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AlgoSec’s latest product release provides application-based risk analysis and enhanced support for cloud platforms Extend application connectivity visibility into the multicloud with AlgoSec A32.20 AlgoSec’s latest product release provides application-based risk analysis and enhanced support for cloud platforms May 3, 2022 Speak to one of our experts RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J., May 3, 2022 – AlgoSec , the application connectivity and security policy company, announced today the release of its latest product version A32.20. AlgoSec’s A32.20 provides a powerful solution for organizations to manage security in their hybrid and multi-cloud estate. With A32.20, organizations obtain granular application visibility and discovery, allowing them to identify and analyze risk in their multicloud environment, including AWS, GCP and Azure. The key benefits that AlgoSec A32.20 delivers to IT, network and security experts include: Application-based risk analysis in the Cloud Enables SecOps teams to shift focus of risk analysis and remediation efforts to specific business applications beyond risk categories. PAN Prisma access support As an early availability, A32.20 supports Prisma Access visibility for remote networks and service connections, a true industry leading technology of this kind. GCP risk support A32.20 provides advanced capabilities to support discovery of GCP related risks across the hybrid network estate and multiple public clouds Extended support of NSX in AWS As an early availability, A32.20 offers extended cloud support for NSX running on AWS in addition to the existing on-premise support. “With this release, A32.20 offers new powerful cloud coverage, including PAN Prisma access. This gives customers the ability to deploy apps in the cloud and on-premise faster than ever before”, said Eran Shiff, Vice President of Product at AlgoSec. “A32.20 provides a comprehensive solution for organizations to secure application connectivity, reduce risk and ensure continuous compliance while undergoing digital transformation.” About AlgoSec AlgoSec, a global cybersecurity leader, empowers organizations to secure application connectivity by automating connectivity flows and security policy, anywhere. The AlgoSec platform enables the world’s most complex organizations to gain visibility, reduce risk and process changes at zero-touch across the hybrid network. AlgoSec’s patented application-centric view of the hybrid network enables business owners, application owners, and information security professionals to talk the same language, so organizations can deliver business applications faster while achieving a heightened security posture. Over 1,800 of the world’s leading organizations trust AlgoSec to help secure their most critical workloads across public cloud, private cloud, containers, and on-premises networks, while taking advantage of almost two decades of leadership in Network Security Policy Management. See what securely accelerating your digital transformation, move-to-cloud, infrastructure modernization, or micro-segmentation initiatives looks like at www.algosec.com

Protect sensitive healthcare data with Algosec’s tailored network security solutions, ensuring compliance and risk reduction. Empowering secure connectivity for healthcare Select a size Which network Can AlgoSec be used for continuous compliance monitoring? Yes, AlgoSec supports continuous compliance monitoring. As organizations adapt their security policies to meet emerging threats and address new vulnerabilities, they must constantly verify these changes against the compliance frameworks they subscribe to. AlgoSec can generate risk assessment reports and conduct internal audits on-demand, allowing compliance officers to monitor compliance performance in real-time. Security professionals can also use AlgoSec to preview and simulate proposed changes to the organization’s security policies. This gives compliance officers a valuable degree of lead-time before planned changes impact regulatory guidelines and allows for continuous real-time monitoring. Empowering secure connectivity for healthcare Compliance: Ensuring regulatory adherence Secure connectivity for your patient data & your applications M&A: Streamline integration of complex environments Zero trust: Strengthening security posture  Join our healthcare customers Why healthcare providers and insurers choose AlgoSec Get the latest insights from the experts AlgoSec and Zero-Trust for Healthcare Read more What are HIPAA network compliance requirements, rules, and violations? Read more Checking the cybersecurity pulse of medical devices Read more 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

