frameworks, regardless of their underlying function, is to reduce cybersecurity risk.

October’s a fun month in the cybersecurity field, and not just because of the costumes and candy. Since it was designated as the National Cybersecurity Awareness Month in 2004, October’s always packed with great events, such as the Rochester Security Summit (RSS). RSS has been a leading regional cybersecurity conference in Upstate New York since 2006, where hundreds of attendees gather to share about the latest advancements in the field.

Staying ahead of potential threats and breaches is a constant battle. One innovative solution is the use of “canaries” to detect attempted intrusions. Canary assets are one clever way to detect intruders in your network.

Zero Trust is a cybersecurity philosophy that rejects the idea of offering implicit trust to traffic based on network location. In other words, Zero Trust views all traffic as potentially malicious, regardless of whether it originates from a traditionally trusted network source, and therefore requires all traffic to be scrutinized to determine whether access should be granted to a specific resource.

In August, NIST released the final draft of the highly anticipated update to its Cybersecurity Framework (CSF). The final draft is likely very close to what the final version will be when NIST releases it in early 2024. Therefore, it’s worth becoming familiar with the draft and beginning to plan how to use the NIST CSF 2.0 as a tool to strengthen your own cybersecurity posture.

The Top 250 MSSPs honorees were announced in a live webcast on September 14. Key findings include: Sedara was ranked among among the Top 250 MSSPs for 2023.