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Explore Algosec's customer success stories to see how organizations worldwide improve security, compliance, and efficiency with our solutions. NCR ACCELERATES TOWARDS ZERO-TRUST Organization NCR Global Industry Financial Services Headquarters Georgia, USA Download case study Share Customer
success stories “AlgoSec helps us be vendor-agnostic and understand our full security posture to lead us down this journey to achieve zero-trust.” Scott Theriault, Global Manager Network Perimeter Security NCR Corporation Background NCR Corporation is a leading global point-of-sale (POS) provider for restaurants, retailers, and banks and a provider of multi-vendor ATM software. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, NCR has over 36,000 employees in 160 countries, and solutions are distributed in 141 countries. The challenge NCR needed to connect its DevOps pipeline with its network security. With over 4,500 policy changes made annually, it was difficult to securely manage their entire networking and security environment while being responsive to application owners but still achieve zero trust. Strategically, they were aiming to automate and orchestrate security policy changes across their entire hybrid network, so they could securely accelerate application delivery. The solution They implemented the AlgoSec Security Policy Management Solution, made up of AlgoSec Firewall Analyzer, AlgoSec FireFlow, and AlgoSec AppViz and AppChange. AlgoSec Firewall Analyzer enables organizations to discover, identify, and map business applications across their entire hybrid network. It analyzes complex network security policies across the network. It automates and simplifies security operations, including troubleshooting, auditing, and risk analysis. AlgoSec FireFlow enables security staff to automate the entire security policy change process from design and submission to proactive risk analysis, implementation, validation, and auditing. Its intelligent, automated workflows save time and improve security by eliminating manual errors and reducing risk. AlgoSec AppViz, the application visibility add-on for AlgoSec Firewall Analyzer, provides visibility for your network applications, enabling secure application delivery. AlgoSec AppChange, the application automation add-on for AlgoSec FireFlow, allows for changes at the business application level, including during the application migrations, server deployment, and decommissioning projects. The results AlgoSec is a strategic component of NCR’s network security, managing its entire network security infrastructure. The AlgoSec platform enables the NCR Corporation to manage application connectivity end-to-end across their network — including public cloud, Cisco ACI, and physical firewalls. “Most products don’t understand the end-to-end environment. AlgoSec does,” noted Scott Theriault, Global Manager, Network Perimeter Security. Some of the ways that NCR Corporation benefits from AlgoSec include: Launched migration of their on-premises data centers into the Cisco ACI fabric. Extended microsegmentation to Cisco ACI environment. Achieved complete visibility of their global security posture from a single dashboard. Automated risk analysis, achieving visibility and insights into the risk that changes introduce. Streamlined auditing process with to automatic logging and audit-ready compliance reports. Cleaned up and reduced firewall policies with rule cleanup, object cleanup, and policy tuning. “As we aspire to achieve zero-trust, when moving into the cloud, micro-segmentation and container security come into play. Therefore, we need tools like AlgoSec to assist us in the journey because most application owners don’t know what access is needed. This tool helps them learn what needs to be implemented to reduce the attack surface,” stated Theriault. Schedule time with one of our experts

Enhancing Zero Trust Network Security Download PDF Schedule time with one of our experts Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

Ensuring your cloud environment is secure and compliant with industry practices is critical. Cloud security best practices will help you... Cloud Security 16 Best Practices for Cloud Security (Complete List for 2023) Rony Moshkovich 2 min read Rony Moshkovich Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 4/27/23 Published Ensuring your cloud environment is secure and compliant with industry practices is critical. Cloud security best practices will help you protect your organization’s data and applications. In the process, reduce the risks of security compromise. This post will walk you through the best practices for cloud security. We’ll also share the top cloud security risks and how to mitigate them. The top 5 security risks to cloud computing right now Social engineering. Social engineering attackers use psychological deception to manipulate users into providing sensitive information. These deception tactics may include phishing, pretexting, or baiting. Account compromise. An account compromise occurs when an attacker obtains unauthorized entry to it. A hacker can access your account when you use weak passwords or steal your credentials. They may introduce malware or steal your files once they access your account. Shadow IT. This security risk occurs when your employee uses hardware or software that the IT department does not approve. It may result in compliance problems, data loss, and a higher risk of cyberattacks. Insider activity (unintentional or malicious) . Insider activity occurs when approved users damage your company’s data or network. These users can either do it purposefully or accidentally on-premises. For example, you may disclose private information unintentionally or steal data on purpose. Insecure APIs . APIs make communication easier for cloud services and other software applications. Insecure APIs can allow unauthorized access to sensitive data. This could, in turn, lead to malicious attacks, such as data theft. The attackers could also do illegal data alteration from data centers. 16 best practices for cloud security Establish zero-trust architecture Use role-based access control Monitor suspicious activity Monitor privileged users Encrypt data in motion and at rest Investigate shadow IT applications Protect Endpoints Educate employees about threats Create and enforce a password policy Implement multi-factor authentication Understand the shared responsibility model m Audit IaaS configurations Review SLAs and contracts. Maintaining logs and monitoring Use vulnerability and penetration testing Consider intrusion detection and prevention One of the most critical areas of cloud security is identity and access management. We will also discuss sensitive data protection, social engineering attacks, cloud deployments, and incident response. Best practices for managing access. Access control is an integral part of cloud network security. It restricts who can access cloud services, what they can do with the data, and when. Here are some of the best practices for managing access: Establish zero-trust architecture Zero-trust architecture is a security concept that treats all traffic in or out of your network as untrusted. It considers that every request may be malicious. So you must verify your request, even if it originates from within the network. You can apply zero-trust architecture by dividing the system into smaller, more secure cloud zones. And then enforce strict access policies for each zone. This best practice will help you understand who accesses your cloud services. You’ll also know what they do with your data resources. Use role-based access control Role-based access control allows you to assign users different access rights based on their roles. This method lessens the chances of giving people unauthorized access privileges. It also