Did you know that in 2023, the average data breach cost companies a whopping $4.45 million ? Ouch! And with development cycles spinning... Cloud Security How to Implement a Security-as-Code Approach Asher Benbenisty 2 min read Asher Benbenisty 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 11/18/24 Published Did you know that in 2023, the average data breach cost companies a whopping $4.45 million ? Ouch! And with development cycles spinning faster than a hyper-caffeinated hamster, those risks are only multiplying. So how do you keep security from becoming a costly afterthought in this high-speed race? Enter Security as Code (SaC) – your secret weapon for weaving security into the very fabric of your development process. Think of it as baking security into your code like chocolate chips in a cookie – it's part of the recipe from the start, not just a sprinkle on top. SaC isn't just about writing squeaky-clean code; it's about automating, version-controlling, and consistently applying your security policies and checks across your entire development lifecycle. It's like having an army of security experts reviewing every line of code, every configuration, and every deployment, ensuring nothing slips through the cracks. And the best part? SaC helps you catch those pesky vulnerabilities early on, shrinking your attack surface and saving you a mountain of cash in the long run. It's like spotting a pothole before you drive into it – a little fix now saves you a major headache (and repair bill) later. Why Security as Code is Your Cloud's Best Friend Traditionally, security was treated like an unwelcome guest, showing up late to the party and trying to clean up the mess. But in today's fast-paced world, that approach is about as effective as a screen door on a submarine. SaC flips the script, making security an integral part of the development process from day one. It's like having a security guard at every checkpoint, ensuring that only the good guys get through. Here's why SaC is a game-changer for your cloud security: Early Threat Detection: Catch those vulnerabilities early on, when they're easier and cheaper to fix. It's like spotting a termite infestation before your entire house collapses. Boosted Visibility: Integrate security checks into every stage of your development lifecycle, leaving no room for those sneaky vulnerabilities to hide. Think of it as having X-ray vision for your code. Automated Enforcement: Say goodbye to manual errors and inconsistencies. SaC automates your security checks and enforcement, ensuring everything is locked down tight. It's like having a tireless robot army enforcing your security rules 24/7. Supercharged Efficiency: Streamline your development process and free up your team to focus on what they do best – building awesome applications. SaC is like giving your developers a jetpack, allowing them to soar through the development process without getting bogged down in security headaches. Compliance Confidence: Meet those pesky compliance requirements with ease. SaC helps you automate compliance checks and ensure your applications are always playing by the rules. It's like having a compliance officer built into your development process, keeping you on the straight and narrow. Taming the SaC Beast: Conquering the Challenges Okay, so SaC sounds awesome, right? But let's be real, change can be scarier than a clown holding a chainsaw. Many organizations hit a few roadblocks when trying to implement SaC. But fear not, cloud crusaders, we're here to help you conquer those challenges like a boss! Challenge #1: The Learning Curve The Problem: Switching to SaC can feel like learning to ride a unicycle on a tightrope – intimidating, to say the least. Your team might not be familiar with weaving security directly into their code. The Solution: Start small, like adding training wheels to that unicycle. Integrate those essential automated security tools (SAST, DAST) into your CI/CD pipeline. These tools deliver instant value and help your team get comfy with security checks early on. Empower your team with hands-on training and workshops, and cultivate those security champions within your dev teams to spread the SaC gospel. Challenge #2: The Price Tag The Problem: Adopting SaC requires an investment in tools, training, and tweaking your processes. It's like upgrading your security system – it costs some coin upfront, but it saves you a fortune in the long run. The Solution: Think long-term, my friend. The savings from dodging breaches, speeding up development, and automating compliance will make that initial investment look like peanuts. Start small and scale up as you go. Begin with open-source tools or pilot SaC in smaller projects before unleashing it across your entire organization. Challenge #3: Resistance to Change The Problem: Change can be tougher than convincing a cat to take a bath. Developers might worry that SaC will slow them down or cramp their style. The Solution: Rally the troops! Highlight the benefits of SaC – faster releases, fewer last-minute fire drills, and smoother compliance. Share success stories that show how SaC actually makes development better , not slower. And most importantly, communicate clearly. Make sure everyone understands why you're adopting SaC and how it benefits the entire team. Challenge #4: Integration Hiccups The Problem: Integrating SaC into your existing CI/CD pipeline can feel like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. The Solution: Start small and expand gradually. Begin by automating security checks at critical points in your development cycle, then add more as your team gets comfortable. Focus on those positive outcomes and ensure a smooth transition that enhances your workflow, not disrupts it. SaC in Action: Real-World Wins Don't just take our word for it – check out these real-world examples of how SaC is helping companies across different industries boost their security and efficiency: Financial Services: DMI Finance was drowning in manual security processes for their Salesforce platform. By embracing SaC, they streamlined their workflow, boosted their security, and supercharged their deployments by a whopping 133%! Talk about a win-win! Healthcare: Athenahealth , a healthcare giant serving over 110 million patients, needed to scale