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AlgoSec extends Cisco ACI’s policy-based automation to security devices in the Data Center AlgoSec’s Network Security Management Solution Now on Cisco’s Global Price List AlgoSec extends Cisco ACI’s policy-based automation to security devices in the Data Center November 26, 2019 Speak to one of our experts Ridgefield Park, NJ, USA (November 26, 2019) – AlgoSec, a leading provider of business-driven network security management solutions, today announced the availability of its integrated solution for Cisco ACI and security devices on Cisco’s Global Price List. This enables Cisco’s direct and channel sales network to offer AlgoSec’s solutions to customers through Cisco’s SolutionsPlus program. Cisco ACI, the industry’s leading software-defined networking solution, facilitates application agility and Data Center automation. ACI enables scalable multi-cloud networks with a consistent policy model and provides the flexibility to move applications seamlessly to any location or any cloud while maintaining security and high availability. AlgoSec integrates with Cisco ACI to extend ACI’s policy-based automation to multi-vendor security devices across the Data Center, on its edges and in the cloud. AlgoSec Security Management Solution for ACI enables customers to better ensure continuous compliance and automates the provisioning of security policies across ACI fabric and multi-vendor security devices connected to the ACI fabric, helping customers build more secure Data Centers. “AlgoSec and Cisco ACI share an application-centric approach to network security management, allowing customers to realize the full potential of intent-based Data Centers. We are delighted to be a part of Cisco’s Solutions Plus program and get listed on Global Price List,” said Avishai Wool, CTO and co-founder at AlgoSec. “Extending Cisco ACI’s policy driven automation to security devices, closely aligns with AlgoSec’s strategies and will deliver powerful benefits to our mutual customers. It enables customers to build truly automated IT environments that are flexible, secure and responsive to their business needs,” added Bruno Weinberger, VP, Strategic Alliances at AlgoSec. “Networking teams are increasingly adopting application-centric, policy-driven approach to meet rapidly changing requirements from IT teams and application owners,” said Ranga Rao, Senior Director of Product Management and Solutions, Cisco Data Center Networking. “AlgoSec security management solution extends ACI’s policy model and automation capabilities to security devices, allowing customers and partners to build agile and more secure data centers.” Cisco and AlgoSec’s channel partners share an equal level of enthusiasm about this initiative. “This collaboration between Cisco and AlgoSec is a great news for Conscia. As a Cisco Gold Partner and AlgoSec’s strategic partner, we hope to enable customers to realize the potential of application driven security automation, help ensure continuous compliance and reduce the attack surface in their Data Centers” said Henrik Skovfoged, System Engineering Director, Conscia A/S. About Cisco DevNet SolutionsPlus Program DevNet Solutions Plus 2.0 places a select set of “Cisco Compatible” products on the Cisco Systems price list, making it faster for customers to order non-Cisco products from Cisco sales teams and channel partners. Products in Cisco DevNet Solutions Plus 2.0 complement and augment Cisco’s advanced technology products. Cisco DevNet Solutions Plus 2.0 vendors are also part of the Cisco® Solution Partner Program. About AlgoSec The leading provider of business-driven network security management solutions, AlgoSec helps the world’s largest organizations align security with their mission-critical business processes. With AlgoSec, users can discover, map and migrate business application connectivity, proactively analyze risk from the business perspective, tie cyber-attacks to business processes and intelligently automate network security changes with zero touch – across their cloud, SDN and on-premise networks. Over 1,800 enterprises , including 20 of the Fortune 50, have utilized AlgoSec’s solutions to make their organizations more agile, more secure and more compliant – all the time. Since 2005, AlgoSec has shown its commitment to customer satisfaction with the industry’s only money-back guarantee .All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners. Media Contacts: Tsippi [email protected] Craig CowardContext Public [email protected] +44 (0)1625 511 966

Ensure your firewall meets all PCI DSS requirements. Learn essential best practices for configuring and managing your firewall for optimal PCI compliance. Firewall PCI DSS compliance: Requirements & best practices What is a firewall PCI DSS compliance? PCI DSS compliance refers to a set of security measures that apply to businesses handling payment cards, e.g., credit cards, debit cards, and cash cards. The full meaning of the term PCI DSS is Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. All companies that accept, process, store, or transmit credit card information require PCI Compliance as it ensures data security during and outside financial transactions. PCI DSS compliance is the rules and policies companies processing, storing, or transmitting payment card information must adhere to, helping them build a secure environment for card data. The PCI security standards council (PCI SSC) is the body responsible for managing PCI DSS. PCI SSC was formed in 2006 and has since been providing policies that tackle evolving cyber threats in the payment card industry. A firewall PCI DSS compliance refers to the process of configuring a firewall to monitor and filter incoming and outgoing internet traffic based on PCI DSS policies. Firewalls function based on a set of security rules, enabling them to block bad traffic like viruses and hackers from penetrating your network. Establishing a PCI-compliant firewall gives companies robust payment card information security that meets business needs and effectively protects sensitive data. Schedule a Demo What are the benefits of a PCI-compliant firewall? Hackers see credit cards and other payment card types as money-making opportunities. They tirelessly attack systems and networks to extract cardholders’ personal information and sensitive authentication data, which they can exploit. Examples of cardholder data are: Primary Account Number (PAN) Cardholder name Expiration date Service code Sensitive authentication data include: Full track data (magnetic-stripe data or equivalent on a chip) CAV2/CVC2/CVV2/CID PINs/PIN blocks Becoming PCI-compliant means you have effective security solutions to help defend your network against attacks and protect the financial and personal data of payment cards. A PCI-compliant firewall has been configured following PCI policies to allow specific network traffic and block others from accessing card data. Some benefits of having a PCI-compliant firewall in your organization include: Builds customer trust Any business that stores, processes, accepts, or transmits credit card information must have a reliable cybersecurity solution to gain customers’ trust. Users want reassurance that their data is safely stored and transmitted in your organization’s network, backed by the strictest information security policy. By showing that your business meets international standards for card information security, you can easily build customer trust and increase patronage. Prevents data breaches The primary benefit of PCI DSS compliance is that it eliminates the risks of data breaches. Data breaches can lead to huge financial losses and even damage a company’s reputation. Often, hackers look for easy targets, and one quick way to find them is by checking for companies whose firewall configuration isn’t PCI-compliant. Being PCI-compliant shows any potential attacker that your network security is top-notch, thus discouraging them from taking any further action. It displays that your cardholder data environment is protected by formidable security solutions that meet industry regulations and best practices. Helps you to meet global standards PCI DSS compliance was put together by the PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC). The body was formed by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, and JCB– the top five payment card firms. They designed this payment card information security policy to prevent data breaches and protect network system components, including servers, firewalls, etc. Building a PCI-compliant firewall confirms that your business aligns with the most trusted payment firms and meets global cybersecurity standards for payment cards. Prevents fines and penalties Besides the financial loss that hackers directly cause from data breaches, companies may also suffer heavy fines and penalties. They may be required to foot card replacement bills, audit fees, investigation costs, and even compensate for customers’ losses. Every business that processes, stores, accepts, or transmits payment card data must meet the ideal security standards required to avoid fines and penalties. More importantly, becoming compliant helps you establish a good reputation for your business online and offline. Puts security first A compliant firewall enjoys round-the-clock security as it is fully configured to regulate physical access and network-based attacks. So even if there’s an internal malicious actor, you can still secure your customers and prevent unauthorized access. This attitude of putting security first across your IT infrastructure can save you from losses worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in the long run. Maximum speed functionality Organizations that deploy industry-standard firewall policies can function at maximum speed as they’re assured they have a secure network. Working at full speed enables goods or service providers to generate greater revenue as they can satisfy more customers within a short time. Plus, PCI firewall rules don’t only protect the Cardholder Data Environment against attacks, but they also improve your system’s operational efficiency. As a result, you generate maximum ROI from your investment. Schedule a Demo How does PCI compliance affect my business? As a business handling, storing, processing, or transmitting payment card data, it’s essential to prioritize building trust and a positive reputation. This is because customers prefer to do business with brands they trust to provide top security for their card information. Unarguably, being PCI-compliant is one of the core ways to show customers and partners that your business can be trusted. It makes them understand that your security posture meets international standards and can withstand tough security threats. Also, with your compliance certification, you gain a competitive advantage over many other businesses as statistics show that only about 36% of businesses are PCI-compliant. Being compliant allows you to compete with top brands by displaying the alignment of your card data security with the best industry practices. More interestingly, PCI compliance allows every component of your network environment to function optimally, thus giving an impressive and satisfactory output. Schedule a Demo How should the PCI DSS firewall configuration be? PCI DSS firewall should be configured in line with standard practices to protect Cardholder Data Environments (CDE) effectively. You must first regulate the flow of traffic to gain more control and create an effective risk management strategy that prevents cybercriminals from impacting your network. Organizations with a highly complex CDE may resort to segmentation using multiple firewalls, which involves separating systems for better control. Here’s how the PCI DSS firewall should be configured: Set security : Every switch port should have security settings, especially when following segmentation practices. You must set firewalls at the CDE boundaries and also between untrusted networks and the demilitarized zone (DMZ). The DMZ is a sub-network providing an extra layer of security to your internal private network. Establish rules: Set and regularly update firewall rules so that systems and system ports are only accessed by authorized sources. All wireless networks should have perimeter firewalls installed to prevent access from outside the defined environment. Outdated software programs and default passwords should also be avoided during configuration. Inbound/outbound rules: Determine what traffic should be allowed to enter or exit your network based on business needs. Firewalls should only allow traffic needed in the CDE, while other unnecessary traffic must be blocked. Also, direct traffic from the CDE to the Internet should be blocked to avoid creating a loophole. Use VPNs: remote users accessing the system should do so via virtual private networks (VPNs). Also, their portable devices (laptops, desktops, or smart devices) should have firewalls installed. Add/Close switch ports : You should use switch ports (e.g., Internet, office, CDE) to segment different networks. Also, ensure that end users can’t alter the firewall’s configuration on devices and that their management procedures are well-documented. Schedule a Demo Twelve requirements to become PCI-compliant? Every company that aims to achieve PCI compliance must fulfill the twelve PCI DSS compliance requirements. Doing this ensures that your organization’s network enjoys top-tier security controls against any cybersecurity threat. Below are the PCI DSS requirements. 