simplifies the administration of access rights. RBAC also simplifies upholding the tenet of least privilege. It restricts user permission to only the resources they need to do their jobs. This way, users don’t have excessive access that attackers could exploit. Monitor suspicious activity Monitoring suspicious behavior involves tracking and analyzing user activity in a cloud environment. It helps identify odd activities, such as user accounts accessing unauthorized data. You should also set up alerts for suspicious activities. Adopting this security strategy will help you spot security incidents early and react quickly. This best practice will help you improve your cloud functionality. It will also protect your sensitive data from unwanted access or malicious activities. Monitor privileged users Privileged users have high-level access rights and permissions. They can create, delete and modify data in the cloud environment. You should consider these users as a huge cybersecurity risk. Your privileged users can cause significant harm if they get compromised. Closely watch these users’ access rights and activity. By doing so, you’ll easily spot misuse of permissions and avert data breaches. You can also use privileged access management systems (PAS) to control access to privileged accounts. Enforcing security certifications also helps privileged users avoid making grievous mistakes. They’ll learn the actions that can pose a cybersecurity threat to their organization. Best practices for protecting sensitive data Safeguarding sensitive data is critical for organizational security. You need security measures to secure the cloud data you store, process and transfer. Encrypt data in motion and at rest Encrypting cloud data in transit and at rest is critical to data security. When you encrypt your data, it transforms into an unreadable format. So only authorized users with a decryption key can make it readable again. This way, cybercriminals will not access your sensitive data. To protect your cloud data in transit, use encryption protocols like TSL and SSL. And for cloud data at rest, use powerful encryption algorithms like AES and RSA. Investigate shadow IT applications Shadow IT apps can present a security risk as they often lack the same level of security as sanctioned apps. Investigating Shadow IT apps helps ensure they do not pose any security risks. For example, some staff may use cloud storage services that are insecure. If you realize that, you can propose sanctioned cloud storage software as a service apps like Dropbox and Google Drive. You can also use software asset management tools to monitor the apps in your environment. A good example is the SaaS solution known as Flexera software asset management. Protect Endpoints Endpoints are essential in maintaining a secure cloud infrastructure. They can cause a huge security issue if you don’t monitor them closely. Computers and smartphones are often the weakest points in your security strategy. So, hackers target them the most because of their high vulnerability. Cybercriminals may then introduce ransomware into your cloud through these endpoints. To protect your endpoints, employ security solutions like antimalware and antivirus software. You could also use endpoint detection and response systems (EDRs) to protect your endpoints from threats. EDRs use firewalls as a barrier between the endpoints and the outside world. These firewalls will monitor and block suspicious traffic from accessing your endpoints in real time. Best practices for preventing social engineering attacks Use these best practices to protect your organization from social engineering attacks: Educate employees about threats Educating workers on the techniques that attackers use helps create a security-minded culture. Your employees will be able to detect malicious attempts and respond appropriately. You can train them on deception techniques such as phishing, baiting, and pretexting. Also, make it your policy that every employee takes security certifications on a regular basis. You can tell them to report anything they suspect to be a security threat to the IT department. They’ll be assured that your security team can handle any security issues they may face. Create and enforce a password policy A password policy helps ensure your employees’ passwords are secure and regularly updated. It also sets up rules everyone must follow when creating and using passwords. Some rules in your password policy can be: Setting a minimum password length when creating passwords. No reusing of passwords. The frequency with which to change passwords. The characteristics of a strong password. A strong password policy safeguards your cloud-based operations from social engineering assaults. Implement multi-factor authentication Multi-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to protect the users’ accounts. This security tool requires users to provide extra credentials to access their accounts. For example, you may need a one-time code sent via text or an authentication app to log into your account. This extra layer of protection reduces the chances of unauthorized access to accounts. Hackers will find it hard to steal sensitive data even if they have your password. In the process, you’ll prevent data loss from your cloud platform. Leverage the multifactor authentication options that public cloud providers usually offer. For example, Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers multifactor authentication for its users. Best practices for securing your cloud deployments. Your cloud deployments are as secure or insecure as the processes you use to manage them. This is especially true for multi-cloud environments where the risks are even higher. Use these best practices to secure your cloud deployments: Understand the shared responsibility model The shared responsibility model is a concept that drives cloud best practices. It states that cloud providers and customers are responsible for different security aspects. Cloud service providers are responsible for the underlying infrastructure and its security. On the other hand, customers are responsible for their apps, data, and settings in the cloud. Familiarize yourself with the Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Microsoft Azure guides. This ensures you’re aware of the roles of your cloud service provider. Understanding the shared security model will help safeguard your cloud platform. Audit IaaS configurations Cloud deployments of workloads are prone to misconfigurations and vulnerabilities. So it’s important to regularly audit your Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) configurations. Check that all IaaS configurations align with industry best practices and security standards. Regularly check for weaknesses, misconfigurations, and other security vulnerabilities. This best practice is critical if you are using a multi-cloud environment. The level of complexity arises, which in turn increases the risk of attacks. Auditing IaaS configurations will secure your valuable cloud data and assets from potential cyberattacks. Review SLAs and contracts. Reviewing SLAs and contracts is a crucial best practice for safeguarding cloud installations. It ensures that all parties know their respective security roles. You should review SLAs to ensure cloud deployments meet your needs while complying with industry standards. Examining the contracts also helps you identify potential risks, like data breaches. This way, you prepare elaborate incident responses. Best practices for incident response Cloud environments are dynamic and can quickly become vulnerable to cyberattacks. So your security/DevOps team should design incident response plans to resolve potential security incidents. Here are some of the best practices for incident response: Maintaining logs and monitoring Maintaining logs and