securely while keeping those HIPAA compliance wolves at bay. They chose SaC with Okta for identity and access management, ensuring secure patient data and streamlined user authentication. Even during the chaos of COVID-19, they emerged as a leader in secure, scalable healthcare infrastructure. Retail: Swiss sportswear brand On was facing a barrage of credential-based attacks. They fought back by adopting SaC and implementing best practices like least privilege, fortifying their security posture and protecting their customers' data. These success stories prove that SaC isn't just a buzzword – it's a powerful tool that helps organizations across all industries squash vulnerabilities, automate compliance, and streamline their operations. SaC Implementation: Your Step-by-Step Guide Ready to roll up your sleeves and implement SaC in your own development lifecycle? First things first, planning is key. Define those security requirements like your life depends on it. Threat analysis time, people! Gather your team, brainstorm those potential vulnerabilities, and lock down your defenses before you write a single line of code. Next up, design like a security ninja. Threat modeling is your secret weapon. Embrace secure design principles like they're your own personal commandments. And don't forget to plan for security testing – you'll thank me later. Now, let's get coding, but securely, of course. Stick to those secure coding standards like glue. Embrace automated code analysis tools – they're your digital code whisperers. Vet those third-party libraries like you're hiring a bodyguard. And for the love of all that is secure, don't skip those code reviews! Testing time! Automate everything you can. Fuzz testing, security regression testing – bring it on! (Insert Figure 2 here, because visuals are awesome!) Deployment is where the rubber meets the road. Scan that infrastructure as code (IaC) like a hawk. Validate those container images like your life depends on it. And lock down those access controls tighter than a drum. Finally, maintenance is the name of the game. Continuous monitoring is your 24/7 security guard. Keep those patches and updates flowing like a well-oiled machine. And don't forget those regular security audits – they're your security checkup, keeping your system healthy and strong. Boom! You've just implemented SaC like a boss. For a full checklist of SaC implementation, download our checklist : Security as Code Checklist: Download Your Free Copy Want a handy guide to keep track of all the essential SaC practices? Download our free checklist and ensure you're covering all the bases! Download Checklist Now! SaC Adoption: Start Small, Dream Big Implementing SaC might seem daunting, but remember, even the mightiest oak tree starts as a tiny seed. Start small, build gradually, and foster that security-first mindset within your team. It's like training your knights to be vigilant and always ready for battle. Begin by educating your teams on security best practices and gradually integrating those security tools and practices into your SDLC. Start with automated security testing tools like SAST and DAST, and build from there. Regularly review and optimize your security policies and procedures to ensure they're always sharp and ready to defend your cloud kingdom. Conclusion: SaC – Your Ticket to a Secure and Agile Cloud Security as code is no longer a nice-to-have; it's a must-have in today's fast-paced development world. By integrating security from the get-go, you can squash vulnerabilities, ensure compliance, and accelerate your development timelines. SaC is all about shared responsibility, empowering your teams to proactively tackle risks and build trust with your users and stakeholders. And hey, don't forget to grab your free Security as Code Checklist to make sure you're covering all your bases! Schedule a demo Related Articles Q1 at AlgoSec: What innovations and milestones defined our start to 2026? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud 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

Master the full vulnerability management lifecycle by learning how to prioritize risks to harden your infrastructure against modern threats, and how to choose the ideal vulnerability management tool. Vulnerability management Select a size Which network Can AlgoSec be used for continuous compliance monitoring? Yes, AlgoSec supports continuous compliance monitoring. As organizations adapt their security policies to meet emerging threats and address new vulnerabilities, they must constantly verify these changes against the compliance frameworks they subscribe to. AlgoSec can generate risk assessment reports and conduct internal audits on-demand, allowing compliance officers to monitor compliance performance in real-time. Security professionals can also use AlgoSec to preview and simulate proposed changes to the organization’s security policies. This gives compliance officers a valuable degree of lead-time before planned changes impact regulatory guidelines and allows for continuous real-time monitoring. What is vulnerability management? Vulnerability management (VM) is the continuous, systematic process of identifying, evaluating, reporting, and remediating vulnerabilities existing in cyber assets, processes, endpoints, and systems. Adversaries are constantly scanning for exploitable gaps, making vulnerability management an ongoing discipline that helps organizations recognize and fix these gaps before adversaries find and weaponize them. The global average