1. Install a firewall and maintain it The first step toward becoming PCI-compliant is installing and maintaining a firewall. Proper firewall configuration will effectively block all untrusted networks attempting to penetrate your system to steal data. Businesses must configure their firewalls, routers, and other network security devices through industry standard rules to ensure they filter inbound and outbound traffic effectively. Inbound traffic is traffic originating from outside your network and attempting to penetrate it, while outbound traffic comes from within your network and goes out. It’s crucial to have standard inbound and outbound firewall rules to protect the network against malicious incoming traffic, such as malware, denial-of-service (DoS) attacks, etc. With firewalls, routers, and other components properly configured, your first line of defense is optimized for card data protection. 2. Initiate strong password protections Third-party components in your IT infrastructure, such as servers, network devices, point of sale (PoS) systems, applications, access points, etc., must be protected with strong passwords. Avoid using vendor-supplied defaults or generic passwords because they are simple and can be guessed easily. In fact, many of them are published online, hence why changing them to stronger passwords is a requirement. You must also have a list of the devices and software that require a password or any other security feature in your network. Plus, you should document your company’s configuration procedures from the time you obtain the third-party product until it enters your IT network. Doing this helps in vulnerability management so that you will take all required security measures each time you introduce a new component to your IT infrastructure. 3. Protect the data of cardholders The essence of becoming PCI-compliant is to protect cardholder data, and that’s why this third requirement is the most important of all. Companies must know the type of data they want to store, its location, and the retention period. Knowing the type of data you want to store helps in determining the most secure way to protect it. Encryption can protect all data through industry-accepted algorithms, truncation, or tokenization. Typically, two-layer protection is considered the best, such as using both encryption and tokenization. You must conduct regular maintenance and scanning to detect any unencrypted primary account numbers (PAN) and ensure that your PCI DSS encryption key management process is strong. As part of the third requirement, businesses should follow standard security controls when displaying primary account numbers. Ideally, only the first six and last four digits can be displayed. 4. Encrypt data that gets transmitted When data is transmitted across open, public networks like the Internet, WiFi, and Bluetooth, it must be encrypted. Failure to encrypt data puts it at great risk, as cybercriminals can often access such data. However, with proper encryption, you can maintain top security for your data at rest and in transit. Also, you should know the destination and source of card data to avoid sending or receiving data from untrusted networks. 5. Install and maintain anti-virus software Companies must install and maintain anti-virus software to protect against malware that can impact system performance. All systems and devices (e.g., laptops, desktops, mobile devices, workstations, etc.) providing local and remote IT network access should have anti-virus programs installed on them. These devices are commonly affected by malware which disrupts system functionality and allows unauthorized access to your network. Nonetheless, with an active and up-to-date anti-virus or anti-malware program, you can detect known malware, protect your system from malicious actors, and have more access control. 6. Update your systems and software The next layer of requirement is the update and maintenance of systems and applications. You should define and implement a process that identifies security risks from anti-virus programs to firewalls. This process should deploy a reliable third-party source to classify these security risks and send notifications for any newly discovered vulnerabilities in the PCI DSS environment. To ensure effective vulnerability management, you should patch (update) all systems, especially those that store or interact with the cardholder data. Examples of other systems that should be patched regularly include routers, application software, switches, databases, and POS terminals. Timely patching helps you resolve any vulnerabilities or bugs (errors) in your system before bad actors take advantage of them. 7. Restrict access to data Access control is a huge criterion when it comes to achieving PCI compliance. Employees should only have access to the data required to fulfill their roles and meet business needs. In other words, access to card data and systems should strictly be on a need-to-know basis. All staff who do not need cardholder data to execute their roles should be restricted from accessing it to prevent unnecessary exposure of sensitive data. Also, you must have a comprehensive list of all staff who need card data and their roles. Other details to document include: role definition current privilege level expected privilege level data resources required by each user to execute operations on card data. 8. Establish unique IDs for those with access After determining users who need access to cardholder data, you’re required to establish unique IDs for each of them. Some organizations use shared/group passwords for staff, which makes it challenging to track certain activities. Such organizations must switch to having unique IDs for each authorized user to fulfill the eighth requirement for PCI DSS compliance. A two-layer authentication must be implemented for every non-console administrative access (remote access). Establishing a complex and unique ID for each person with access to card data allows you to trace any unusual activity to