monitoring helps you spot potential cybersecurity threats in real time. In the process, enable your security to respond quickly using the right security controls. Maintaining logs involves tracking all the activities that occur in a system. In your cloud environment, it can record login attempts, errors, and other network activity. Monitoring your network activity lets you easily spot a breach’s origin and damage severity. Use vulnerability and penetration testing Vulnerability assessment and penetration testing can help you identify weaknesses in your cloud. These tests mimic attacks on a company’s cloud infrastructure to find vulnerabilities that cybercriminals may exploit. Through automation, these security controls can assist in locating security flaws, incorrect setups, and other weaknesses early. You can then measure the adequacy of your security policies to address these flaws. This will let you know if your cloud security can withstand real-life incidents. Vulnerability and penetration testing is a crucial best practice for handling incidents in cloud security. It may dramatically improve your organization’s overall security posture. Consider intrusion detection and prevention Intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS) are essential to a robust security strategy. Intrusion detection involves identifying potential cybersecurity threats in your network. Through automation, intrusion detection tools monitor your network traffic in real-time for suspicious activity. Intrusion prevention systems (IPS) go further by actively blocking malicious activity. These security tools can help prevent any harm by malware attacks in your cloud environment. The bottom line on cloud security. You must enforce best practices to keep your cloud environment secure. This way, you’ll lower the risks of cyberattacks which can have catastrophic results. A CSPM tool like Prevasio can help you enforce your cloud security best practices in many ways. It can provide visibility into your cloud environment and help you identify misconfigurations. Prevasio can also allow you to set up automated security policies to apply across the entire cloud environment. This ensures your cloud users abide by all your best practices for cloud security. So if you’re looking for a CSPM tool to help keep your cloud environment safe, try Prevasio today! Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

Network vulnerability scanning provides in-depth insight into your organization’s security posture and highlights the specific types of... Network Security 5 Best Network Vulnerability Scanning Tools in 2024 Tsippi Dach 2 min read Tsippi Dach Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. Tags Share this article 2/11/24 Published Network vulnerability scanning provides in-depth insight into your organization’s security posture and highlights the specific types of vulnerabilities attackers may exploit when targeting it. These tools work by systematically scanning your network environment — including all desktops, laptops, mobile endpoints, servers, and other assets for known weaknesses and misconfigurations. Your analyzer then produces a detailed report that tells you exactly how hackers might breach your systems. Find out how these important tools contribute to successfully managing your security policies and protecting sensitive assets from cybercriminals and malware. What is Network Vulnerability Management? Network vulnerability scanners are cybersecurity solutions typically delivered under a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model. These solutions match your network asset configurations with a comprehensive list of known misconfigurations and security threats, including unpatched software, open ports, and other security issues. By comparing system details against a comprehensive database of known vulnerabilities, network scanning helps pinpoint areas of weakness that could potentially be exploited by threat actors. This proactive approach is essential for maintaining robust network security and protecting sensitive data from unauthorized access and cyberattacks. This provides your organization with several valuable benefits: Early detection of known security vulnerabilities. If your organization is exposed to security threats that leverage known vulnerabilities, you’ll want to address these security gaps as soon as possible. Comprehensive data for efficient risk management. Knowing exactly how many security vulnerabilities your organization is exposed to gives you clear data for conducting in-depth risk management . Regulatory compliance. Many regulatory compliance frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, and PCI DSS require organizations to undergo regular vulnerability scanning. Reduced costs. Automating the process of scanning for vulnerabilities reduces the costs associated with discovering and remediating security weaknesses manually. Key Features and Functions The best network security vulnerability scanners have several important features in common: Prioritized vulnerability assessment tools. You need to be able to assess and prioritize vulnerabilities based on their severity. This allows you to commit security resources to addressing high-priority vulnerabilities first, and taking care of low-impact weaknesses afterwards. Automation and real-time analysis. Manual scanning is a difficult and time-consuming process. Your vulnerability scanner must support automated, ongoing scanning for real-time vulnerability detection, providing on-demand insights into your security risk profile. Integration with remediation tools: The best network vulnerability scanners integrate with other security tools for quick mitigation and remediation. This lets security teams quickly close security gaps and move on to the next, without having to spend time accessing and managing a separate set of security tools. How Network Vulnerability Scanning Tools Work Step 1. Scanning Process Initial network mapping is the first step in the vulnerability scanning process. At this point, your scanner maps your entire network and identifies every device and asset connected to it. This includes all web servers, workstations, firewalls , and network devices. The automatic discovery process should produce a comprehensive map showing how your network is connected, and show detailed information about each network device. It should include comprehensive port scanning to identify open ports that attackers could use to gain entry to the network. Step 2. Detection Techniques The next step in the process involves leveraging advanced detection techniques to identify known vulnerabilities in the network. Most network vulnerability scanners rely on two specific techniques to achieve this: Signature-Based Detection: The scanner checks for known vulnerabilities by comparing system details against a database of known issues. This database is drawn from extensive threat intelligence feeds and public records like the MITRE CVE Program . Heuristic Analysis: This technique relies on heuristic and behavioral techniques to identify unknown or zero-day vulnerabilities based on unusual system behavior or configurations. It may detect suspicious activities that don’t correspond to known threats, prompting further investigation. Step 3. Vulnerability Identification This step involves checking network assets for known vulnerabilities according to their unique risk profile. This includes scanning for outdated software and operating system versions, and looking for misconfigurations in network devices and settings. Most network scanners achieve this by pinging network-accessible systems, sending them TCP/UDP packets, and remotely logging into compatible systems to gather detailed information about them. Highly advanced network vulnerability scanning tools have more comprehensive sets of features for