cost of a data breach stands at $4.44 million , per IBM’s 2025 report. This includes disruptions, loss of customer trust, and regulatory fines, making proper vulnerability management critical. Vulnerability management vs. patch management: Are they the same? No. Patch management involves the deployment of a solution, such as a software update, to fix a vulnerability. Vulnerability management , on the other hand, encompasses the broader process of identifying, assessing, and addressing all categories of vulnerabilities through diverse strategies. The strategic benefits of vulnerability management Effective vulnerability management brings numerous benefits: Improved asset visibility. Unified visibility across business applications and endpoints creates a baseline for capacity planning, license management, and technology refresh cycles. Fewer security risks. VM also directly reduces the probability of successful cyberattacks by systematically identifying and addressing exploitable weaknesses. Enhanced operational efficiency. Mature vulnerability management programs establish structured processes for security remediation, replacing ad hoc firefighting with systematic resolution workflows. Prevention of business disruption. The financial hit of a breach doesn’t stop at ransom payments. Operational disruption, reputational damage, customer attrition, and regulatory penalties often dwarf the costs of immediate incident response (IR). Support for compliance and audit requirements. From PCI-DSS to HIPAA, regulatory requirements mandate regular vulnerability assessments, including documented vulnerability management processes and evidence of continuous improvement. What are the types of managed vulnerabilities? Vulnerabilities manifest across diverse technical domains, with multiple types requiring specialized assessment approaches and remediation strategies: Software vulnerabilities : These bugs in application code, operating systems, firmware, or supporting libraries remain the most prevalent, particularly as complex application portfolios span legacy systems, commercial off-the-shelf products, and custom-developed code. Hardware vulnerabilities : These exist within the physical components and embedded firmware of computing devices and are especially relevant for on-premises infrastructure, which can be locally exploited. Network vulnerabilities: Arising from misconfigurations, design flaws, or network infrastructure and protocol weaknesses, network vulnerabilities often serve as force multipliers, allowing attackers who gain initial access to expand their presence across your entire environment. Process vulnerabilities : Weaknesses in operational procedures, change management practices, and organizational workflows are human and procedural gaps that can be as consequential as technical weaknesses. Control vulnerabilities: Encompassing weaknesses in security mechanisms themselves, i.e., the systems designed to prevent, detect, or respond to threats, this type of vulnerability includes: Inadequately tuned intrusion detection systems that generate false negatives Logging configurations that fail to capture security-relevant events Backup processes that cannot support timely recovery Incident response procedures that prove inadequate during actual crises Mixed vulnerabilities: These represent complex weaknesses that span multiple categories, requiring coordinated remediation across technical domains. How does vulnerability management work? An effective vulnerability management process has overlapping phases that feed insights from one stage into another. This cyclical approach helps ensure that the process matures over time by incorporating lessons learned from one stage into another. The five steps involved in the vulnerability management process are discovery, prioritization, resolution, verification, and reporting. Step 1: Discovery Discovery lays the foundation for effective vulnerability management. It encompasses the identification of vulnerable assets and data flows using scanners, agents, or pen tests: Vulnerability scanners: Scan infrastructure for vulnerabilities present in the CVE database; classified into what they scan and how they scan, i.e., network-based , host-based, or web-based Agent-based scans: Scan endpoints, servers, and workstations using lightweight software agents to identify vulnerabilities missed by external scanners, e.g., local privilege escalation, insecure configurations in applications that don't expose network services, and compliance violations in endpoint security controls Penetration tests: Employ white-hat hackers to identify vulnerabilities; more resource-intensive than agents but can uncover complex weaknesses scanners miss, plus validate the exploitability of found vulnerabilities The next phase involves making sure the right vulnerabilities receive attention first. Step 2: Prioritization A common vulnerability prioritization approach uses the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS). CVSS provides severity ratings based on technical characteristics, for example, potential impact, attack complexity, or privileges needed. A CVSS score of zero indicates the lowest possible severity, while 10 is the highest. However, CVSS scores don't account for asset criticality and threat context, making these scores alone insufficient for business risk prioritization. For this, the Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) helps by augmenting CVSS with an assessment of how likely a vulnerability will be exploited