their respective users. Thus, every user can take responsibility for their actions and be summoned for accountability or even face the necessary disciplinary actions for their security errors. If there’s a security threat, unique IDs enable swift response before serious damage is done. 9. Physical access needs to be limited Physical access to systems with cardholder data must be restricted to prevent data theft, manipulation, or destruction. The systems must be locked in a secure location (in a room, drawer, or cabinet). You should monitor the entry and exit doors of physical locations like data centers using surveillance cameras or electronic access controls. All physical access to systems with cardholder data must be kept in a log and retained for at least 90 days. Companies should allow only authorized visitors in the area and keep a document of their activities. Whenever an employee is switching roles or during resignation, all company-related systems with cardholder data or access to your internal network should be retrieved. Finally, on the restriction of physical access, you must destroy any media or device that’s no longer needed in your system. 10. Establish and maintain access logs One very common non-compliance challenge is the establishment and maintenance of access logs. Organizations must have a proper record-keeping and documentation process for all activities across their network, including data flow and access frequency. The collected information about access logs and other activities should be reviewed daily to detect and address any irregular actions. This requirement mandates that the collected information must meet the standard and be taken in real-time to enhance the audit phase. 11. Scan and perform tests to identify vulnerabilities Hackers understand that every system has a degree of vulnerability, and that’s why they tirelessly try new methods to help them penetrate networks and steal data. However, with frequent vulnerability scans and penetration testing, you can stay on top of cyber threats and keep users’ payment card details safe at all times. Vulnerability scans can help you discover any possible error in software programs and your entire security system. With penetration testing, you can discover your IT infrastructure’s weaknesses using the same tools and techniques as hackers. As a result, you will be able to block any loopholes in your physical and wireless networks before cybercriminals detect them. 12. Document your policies The last requirement for PCI DSS compliance relates to the documentation of information security policies. The policies must be reviewed annually and forwarded to the right persons (such as employees, vendors, etc.) to tackle evolving cyber threats effectively. Some important information to include during documentation includes your inventory of equipment, the process of information flow and storage, software, employees with access to sensitive data, etc. As part of fulfilling the last requirement, you must: Perform a formal risk assessment to determine critical assets, threats, and vulnerabilities. Conduct user awareness training Run employee background checks Perform incident management Schedule a Demo How AlgoSec helps with PCI DSS compliance Achieving PCI DSS compliance is one big step toward success for any business storing, processing, accepting, or transmitting payment card information. The process is often daunting and time-consuming as companies must meet the twelve compliance requirements to get their certification. Firewall configuration alone, which is the first requirement, requires keeping thousands of rules in mind. It’s one of the most challenging requirements on the path to PCI DSS Compliance, especially since the rule bases frequently change. Also, even after receiving compliance certification, businesses must show that their security systems continuously align with the industry’s regulations and standards through consistent auditing. All this work can be quite tedious for companies, making it challenging to achieve or maintain PCI DSS compliance. Now, that’s where AlgoSec comes in. AlgoSec helps you with PCI DSS compliance by preparing your firewalls with the proper configuration that’ll help you be compliant and fulfill the first requirement easily. From installation to maintenance, we’d assist you in setting up a compliant firewall that provides formidable security for the cardholder data environment. At AlgoSec, we understand the PCI DSS firewall requirements to achieve a compliant firewall and have the right tools and solutions to configure your firewall. Furthermore, we’d help you consistently stay compliant by identifying gaps in compliance and enabling you to remediate them. By leveraging our intelligent automation solution, you can avoid costly errors caused by manual work, thus helping you stay compliant and secure when adding, removing, or changing policy rules. We know the challenges most companies face when attaining PCI DSS compliance. That’s why we have created an effective solution that enables flawless data collection and auditing, thus helping you establish and maintain access logs as well as document your policies effortlessly. Lastly, we help your business stay continuously compliant by simplifying firewall audits. This allows you to quickly detect any loopholes and regularly update your firewall rules to avoid violating any policy. Schedule a Demo Select a size What is a firewall PCI DSS compliance? What are the benefits of a PCI-compliant firewall? How does PCI compliance affect my business? How should the PCI DSS firewall configuration be? Twelve requirements to become PCI-compliant? How AlgoSec helps with PCI DSS compliance 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 Solution overview See how this customer improved compliance readiness and risk Case study Choose a better way to manage your network

AlgoSec Cloud Services Security Practices 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

What to do if your network is infected by ransomware How to prepare a ransomware playbook, using the existing capabilities of network security policy management tools Webinars The 6 best practices to stay secure in the hybrid cloud What if we told you that there were just six things that you can start doing to be more secure in your hybrid cloud environment? In this session, you’ll get clear insight on what you can do right away to tighten your hybrid cloud network security. From visibility through network management, to risk and cleanup – security expert Omer Ganot will guide you through the steps to help you stay secure. April 28, 2021 Omer Ganot Product Manager Relevant resources 6 must-dos to secure the hybrid cloud Read Document Six best practices for managing security in the hybrid cloud Keep Reading 6 best practices to stay secure in the hybrid cloud Read Document 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