identifying these vulnerabilities, because they recognize a wider, more up-to-date range of network devices. Step 4. Assessment and Reporting This step describes the process of matching network data to known vulnerabilities and prioritizing them based on their severity. Advanced network scanning devices may use automation and sophisticated scripting to produce a list of vulnerabilities and exposed network components. First, each vulnerability is assessed for its potential impact and risk level, often based on industry-wide compliance standards like NIST. Then the tool prioritizes each vulnerability based on its severity, ease of exploitation, and potential impact on the network. Afterwards, the tool generates a detailed report outlining every vulnerability assessed and ranking it according to its severity. These reports guide the security teams in addressing the identified issues. Step 5. Continuous Monitoring and Updates Scanning for vulnerabilities once is helpful, but it won’t help you achieve the long-term goal of keeping your network protected against new and emerging threats. To do that, you need to continuously monitor your network for new weaknesses and establish workflows for resolving security issues proactively. Many advanced scanners provide real-time monitoring, constantly scanning the network for new vulnerabilities as they emerge. Regular updates to the scanner’s vulnerability database ensure it can recognize the latest known vulnerabilities and threats. If your vulnerability scanner doesn’t support these two important features, you may need to invest additional time and effort into time-consuming manual operations that achieve the same results. Step 6. Integration with Other Security Measures Security leaders must pay close attention to what happens after a vulnerability scan detects an outdated software patch or misconfiguration. Alerting security teams to the danger represented by these weaknesses is only the first step towards actually resolving them, and many scanning tools offer comprehensive integrations for launching remediation actions. Remediation integrations are valuable because they allow security teams to quickly address vulnerabilities immediately upon discovering them. The alternative is creating a list of weaknesses and having the team manually go through them, which takes time and distracts from higher-impact security tasks. Another useful integration involves large-scale security posture analytics. If your vulnerability assessment includes analysis and management tools for addressing observable patterns in your network vulnerability scans, it will be much easier to dedicate resources to the appropriate security-enhancing initiatives. Choosing a Network Vulnerability Scanning Solution There are two major categories of features that network vulnerability scanning tools must offer in order to provide best-in-class coverage against sophisticated threats. Keep these aspects in mind when reviewing your options for deploying vulnerability scans in your security workflow. Important Considerations Comprehensive Vulnerability Database. Access to an extensive CVE database is vital. Many of these are open-source and available to the general public, but the sheer number of CVE records can drag down performance. The best vulnerability management tools have highly optimized APIs capable of processing these records quickly. Customizability and Templates. Tailoring scans to specific needs and environments is important for every organization, but it takes on special significance for organizations seeking to demonstrate regulatory compliance. That’s because the outcome of compliance assessments and audits will depend on the quality of data included in your reports. False Positive Management. All vulnerability scanners are susceptible to displaying false positives, but some manage these events better than others. This is especially important in misconfiguration cases, because it can cause security teams to mistakenly misconfigure security tools that were configured correctly in the first place. Business Essentials Support for Various Platforms. Your vulnerability scan must ingest data from multiple operating systems like Windows, Linux, and a variety of cloud platforms. If any of these systems are not compatible with the scanning process, you may end up with unstable performance or unreliable data. Reporting and Analytics. Detailed reports and analytics help you establish a clear security posture assessment. Your vulnerability management tool must provide clear reports that are easy for non-technical stakeholders to understand. This will help you make the case for necessary security investments in the future. Scalability and Flexibility. These solutions must scale with the growth of your organization’s IT infrastructure . Pay attention to the usage and payment model each vulnerability scanning vendor uses. Some of them may be better suited to small, growing organizations while others are more appropriate for large enterprises and government agencies. Top 5 Network Vulnerability Scanning Providers 1. AlgoSec AlgoSec is a network security platform that helps organizations identify vulnerabilities and orchestrate network security policies in response. It includes comprehensive features for managing firewalls routers , and other security device configurations, and enables teams to proactively scan for new vulnerabilities on their network. AlgoSec reports on misconfigurations and vulnerabilities, and can show how simulated changes to IT infrastructure impact the organization’s security posture. It provides in-depth visibility and control over multi-cloud and on-premises environments. Key features: Comprehensive network mapping. AlgoSec supports automatic network asset discovery, giving security teams complete coverage of the hybrid network. In-depth automation. The platform supports automatic security policy updates in response to detected security vulnerabilities, allowing security teams to manage risk proactively. Detailed risk analysis. When AlgoSec detects a vulnerability, it provides complete details and background on the vulnerability itself and the risk it represents. 2. Tenable Nessus Tenable Nessus is one of the industry’s most reputable names in vulnerability assessment and management. It is widely used to identify and fix vulnerabilities including software flaws, missing security patches, and misconfigurations. It supports a wide range of operating systems and applications, making it a flexible tool for many different use cases. Key features: High-speed discovery. Tenable supports high speed network asset discovery scans through advanced features. Break up scans into easily managed subnetworks and configure ping settings to make the scan faster. Configuration auditing. Security teams can ensure IT assets are compliant with specific compliance-oriented audit policies designed to meet a wide range of assets and standards. Sensitive data discovery. Tenable Nessus can discover sensitive data located on the network and provide clear, actionable steps for protecting that data in compliance with regulatory standards. 3. Rapid7 Nexpose Nexpose offers real-time monitoring and risk assessment designed for enterprise organizations. As an on-premises vulnerability scanner, the solution is well-suited to the needs of large organizations with significant IT infrastructure deployments. It collects vulnerability information, prioritizes it effectively, and provides guidance on remediating risks. Key Features: Enterprise-ready on-premises form factor. Rapid7 designed Nexpose to meet the needs of large organizations with constant vulnerability scanning needs. Live monitoring of the attack surface. Organizations can continuously scan their IT environment and prioritize discovered vulnerabilities using more than 50 filters to create asset groups that correspond to known threats. Integration with penetration testing. Rapid7 comes with a wide range of fully supported integrations and provides vulnerability and exploitability context useful for pentest scenarios. 