within the next 30 days. Still, effective vulnerability prioritization extends beyond scoring systems. The business context is also important. So, instead of solely prioritizing vulnerabilities based on their severity scores or the likelihood of exploitation, organizations must pause and ask: Is my business at risk? If yes, what applications are at risk, and how will their exploitation affect business operations? Of course, there is then the task of successfully resolving vulnerabilities found. Step 3: Resolution Vulnerability resolution can follow three possible paths: remediation, mitigation, or containment. And sometimes, a mix of all three. Remediation Remediation involves eliminating a vulnerability from the source via patch application, version upgrades, or configuration corrections. Although this is the ideal resolution approach, it isn't always immediately feasible. Why? An organization’s legacy systems may lack vendor support, while critical applications may also require extensive testing before patching. Mitigation Mitigation reduces risk exposure in the event of actual exploitation. Example techniques for this approach to vulnerability resolution include network segmentation, firewalls that filter exploit attempts, and enhanced monitoring to provide early warning of exploitation attempts. Containment Containment isolates vulnerable systems from healthy ones while remediation measures are developed and deployed. This approach proves particularly valuable when actively exploited vulnerabilities affect critical systems that cannot be patched immediately. Step 4: Verification Verification confirms that your previous resolution efforts successfully addressed the identified vulnerabilities without introducing operational problems . This ensures CISOs and the rest of the C-suite that holes believed to be plugged are not, in fact, still leaking. A common way to verify resolution is to conduct post-remediation scans or even pen testing for vulnerabilities involving multiple systems. Verification also includes operational validation to check that security fixes haven't degraded system functionality or user experience. If this step reveals incomplete fixes or any new issues caused during resolution, the next step is a root cause analysis to identify gaps in scanning, remediation procedures, testing protocols, or change management processes. Step 5: Reporting CISOs rely on two metrics to reveal gaps in vulnerability management workflows and provide objective measures of program maturity: Mean time to detect (MTTD): Measures the speed of identification of new vulnerabilities Mean time to remediate (MTTR): Quantifies the average duration between vulnerability detection and successful resolution With the right tools, companies can typically achieve MTTD in hours and MTTR in days for critical vulnerabilities, instead of weeks or months. This highlights that an organization’s choice of solution is a key part of the vulnerability management process. What to look for in vulnerability management tools When evaluating vulnerability management solutions, prioritize tools with the following capabilities. Comprehensive visibility across hybrid environments The ideal tool should discover and assess your assets regardless of where they’re hosted—on-prem, multiple cloud platforms, remote endpoints, or containerized workloads. To check the tool’s ability to comprehensively discover assets, ask the following questions: Does the solution natively integrate with CSPs’ APIs? Does it support diverse operating systems? Can it assess both traditional and modern infra? Risk contextualization through embedded threat intelligence For the sake of your business, tools that use generic severity scores are inadequate. Opt for a solution that: Layers your business context onto technical risk Considers asset criticality within the context of your industry Understands the data sensitivity requirements of your organization The result of opting for such a solution is vulnerability prioritization that reflects genuine business risk rather than theoretical severity. Streamlined workflow integration The ideal vulnerability tool should naturally integrate with your existing operational workflows instead of creating parallel shadow processes. The integration should be smooth and easy, as integration difficulties can significantly reduce your ROI from vulnerability management. Actionable reporting for diverse audiences It’s a best practice to choose a solution that provides relevant, easy-to-understand, and easy-to-apply security reports. This allows your security team to immediately understand what steps to take next. Automated change management with rapid response The best solutions incorporate automation to accelerate every phase of the vulnerability management lifecycle. This shortens MTTD and MTTR, and improves your overall security posture. Manage your vulnerabilities with Horizon AppViz AlgoSec Horizon AppViz delivers business-specific value by prioritizing a detected vulnerability risk not only by severity but also by business criticality. This helps you: Focus on the most important vulnerabilities first Contextualize your risk reduction efforts within a business application perspective Also, in your on-prem and cloud environment, Horizon AppViz incorporates data about your exposure level into risky firewall rules and into the what-if risk check analysis report you'll get periodically. Ready to prioritize vulnerabilities based on your business operations and automate the isolation of infected servers? Schedule a demo of AlgoSec to see how. 