Network management & policy change automation 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

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Webinars Panel: 5 ways to Better Manage your Network Security in 2020 Is your network ready for 2020? What practical steps are you taking to prepare for even more demanding security management in the new year? In this live panel discussion, Yitzy Tannenbaum, Product Marketing Manager and Avishai Wool, AlgoSec’s co-founder and CTO, will cover 5 practicalsteps to help you better manage your network security in the new year. Address these pressing network security challenges: Preventing breaches due to network misconfigurations Managing complex compliance requirements Determine the intention of your security controls and embracing intent-based network security Implementing datacenter micro-segmentation Understanding the shared responsibility model and effectively managing cloud security Kick off the new year better prepared to face the network security management challenges – don’t miss this important discussion. January 9, 2020 Prof. Avishai Wool CTO & Co Founder AlgoSec Yitzy Tannenbaum Product Marketing Manager Relevant resources Network security management: Components & features Keep Reading 5 Network Security Management Predictions for 2020 Watch Video 2020 vision predictions for the year ahead in network security 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

Leader in network security management solutions reports YoY growth of 26% in product revenues in H1 2020 AlgoSec Celebrates Strong Growth and Profitability in H1 2020 Leader in network security management solutions reports YoY growth of 26% in product revenues in H1 2020 August 25, 2020 Speak to one of our experts RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J., August 25, 2020 – AlgoSec , the leading provider of business-driven network security management solutions, today announced strong year-on-year growth of 26% in product revenues and profitability in the first half of 2020. During H1, the company also hired 55 employees. “Thanks to the efforts of our staff and partners, we have achieved excellent results in the first half of 2020, despite the ongoing impact of the pandemic,” Said Yuval Baron, CEO of AlgoSec. “This highlights how demand for our solutions is growing, to help companies do more with less, and do it fast. AlgoSec enables organizations to automate their security policy change management in a business-driven manner while maintaining a strong security and compliance posture.” Solution innovations AlgoSec introduced new updates in 2020 to help enterprise customers address their network security management challenges. In April 2020, AlgoSec released the version A30.10 update of its core AlgoSec Network Security Management Suite, which offers new cloud security management capabilities for AWS and Azure. The AlgoSec Security Management Suite (ASMS) A30.10 builds on A30’s market-leading automation capabilities for seamless, zero-touch security management across SDN, cloud and on-premise networks. Key features of A30.10 include extended support for Cisco ACI, Tetration and FirePower in addition to enhanced automation for F5 AFM and Juniper Junos Space. About AlgoSec The leading provider of business-driven network security management solutions, AlgoSec helps the world’s largest organizations align security with their mission-critical business processes. With AlgoSec, users can discover, map and migrate business application connectivity, proactively analyze risk from the business perspective, tie cyber-attacks to business processes and intelligently automate network security changes with zero touch – across their cloud, SDN and on-premise networks.Over 1,800 enterprises , including 20 of the Fortune 50, utilize AlgoSec’s solutions to make their organizations more agile, more secure and more compliant – all the time. Since 2005, AlgoSec has shown its commitment to customer satisfaction with the industry’s only money-back guarantee . All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners. *** Media Contacts:Tsippi [email protected] Craig CowardContext Public [email protected] +44 (0)1625 511 966

90% of organizations use a multi-cloud operating model to help achieve their business goals in a 2022 survey. AWS (Amazon Web Services)... Cloud Security The Complete Guide to Perform an AWS Security Audit 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 7/27/23 Published 90% of organizations use a multi-cloud operating model to help achieve their business goals in a 2022 survey. AWS (Amazon Web Services) is among the biggest cloud computing platforms businesses use today. It offers cloud storage via data warehouses or data lakes, data analytics, machine learning, security, and more. Given the prevalence of multi-cloud environments, cloud security is a major concern. 89% of respondents in the above survey said security was a key aspect of cloud success. Security audits are essential for network security and compliance. AWS not only allows audits but recommends them and provides several tools to help, like AWS Audit Manager. In this guide, we share the best practices for an AWS security audit and a detailed step-by-step list of how to perform an AWS audit. We have also explained the six key areas to review. Best practices for an AWS security audit There are three key considerations for an effective AWS security audit: Time it correctly You should perform a security audit: On a regular basis. Perform the steps described below at regular intervals. When there are changes in your organization, such as new hires or layoffs. When you change or remove the individual AWS services you use. This ensures you have removed unnecessary permissions. When you add or remove software to your AWS infrastructure. When there is suspicious activity, like an unauthorized login. Be thorough When conducting a security audit: Take a detailed look at every aspect of your security configuration, including those that are rarely used. Do not make any assumptions. Use logic instead. If an aspect of your security configuration is unclear, investigate why it was instated and the business purpose it