4. Qualys Qualys is an enterprise cloud security provider that includes vulnerability management in its IT security and compliance platform. It includes features that help security teams understand and manage security risks while automating remediation with intuitive no-code workflows. It integrates well with other enterprise security solutions, but may not be accessible for smaller organizations. Key features: All-in-one vulnerability management workflow . Qualys covers all of your vulnerability scanning and remediation needs in a single, centralized platform. It conducts asset discovery, detects vulnerabilities, prioritizes findings, and launches responses with deep customization and automation capabilities. Web application scanning . The platform is well-suited to organizations with extensive public-facing web applications outside the network perimeter. It supports container runtime security, including container-as-a-service environments. Complete compliance reporting . Security teams can renew expiring certificates directly through Qualys, making it a comprehensive solution to obtaining and maintaining compliance. 5. OpenVAS (Greenbone Networks) OpenVAS is an open-source tool that offers a comprehensive scanning to organizations of all sizes. It is available under a General Public License (GPL) agreement, making it a cost-effective option compared to competing proprietary software options. It supports a range of customizable plugins through its open source developer community. Key Features: Open-source vulnerability scanner. Organizations can use and customize OpenVAS at no charge, giving it a significant advantage for organizations that prioritize cost savings. Customizable plugins. As with many open-source tools, there is a thriving community of developers involved in creating customizable plugins for unique use cases. Supports a wide range of vulnerability tests . The high level of customization offered by OpenVAS allows security teams to run many different kinds of vulnerability tests from a single, centralized interface. Honorable Mentions Nmap (Network Mapper): A versatile and free open-source tool, NMAP is popular for network discovery and security auditing. It’s particularly noted for its flexibility in scanning both large networks and single hosts. Nmap is a powerful and popular Linux command-line tool commonly featured in cybersecurity education courses. Microsoft’s Azure Security Center: Ideal for organizations heavily invested in the Azure cloud platform, this tool provides integrated security monitoring and policy management across hybrid cloud workloads. It unifies many different security features, including vulnerability assessment, proactive threat hunting, and more. IBM Security QRadar Vulnerability Manager: This is a comprehensive solution that integrates with other IBM QRadar products, providing a full-spectrum view of network vulnerabilities. It’s especially valuable for enterprises that already rely on IBM infrastructure for security workflows. McAfee Vulnerability Manager: A well-known solution offering robust vulnerability scanning capabilities, with additional features for risk and compliance management. It provides a combination of active and passive monitoring, along with penetration testing and authentication scanning designed to provide maximum protection to sensitive network assets. Choosing the Right Vulnerability Management Tool Choosing the right vulnerability management tool requires in-depth knowledge of your organization’s security and IT infrastructure context. You need to select the tool that matches your unique use cases and security requirements while providing the support you need to achieve long-term business goals. Those goals may change over time, which makes ongoing evaluation of your security tools an even more important strategic asset to keep in your arsenal. Gathering clear and detailed information about your organization’s security posture allows you to flexibility adapt to changes in your IT environment without exposing sensitive assets to additional risk. AlgoSec provides a wide range of flexible options for vulnerability scanning, policy change management, and proactive configuration simulation. Enhance your organization’s security capabilities by deploying a vulnerability management solution that provides the visibility and flexibility you need to stay on top of a challenging industry. Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

Learn the basics of managing multiple workloads in the cloud and how to create a successful enterprise level security management program Webinars Merging the Cloud with Application Connectivity Discover the hottest trends and best practices for application-based security management As more companies make the leap into distributed architecture, the smallest gaps in network security can quickly become targets for attack. While an application-based security strategy can help you protect your hybrid cloud estate better, this shift in focus comes with its own challenges. In this webinar, we discuss: How securing application connectivity plays a key role in hybrid cloud risk management Why application orchestration is critical to managing your network within the hybrid cloud environment How to achieve effective cloud security solutions and best practices To learn more, go to https://www.algosec.com/resources/hub/hybrid_cloud/ September 27, 2022 Hillary Baron Cloud Security Alliance Oren Amiram Director Product Management, Algosec Relevant resources Firewall Rule Recertification with Application Connectivity Keep Reading What is cloud network security? Keep Reading Cloud migration: How to move applications to the cloud Keep Reading Choose a better way to manage your network Choose a better way to manage your network Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

Zero trust container analysis system Download PDF Schedule time with one of our experts Schedule time with one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Continue

Cloud computing has become a cornerstone of business operations, with cloud security at the forefront of strategic concerns. In a recent... Cloud Network Security Shaping tomorrow: Leading the way in cloud security Adel Osta Dadan 2 min read Adel Osta Dadan Short bio about author here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur. Vitae donec tincidunt elementum quam laoreet duis sit enim. Duis mattis velit sit leo diam. cnapp Tags Share this article 12/28/23 Published Cloud computing has become a cornerstone of business operations, with cloud security at the forefront of strategic concerns. In a recent SANS webinar , our CTO Prof. Avishai Wool discussed why more companies are becoming more concerned protecting their containerized environments, given the fact that they are being targeted in cloud-based breaches more than ever. Watch the SANS webinar now! Embracing CNAPP (Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform) is crucial, particularly for its role in securing these versatile yet vulnerable container environments. Containers, encapsulating code and dependencies, are pivotal in modern application development, offering portability and efficiency. Yet, they introduce unique security challenges. With 45% of breaches occurring in cloud-based settings, the emphasis on securing containers is more critical than ever. CNAPP provides a comprehensive shield, addressing specific vulnerabilities inherent to containers, such as configuration errors or compromised container images. The urgent need for skilled container security experts The deployment of CNAPP solutions, while technologically advanced, also hinges on human expertise. The