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For your organization to implement robust security policies, it must have clear information on the security risks it is exposed to. An... Uncategorized How to Perform a Network Security Risk Assessment in 6 Steps 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 1/18/24 Published For your organization to implement robust security policies, it must have clear information on the security risks it is exposed to. An effective IT security plan must take the organization’s unique set of systems and technologies into account. This helps security professionals decide where to deploy limited resources for improving security processes. Cybersecurity risk assessments provide clear, actionable data about the quality and success of the organization’s current security measures. They offer insight into the potential impact of security threats across the entire organization, giving security leaders the information they need to manage risk more effectively. Conducting a comprehensive cyber risk assessment can help you improve your organization’s security posture, address security-related production bottlenecks in business operations, and make sure security team budgets are wisely spent. This kind of assessment is also a vital step in the compliance process . Organizations must undergo information security risk assessments in order to meet regulatory requirements set by different authorities and frameworks, including: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) What is a Security Risk Assessment? Your organization’s security risk assessment is a formal document that identifies, evaluates, and prioritizes cyber threats according to their potential impact on business operations. Categorizing threats this way allows cybersecurity leaders to manage the risk level associated with them in a proactive, strategic way. The assessment provides valuable data about vulnerabilities in business systems and the likelihood of cyber attacks against those systems. It also provides context into mitigation strategies for identified risks, which helps security leaders make informed decisions during the risk management process. For example, a security risk assessment may find that the organization needs to be more reliant on its firewalls and access control solutions . If a threat actor uses phishing or social engineering to bypass these defenses (or take control of them entirely), the entire organization could suffer a catastrophic data breach. In this case, the assessment may recommend investing in penetration testing and advanced incident response capabilities. Organizations that neglect to invest in network security risk assessments won’t know their weaknesses until after they are actively exploited. By the time hackers launch a ransomware attack, it’s too late to consider whether your antivirus systems are properly configured against malware. Who Should Perform Your Organization’s Cyber Risk Assessment? A dedicated internal team should take ownership over the risk assessment process . The process will require technical personnel with a deep understanding of the organization’s IT infrastructure. Executive stakeholders should also be involved because they understand how information flows in the context of the organization’s business logic, and can provide broad insight into its risk management strategy . Small businesses may not have the resources necessary to conduct a comprehensive risk analysis internally. While a variety of assessment tools and solutions are available on the market, partnering with a reputable managed security service provider is the best way to ensure an accurate outcome. Adhering to a consistent methodology is vital, and experienced vulnerability assessment professionals ensure the best results. How to Conduct a Network Security Risk Assessment 1. Develop a comprehensive asset map The first step is accurately mapping out your organization’s network assets. If you don’t have a clear idea of exactly what systems, tools, and applications the organization uses, you won’t be able to manage the risks associated with them. Keep in mind that human user accounts should be counted as assets as well. The Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigation Report shows that the human element is involved in more than a quarter of all data breaches. The better you understand your organization’s human users and their privilege profiles, the more effectively you can protect them from potential threats and secure critical assets effectively. Ideally, all of your organization’s users should be assigned and managed through a centralized system. For Windows-based networks, Active Directory is usually the solution that comes to mind. Your organization may have a different system in place if it uses a different operating system. Also, don’t forget about information assets like trade secrets and intellectual property. Cybercriminals may target these assets in order to extort the organization. Your asset map should show you exactly where these critical assets are stored, and provide context into which users have permission to access them. Log and track every single asset in a central database that you can quickly access and easily update. Assign security value to each asset as you go and categorize them by access level . Here’s an example of how you might want to structure that categorization: Public data. This is data you’ve intentionally made available to the public. It