serves. Simplify your auditing and management process by using unified cloud security platforms . Leverage the shared responsibility model AWS uses a shared responsibility model. It splits the responsibility for the security of cloud services between the customer and the vendor. A cloud user or client is responsible for the security of: Digital identities Employee access to the cloud Data and objects stored in AWS Any third-party applications and integrations AWS handles the security of: The global AWS online infrastructure The physical security of their facilities Hypervisor configurations Managed services like maintenance and upgrades Personnel screening Many responsibilities are shared by both the customer and the vendor, including: Compliance with external regulations Security patches Updating operating systems and software Ensuring network security Risk management Implementing business continuity and disaster recovery strategies The AWS shared responsibility model assumes that AWS must manage the security of the cloud. The customer is responsible for security within the cloud. Step-by-step process for an AWS security audit An AWS security audit is a structured process to analyze the security of your AWS account. It lets you verify security policies and best practices and secure your users, roles, and groups. It also ensures you comply with any regulations. You can use these steps to perform an AWS security audit: Step 1: Choose a goal and audit standard Setting high-level goals for your AWS security audit process will give the audit team clear objectives to work towards. This can help them decide their approach for the audit and create an audit program. They can outline the steps they will take to meet goals. Goals are also essential to measure the organization’s current security posture. You can speed up this process using a Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) tool . Next, define an audit standard. This defines assessment criteria for different systems and security processes. The audit team can use the audit standard to analyze current systems and processes for efficiency and identify any risks. The assessment criteria drive consistent analysis and reporting. Step 2: Collect and review all assets Managing your AWS system starts with knowing what resources your organization uses. AWS assets can be data stores, applications, instances, and the data itself. Auditing your AWS assets includes: Create an asset inventory listing: Gather all assets and resources used by the organization. You can collect your assets using AWS Config, third-party tools, or CLI (Command Line Interface) scripts. Review asset configuration: Organizations must use secure configuration management practices for all AWS components. Auditors can validate if these standards are competent to address known security vulnerabilities. Evaluate risk: Asses how each asset impacts the organization’s risk profile. Integrate assets into the overall risk assessment program. Ensure patching: Verify that AWS services are included in the internal patch management process. Step 3: Review access and identity Reviewing account and asset access in AWS is critical to avoid cybersecurity attacks and data breaches. AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM ) is used to manage role-based access control. This dictates which users can access and perform operations on resources. Auditing access controls include: Documenting AWS account owners: List and review the main AWS accounts, known as the root accounts. Most modern teams do not use root accounts at all, but if needed, use multiple root accounts. Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA): Implement MFA for all AWS accounts based on your security policies. Review IAM user accounts: Use the AWS Management Console to identify all IAM users. Evaluate and modify the permissions and policies for all accounts. Remove old users. Review AWS groups: AWS groups are a collection of IAM users. Evaluate each group and the permissions and policies assigned to them. Remove old groups. Check IAM roles: Create job-specific IAM roles. Evaluate each role and the resources it has access to. Remove roles that have not been used in 90 days or more. Define monitoring methods: Install monitoring methods for all IAM accounts and roles. Regularly review these methods. Use least privilege access: The Principle of Least Privilege Access (PoLP) ensures users can only access what they need to complete a task. It prevents overly-permissive access controls and the misuse of systems and data. Implement access logs: Use access logs to track requests to access resources and changes made to resources. Step 4: Analyze data flows Protecting all data within the AWS ecosystem is vital for organizations to avoid data leaks. Auditors must understand the data flow within an organization. This includes how data moves from one system to another in AWS, where data is stored, and how it is protected. Ensuring data protection includes: Assess data flow: Check how data enters and exits every AWS resource. Identify any vulnerabilities in the data flows and address them. Ensure data encryption: Check if all data is encrypted at rest and in transit. Review connection methods: Check connection methods to different AWS systems. Depending on your workloads, this could include AWS Console, S3, RDS (relational database service), and more. Use key management services: Ensure data is encrypted at rest using AWS key management services. Use multi-cloud management services: Since most organizations use more than one cloud system, using multi-cloud CSPM software is essential. Step 5: Review public resources Elements within the AWS ecosystem are intentionally public-facing, like applications or APIs. Others are accidentally made public due to misconfiguration. This can lead to data loss, data leaks, and unintended access to accounts and services. Common examples include EBS snapshots, S3 objects, and databases. Identifying these resources helps remediate risks by updating access controls. Evaluating public resources includes: Identifying all public resources: List all public-facing resources. This includes applications, databases, and other services that can access your AWS data, assets, and resources. Conduct vulnerability assessments: Use automated tools or manual techniques to identify vulnerabilities in your public resources. Prioritize the risks and develop a plan to address them. Evaluate access controls: Review the access controls for each public resource and update them as