shortage of skills in cloud security management, particularly around container technologies, poses a significant challenge. As many as 35% of IT decision-makers report difficulties in navigating data privacy and security management, underscoring the urgent need for skilled professional’s adept in CNAPP and container security. The economic stakes of failing to secure cloud environments, especially containers, are high. Data breaches, on average, cost companies a staggering $4.35 million . This figure highlights not just the financial repercussions but also the potential damage to reputation and customer trust. CNAPP’s role extends beyond security, serving as a strategic investment against these multifaceted risks. As we navigate the complexitis of cloud security, CNAPP’s integration for container protection represents just one facet of a broader strategy. Continuous monitoring, regular security assessments, and a proactive approach to threat detection and response are also vital. These practices ensure comprehensive protection and operational resilience in a landscape where cloud dependency is rapidly increasing. The journey towards securing cloud environments, with a focus on containers, is an ongoing endeavour. The strategic implementation of CNAPP, coupled with a commitment to cultivating skilled cybersecurity expertise, is pivotal. By balancing advanced technology with professional acumen, organizations can confidently navigate the intricacies of cloud security, ensuring both digital and economic resilience in our cloud-dependent world. #CNAPP Schedule a demo Related Articles Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 5 Multi-Cloud Environments Cloud Security Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Convergence didn’t fail, compliance did. Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Speak to one of our experts Speak to one of our experts Work email* First name* Last name* Company* country* Select country... Short answer* By submitting this form, I accept AlgoSec's privacy policy Schedule a call

Understand HIPAA network compliance requirements. Learn how to safeguard patient data with robust network security measures and ensure compliance with HIPAA regulations. HIPAA network compliance & security requirements explained What are HIPAA network compliance requirements, rules, and violations? The advancement in data management technology has revolutionized how healthcare providers offer their services. Digital or electronic solutions are integrated into healthcare processes to improve productivity, enhance efficiency, and meet patients’ demands. Before digital transformation swept across the healthcare industry, healthcare providers at all levels relied upon manual methods and traditional data processing to carry out their day-to-day activities. Today, modern solutions, like computerized physician order entry (CPOE) and electronic health records (EHR), have replaced them, streamlining repetitive tasks, encouraging collaboration, and improving data sharing. Even though using computerized systems and other medical record management systems is very helpful, the security of confidential healthcare information has been a major challenge. To ensure that the privacy and security of patients’ information are maintained, the government created a law to enforce compliance (by organizations) with security best practices. This is where HIPAA comes in! Schedule a Demo What is HIPAA compliance? This refers to compliance with regulatory standards that outline what organizations that handle protected health information (PHI) must do to ensure the privacy and security of patients’ data. The U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires healthcare providers and their business associates to implement physical, network, and process security measures to ensure the security of PHI. HIPAA regulations set clear standards that health organizations must meet when managing patients’ sensitive data, like patient medical records, health insurance information, and other personally identifiable information. Schedule a Demo Who needs to be HIPAA-compliant? According to the HIPAA, the Privacy Rule covers: Health plans Health care clearinghouses Healthcare providers who execute certain financial and administrative transactions electronically. Schedule a Demo What are HIPAA compliance requirements? There are some measures organizations are required to implement to protect patients’ sensitive data. If your company is a “covered entity”, it is expected to meet the following compliance requirements: 1. Have a dedicated HIPAA privacy officer There is a need for a professional who understands HIPAA and how to comply with the regulations. The officer will guide your organization on the right path and implement necessary measures to avoid HIPAA violations. And when a data breach or violation happens, the officer should restore order following the provisions of the act. 2. Identify and classify sensitive data Does your organization manage data that is not subject to HIPAA regulations? If that is the case, identify and classify sensitive information that should be handled according to HIPAA requirements. This helps you to implement security measures with little or no ambiguity. 3. Staff training Malicious actors usually target employees of organizations they want to attack. To equip your staff with the ability to spot attacks from a distance, you need to institute staff training. Your employees need to learn how to implement physical, administrative, and technical safeguards to protect PHI. 4. Institute strict data management policies Getting your staff trained on HIPAA laws and regulations is not enough. They need good leadership to uphold data security standards. Establish data management policies to enforce best practices and regulate access privileges. 5. Equip your facilities with security solutions Access control is a significant part of HIPAA compliance. Ensure unauthorized users don’t have access to computers, documents, or sensitive parts of workstations. You can achieve this by implementing security measures that regulate access to data and notify you when someone trespasses. 6. Install encryption software where necessary Data encryption solutions make files inaccessible to cybercriminals. Cloud solutions and other digital methods of storing data have increased the surface area for attacks. Malicious cyber actors are relentlessly scouring the internet for security vulnerabilities. Safeguarding patients’ data with encryption software is the way to go. 7. Enforce common best practices Visiting a malware-compromised website or clicking an ‘infected’ link can make your organization prone to a security breach. Encourage safe browsing and adopt security solutions, like email security software and antivirus systems. 8. File disposal policy Don’t dispose of documents or storage devices without rendering them unreadable. The best way to dispose of documents and records is to destroy them – by shredding or burning them. 9. Establish procedures for handling data breaches The primary goal is to prevent a security breach. However, the undesirable happens, and you need to be ready for the worst-case scenario. Establish and maintain procedures for managing security challenges. Ensure you appoint well-trained security experts who can respond swiftly when a breach occurs. 10. Monitor & review your assets & procedures regularly Keep an eye on your data assets and management policies. This helps you to identify inefficiencies and adopt measures to plug loopholes. Regular review is necessary to ensure you are keeping up with best practices. Remove outdated solutions and procedures to stay a thousand steps ahead of criminals. 