needed. Remove unauthorized access using security controls and tools like S3 Public Access Block and Guard Duty. Review application code: Check the code for all public-facing applications for vulnerabilities that attackers could exploit. Conduct tests for common risks such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and buffer overflows. Key AWS areas to review in a security audit There are six essential parts of an AWS system that auditors must assess to identify risks and vulnerabilities: Identity access management (IAM) AWS IAM manages the users and access controls within the AWS infrastructure. You can audit your IAM users by: List all IAM users, groups, and roles. Remove old or redundant users. Also, remove these users from groups. Delete redundant or old groups. Remove IAM roles that are no longer in use. Evaluate each role’s trust and access policies. Review the policies assigned to each group that a user is in. Remove old or unnecessary security credentials. Remove security credentials that might have been exposed. Rotate long-term access keys regularly. Assess security credentials to identify any password, email, or data leaks. These measures prevent unauthorized access to your AWS system and its data. Virtual private cloud (VPC) Amazon Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) enables organizations to deploy AWS services on their own virtual network. Secure your VPC by: Checking all IP addresses, gateways, and endpoints for vulnerabilities. Creating security groups to control the inbound and outbound traffic to the resources within your VPC. Using route tables to check where network traffic from each subnet is directed. Leveraging traffic mirroring to copy all traffic from network interfaces. This data is sent to your security and monitoring applications. Using VPC flow logs to capture information about all IP traffic going to and from the network interfaces. Regularly monitor, update, and assess all of the above elements. Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) enables organizations to develop and deploy applications in the AWS Cloud. Users can create virtual computing environments, known as instances, to launch as servers. You can secure your Amazon EC2 instances by: Review key pairs to ensure that login information is secure and only authorized users can access the private key. Eliminate all redundant EC2 instances. Create a security group for each EC2 instance. Define rules for inbound and outbound traffic for every instance. Review security groups regularly. Eliminate unused security groups. Use Elastic IP addresses to mask instance failures and enable instant remapping. For increased security, use VPCs to deploy your instances. Storage (S3) Amazon S3, or Simple Storage Service, is a cloud-native object storage platform. It allows users to store and manage large amounts of data within resources called buckets. Auditing S3 involves: Analyze IAM access controls Evaluate access controls given using Access Control Lists (ACLs) and Query String Authentication Re-evaluate bucket policies to ensure adequate object permissions Check S3 audit logs to identify any anomalies Evaluate S3 security configurations like Block Public Access, Object Ownership, and PrivateLink. Use Amazon Macie to get alerts when S3 buckets are publically accessible, unencrypted, or replicated. Mobile apps Mobile applications within your AWS environment must be audited. Organizations can do this by: Review mobile apps to ensure none of them contain access keys. Use MFA for all mobile apps. Check for and remove all permanent credentials for applications. Use temporary credentials so you can frequently change security keys. Enable multiple login methods using providers like Google, Amazon, and Facebook. Threat detection and incident response The AWS cloud infrastructure must include mechanisms to detect and react to security incidents. To do this, organizations and auditors can: Create audit logs by enabling AWS CloudTrail, storing and access logs in S3, CloudWatch logs, WAF logs, and VPC Flow Logs. Use audit logs to track assessment trails and detect any deviations or notable events Review logging and monitoring policies and procedures Ensure all AWS services, including EC2 instances, are monitored and logged Install logging mechanisms to centralize logs on one server and in proper formats Implement a dynamic Incident Response Plan for AWS services. Include policies to mitigate cybersecurity incidents and help with data recovery. Include AWS in your Business Continuity Plan (BCP) to improve disaster recovery. Dictate policies related to preparedness, crisis management elements, and more. Top tools for an AWS audit You can use any number of AWS security options and tools as you perform your audit. However, a Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) like Prevasio is the ideal tool for an AWS audit. It combines the features of multiple cloud security solutions and automates security management. Prevasio increases efficiency by enabling fast and secure agentless cloud security configuration management. It supports Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. All security issues across these vendors are shown on a single dashboard. You can also perform a manual comprehensive AWS audit using multiple AWS tools: Identity and access management: AWS IAM and AWS IAM Access Analyzer Data protection: AWS Macie and AWS Secrets Manager Detection and monitoring: AWS Security Hub, Amazon GuardDuty, AWS Config, AWS CloudTrail, AWS CloudWatch Infrastructure protection: AWS Web Application Firewall, AWS Shield A manual audit of different AWS elements can be time-consuming. Auditors must juggle multiple tools and gather information from various reports. A dynamic platform like Prevasio speeds up this process. It scans all elements within your AWS systems in minutes and instantly displays any threats on the dashboard. The bottom line on AWS security audits Security audits are essential for businesses using AWS infrastructures. Maintaining network security and compliance via an audit prevents data breaches, prevents cyberattacks, and protects valuable assets. A manual audit using AWS tools can be done to ensure safety. However, an audit of all AWS systems and processes using Prevasio is more comprehensive and reliable. It helps you identify threats faster and streamlines the security management of your cloud system. Schedule a demo Related Articles 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? 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Explore Algosec's customer success stories to see how organizations worldwide improve security, compliance, and efficiency with our solutions. Discovery Streamlines Firewall Audits And Simplifies The Change Workflow Organization Discovery Industry Financial Services Headquarters Johannesberg, South Africa Download case study Share Customer
success stories "With AlgoSec we can now get, in a click of a button, what took two to three weeks per firewall to produce manually" Background Discovery Limited is a South African-founded financial services organization that operates in the healthcare, life assurance, short-term insurance, savings and investment products and wellness markets. Founded in 1992, Discovery was guided by a clear core purpose — to make people healthier and to enhance and protect their lives. Underpinning this core purpose is the belief that through innovation, Discovery can be a powerful market disruptor. The company, with headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa, has expanded its operations globally and currently serves over 4.4 million clients across South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, China, Singapore and Australia.Operating in the highly regulated insurance and health sectors, Discovery monitors its compliance with international privacy laws and security criteria, includingPCI-DSS globally, Sarbanes-Oxley and HIPAA in the US, the Data Protection Act in the UK, and South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act. Challenge During its early years, the company managed its firewalls through an internally developed, legacy system which offered very limited visibility into the change request process.“We grew faster than anyone expected,” says Marc Silver, Security Manager at Discovery. “We needed better visibility into what changes were requested to which firewall, for what business need and also to ensure proper risk analysis.”Discovery’s growth necessitated a rapid increase in the number of firewalls deployed, and the corresponding ruleset sizes. The time required to audit them grew by orders of magnitude, ultimately taking up to three weeks per firewall. The IT Security team of four engineers recognized that it needed a fresh approach to manage risk and ensure compliance. Solution Discovery chose the AlgoSec Security Management Solution to deliver automated, comprehensive firewall operations, risk analysis and change management. Silver states that compared to AlgoSec’s competitors, “AlgoSec has a more tightly integrated change control, and is easier to manage. Another big advantage is how it finds unused rules and recommends rule consolidations,” says Silver.AlgoSec’s integration with Request Tracker (RT) change management system was also important in Discovery’s selection of a security management solution. “We use RT for our internal ticketing system, and the stability of AlgoSec’s integration with RT met our requirements. AlgoSec’s visual workflow is clear, easy to understand and more mature than the others we evaluated,” adds Silver. Results Since implementing AlgoSec, Discovery has found its security audits running more effectively. Discovery relies on AlgoSec’s built-in compliance reports to address Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and other national and international regulatory requirements. “Every year internal auditors would take our entire rulesets for each firewall pair and tell us where we needed to make improvements. AlgoSec now allows us to submit an automated report to our auditing team. It tells them what our security state is, and what needs to be remediated. The total process used to take three months. Now, in a click of a button, we can get what took two to three weeks per firewall to produce manually,” says Silver.Discovery has also found an unexpected advantage: “AlgoSec tells us what rules are in use and what rules are not. For one firewall, we were able to remove 30,000 rules. A firewall with 500,000 rules isn’t going to cope as well as one with 100,000 rules. By optimizing our devices, AlgoSec saves us money in the long term by enabling us to delay upgrading to a larger firewall,” adds Silver.In conclusion, Silver states that “Now we can see what is and isn’t happening in our security system. It has made a much bigger impact than we thought it would. With AlgoSec’s policy optimization, and the time we save on compliance, AlgoSec has given us a much stronger competitive edge than we had six months ago.” Schedule time with one of our experts

Best practices for network security governance in AWS and hybrid network environments Webinars Achieving Visibility and Security in AWS and across the Hybrid Network | AWS & AlgoSec Joint Webinar As enterprises rapidly migrate data and applications to public clouds such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), they achieve many benefits, including advanced security capabilities, but also face new security challenges. AWS lets organizations operate applications in a hybrid deployment mode by providing multiple networking capabilities. To maintain an effective security posture while deploying applications across complex hybrid network environments, security professionals need a holistic view and control from a single source. Yet, security isn’t just the responsibility of the cloud providers alone. Organizations need to understand the shared responsibility model and their role in maintaining a secure deployment. While AWS’s cloud framework is secured by AWS, the challenge of using the cloud securely is the responsibility of your organization’s IT and CISOs. As multiple DevOps and IT personnel make frequent configuration changes, the shared responsibility model helps achieve visibility and maintain cloud security. In this webinar, Yonatan Klein, AlgoSec’s Director of Product, and Ram Dileepan, Amazon Web Service’s Partner Solutions Architect, will share best practices for network security governance in AWS and hybrid network environments. January 22, 2020 Yonatan Klein irector of Product Management Relevant resources Migrating Business Applications to AWS? Tips on Where to Start Keep Reading Extending Network Security Visibility and Control into AWS Keep Reading Combining Security Groups and Network ACLs to Bypass AWS Capacity Limitations Watch Video Change Management, Auditing and Compliance in an AWS Hybrid Environment Watch Video Advanced Security, Visibility & Management For Aws Clouds Read Document AWS Security Fundamentals: Dos and Don’ts 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