11. Implement a strict backup policy Implement a backup strategy that conforms with the dictates of HIPAA. That said, having a good backup policy helps you clean up a data breach quickly. The general backup best practice is to have three copies of data at three different premises – on-site, off-site, and cloud locations. 12. Establish and maintain a disaster recovery plan A disaster recovery plan outlines how your organization will restore operations and manage stakeholders after a security breach. It details how your security team will respond to emergencies or the aftermath of security problems. Remember, your disaster recovery system should comply with the provisions of HIPAA. Schedule a Demo What are the four main HIPAA rules? The major HIPAA rules are the Privacy Rule , Security Rule , Breach Notification Rule , and Omnibus Rule . Let’s take a look at each rule. The HIPAA privacy rule The HIPAA Privacy Rule is a regulatory framework that mandates covered entities and their business associates to uphold patients’ rights to data privacy. The privacy rule states what constitutes electronically protected health information, how it should be safeguarded, and the DOs and DON’Ts of PHI management. In a nutshell, this rule establishes how patients’ sensitive information should be protected, stored, used, shared, and disclosed. Any identifiable patient data is subject to the Privacy Rule. The PHI includes: Any past, present or future documentation on physical or mental conditions Healthcare records of the patient Records showing past, present, or future healthcare payment information According to the Privacy Rule , covered entities and their business associates are responsible for protecting PHI. There are cases where organizations can disclose private health information. But such scenarios are strictly defined by the rule and subject to legal interpretation. The HIPAA security rule While the Privacy Rule defines what privacy and ePHI (electronic PHI) are, the Security Rule is a framework that outlines the standards required to ensure the security of electronically protected health information. The security rule covers every aspect of your organization’s operations, from administration and physical processes to computers and technology equipment. The security rule has five sections: general rules, administrative safeguards, physical safeguards, technical safeguards, and organizational requirements. The General Rules The General rules mandate organizations to: Protect ePHI from reasonably anticipated threats or hazards Prevent any reasonably anticipated uses or disclosures of PHI that are not in line with the provisions of the Privacy Rule Enforce compliance with the security rule by the employees The Administrative Safeguards The Administrative Safeguards require the implementation of security policies and procedures. It dictates that the Security Officer should be responsible for conducting risk analyses, staff training, adopting risks and vulnerability management measures, and other administrative measures. The Physical Safeguards The physical safeguards outline how physical access to ePHI should be regulated. Whether the ePHI is stored in the cloud, in a remote data center, or on on-premise servers, there should be a strict policy that regulates access. This section of the security rule also states how access to workstations and devices should be safeguarded. The Technical Safeguards This part of the security rules focuses on ensuring that every person accessing ePHI is legitimate and does exactly what they are supposed to do. The technical safeguards help to ensure that security challenges are identified and rectified timely. The safeguards cover access controls, audit controls, integrity controls, transmission security, and any person or entity authentication. Organizational Requirements This section states the things business associate agreements must cover. Organizational Requirements stipulate that: Business associate agreements must provide that the business associates comply with the relevant parts of the security rule. Business associates must ensure compliance with subcontractors by entering into an Agreement with them. Business associates will report any security breach to the concerned covered entity. The HIPAA breach notification rule As much as organizations strive to comply with the requirements of HIPAA, security breaches still happen. It’s difficult, if not impossible, for covered entities and business associates to protect data with 100% effectiveness. Organizations must notify the public and the data subjects about a breach and disclose the steps they are taking to contain the problem. The Breach Notification Rule outlines what covered entities need to do when a breach occurs. Organizations are required to: Notify the people affected by the breach Inform the affected people within 60 days of the discovery of the security incident Provide a public notice if more than 500 individuals are impacted And more! The HIPAA omnibus rule According to the Omnibus Rule, organizations outside of covered entities (business associates and contractors) must meet compliance obligations. This rule states that covered entities are responsible for ensuring that business associates and contractors are compliant. Consequently, covered entities have to implement compliance measures to avoid any violations. Schedule a Demo What are HIPAA violations and how to avoid them? Violation is said to have occurred when an organization fails to comply with or meet the requirements of HIPAA. There are two major categories of violations: civil and criminal violations. Civil violations are committed accidentally or without malicious intent. On the other hand, criminal violations are done with malicious intent. As expected, penalties for civil violations are less than that for criminal violations. Here are some examples of violations and tips on how to avoid them: Illegal exposure of patients’ data Disclosing patients’ data to unauthorized parties accidentally or on purpose violates HIPAA provisions. There is a guideline for disclosing sensitive healthcare information. When due process is not followed, a violation occurs. And the penalty for unlawful disclosure of medical records depends on a range of factors, including whether it’s a civil or criminal violation. To avoid this type of violation, implement strict administrative policies. Allow only a few well-trained administrators to have the privilege to access or disclose data. When data access is strictly regulated, you can easily prevent unauthorized access and keep tabs on data management. Failure to implement proper security best practices The HIPAA security rule outlines the security protocols covered entities are required to implement. Given the complexity of data protection today, it’s easy to leave important things undone. You can avoid this by appointing an experienced security officer. You should also set up a committee of security professionals responsible for ensuring the proper implementation of security protocols. Lack of a consistent training policy It takes consistent staff training to meet the requirements of HIPAA. Both old and new employees need to be trained from time to time on how to protect healthcare data. Make training an integral part of your administrative policy. Non-compliance to security regulations is mainly caused by people. No matter the type of access management or security risk mitigation software you implement, you need an informed workforce to ensure compliance. Lack of proper notification after a security breach The HIPAA breach notification rule states how healthcare service providers should notify affected data subjects and public officials after a security incident. Failure to do so accordingly results in HIPAA violation. To avoid this, appoint a HIPAA compliance officer to monitor compliance gaps and ensure that requirements are met at every point in time. In addition, your contingency plan or disaster recovery system should contain a guideline on how to notify impacted parties when things go wrong. Lack of measures to address existing compliance gaps Neglecting existing compliance gaps or not doing the needful to avoid potential security problems violates HIPAA. Healthcare organizations are expected to act proactively, leveraging risk assessment and risk management policy to protect PHI. To close compliance gaps, do the following: Establish a HIPAA compliance enforcement team and a compliance officer Keep all software updated Conduct HIPAA audits regularly Work with a health information technology and security company that offers HIPAA compliance services. Schedule a Demo How can your network become HIPAA compliant with AlgoSec? HIPAA compliance requirements can be challenging to meet. The requirements are many, and you need teams of dedicated experts to interpret and design compliance strategies. Managing in-house teams of compliance experts is capital-intensive and time-consuming. Therefore outsourcing compliance duties to a technology and security vendor is the way to go. AlgoSec provides comprehensive network security solutions you need for your organization to become HIPAA compliant. AlgoSec automatically identifies compliance gaps and provides remediation guidance. It also allows you to easily generate daily audit and compliance reporting across your entire network – whether the data is in the on-premise data center, in the private cloud or in the public cloud. Best of all, AlgoSec generates pre-populated, audit-ready compliance reports that help reduce HIPAA audit preparation efforts and costs. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you comply with HIPAA provisions. Schedule a Demo Select a size What are HIPAA network compliance requirements, rules, and violations? What is HIPAA compliance? Who needs to be HIPAA-compliant? What are HIPAA compliance requirements? What are the four main HIPAA rules? What are HIPAA violations and how to avoid them? How can your network become HIPAA compliant with AlgoSec? Get the latest insights from the experts Use these six best practices to simplify compliance and risk mitigation with the AlgoSec platform White paper Learn how AlgoSec can help you pass PCI-DSS Audits and ensure continuous compliance Solution overview See how this customer improved compliance readiness and risk management with AlgoSec Case study Choose a better way to manage your network

The new release deploys advanced AI for fast and accurate application discovery, provides clear visualization and mapping of application connectivity and potential security risks in complex hybrid environments AlgoSec launches its AI-powered Security Platform, to securely manage application-centric connectivity and remediate risk in real time The new release deploys advanced AI for fast and accurate application discovery, provides clear visualization and mapping of application connectivity and potential security risks in complex hybrid environments September 25, 2024 Speak to one of our experts RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ, September 25, 2024 – Global cybersecurity leader AlgoSec has launched its newest Security Management platform version, featuring advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology that provides an application-centric security approach and a clearer picture of risks and their impact. With this new release, the AlgoSec platform enables users to accurately identify the business applications running in their complex hybrid network, and leverage intelligent change automation to streamline security change processes, thus improving security and agility. “Security professionals are overwhelmed with a barrage of alerts that provide no context between critical threats and minor issues,” said Eran Shiff , VP Product of AlgoSec. “By mapping applications, security teams can understand their criticality, automate changes and prioritize alerts that truly matter, saving countless hours through automation.” Gartner predicts that by 2027, 50 percent of critical enterprise applications will reside outside of centralized public cloud locations, underscoring the complexity that network infrastructures face. Today’s networks are 100 times more complex than they were 10 years ago, and the pace of deployment and development at which security teams are expected to work is 100 times faster. AI-powered application discovery enhances a security team’s ability to detect and respond to threats in real-time. An application-centric approach automates change management processes, identifies security risks and mitigates risks before they impact the network infrastructure. “In today’s evolving cyber landscape, it’s essential that we rapidly identify and prioritize threats as they occur,” said Robert Eldridge, Security Solutions Director of Natilik. “AlgoSec’s AI-powered platform helps us deliver proactive network visibility and risk mitigation to our clients, keeping them ahead of potential threats”. Securing hybrid infrastructures relies on four pillars that are essential to AlgoSec’s platform update: ● AI-driven application discovery – Advanced AI feature designed to automatically discover and identify the business applications that are running by correlating them to security changes that have been made. ● Intelligent and automated application connectivity change – New enhancements allow security professionals to directly adjust existing Microsoft Azure firewall rules for new application connections. Additionally, there’s added support for application awareness in Check Point R80+ firewalls. ● Reduce risk exposure and minimize attack surface – New features focus on tightening security posture and minimizing potential vulnerabilities. It streamlines Microsoft Azure Firewall rule management by identifying and recommending the removal of unused rules. It reduces risk exposure by automatically generating change management tickets to eliminate overly permissive rules. Additionally, it ensures compliance with the latest ASD-ISM regulations. ● Better visibility across complex hybrid networks – AlgoSec has enriched its capabilities to support visibility of network security devices including: NSX-T Gateway Firewall, Azure Load Balancer, and Google Cloud map and traffic path (in early availability). To learn more about updates to the AlgoSec Security Management platform, click here . AlgoSec will demonstrate the key capabilities of release A33 during its upcoming annual AlgoSummit user event. To register, click here . About AlgoSec AlgoSec, a global cybersecurity leader, empowers organizations to secure application connectivity and cloud-native applications throughout their multi-cloud and hybrid network. Trusted by more than 1,800 of the world’s leading organizations, AlgoSec’s application-centric approach enables secure acceleration of business application deployment by centrally managing application connectivity and security policies across the public clouds, private clouds, containers, and on-premises networks. Using its unique vendor-agnostic deep algorithm for intelligent change management automation, AlgoSec enables the acceleration of digital transformation projects, helps prevent business application downtime, and substantially reduces manual work and exposure to security risks. AlgoSec’s policy management and CNAPP platforms provide a single source for visibility into security and compliance issues within cloud-native applications as well as across the hybrid network environment, to ensure ongoing adherence to internet security standards, industry, and internal regulations. Learn how AlgoSec enables application owners, information security experts, DevSecOps, and cloud security teams to deploy business applications up to 10 times faster while maintaining security at https://www.algosec.com .  MEDIA CONTACT: Megan Davis Alloy, on behalf of AlgoSec [email protected]