includes web page content, marketing brochures, and any other information of no consequence in a data breach scenario. Confidential data. This data is not publicly available. If the organization shares it with third parties, it is only under a non-disclosure agreement. Sensitive technical or financial information may end up in this category. Internal use only. This term refers to data that is not allowed outside the company, even under non-disclosure terms. It might include employee pay structures, long-term strategy documents, or product research data. Intellectual property. Any trade secrets, issued patents, or copyrighted assets are intellectual property. The value of the organization depends in some way on this information remaining confidential. Compliance restricted data. This category includes any data that is protected by regulatory or legal obligations. For a HIPAA-compliant organization, that would include patient data, medical histories, and protected personal information. This database will be one of the most important security assessment tools you use throughout the next seven steps. 2. Identify security threats and vulnerabilities Once you have a comprehensive asset inventory, you can begin identifying risks and vulnerabilities for each asset. There are many different types of tests and risk assessment tools you can use for this step. Automating the process whenever possible is highly recommended, since it may otherwise become a lengthy and time-consuming manual task. Vulnerability scanning tools can automatically assess your network and applications for vulnerabilities associated with known threats. The scan’s results will tell you exactly what kinds of threats your information systems are susceptible to, and provide some information about how you can remediate them. Be aware that these scans can only determine your vulnerability to known threats. They won’t detect insider threats , zero-day vulnerabilities and some scanners may overlook security tool misconfigurations that attackers can take advantage of. You may also wish to conduct a security gap analysis. This will provide you with comprehensive information about how your current security program compares to an established standard like CMMC or PCI DSS. This won’t help protect against zero-day threats, but it can uncover information security management problems and misconfigurations that would otherwise go unnoticed. To take this step to the next level, you can conduct penetration testing against the systems and assets your organization uses. This will validate vulnerability scan and gap analysis data while potentially uncovering unknown vulnerabilities in the process. Pentesting replicates real attacks on your systems, providing deep insight into just how feasible those attacks may be from a threat actor’s perspective. When assessing the different risks your organization faces, try to answer the following questions: What is the most likely business outcome associated with this risk? Will the impact of this risk include permanent damage, like destroyed data? Would your organization be subject to fines for compliance violations associated with this risk? Could your organization face additional legal liabilities if someone exploited this risk? 3. Prioritize risks according to severity and likelihood Once you’ve conducted vulnerability scans and assessed the different risks that could impact your organization, you will be left with a long list of potential threats. This list will include more risks and hazards than you could possibly address all at once. The next step is to go through the list and prioritize each risk according to its potential impact and how likely it is to happen. If you implemented penetration testing in the previous step, you should have precise data on how likely certain attacks are to take place. Your team will tell you how many steps they took to compromise confidential data, which authentication systems they had to bypass, and what other security functionalities they disabled. Every additional step reduces the likelihood of a cybercriminal carrying out the attack successfully. If you do not implement penetration testing, you will have to conduct an audit to assess the likelihood of attackers exploiting your organization’s vulnerabilities. Industry-wide threat intelligence data can give you an idea of how frequent certain types of attacks are. During this step, you’ll have to balance the likelihood of exploitation with the severity of the potential impact for each risk. This will require research into the remediation costs associated with many cyberattacks. Remediation costs should include business impact – such as downtime, legal liabilities, and reputational damage – as well as the cost of paying employees to carry out remediation tasks. Assigning internal IT employees to remediation tasks implies the opportunity cost of diverting them from their usual responsibilities. The more completely you assess these costs, the more accurate your assessment will be. 4. Develop security controls in response to risks Now that you have a comprehensive overview of the risks your organization is exposed to, you can begin developing security controls to address them. These controls should provide visibility and functionality to your security processes, allowing you to prevent attackers from exploiting your information systems and detect them when they make an attempt. There are three main types of security control available to the typical organization: Physical controls prevent unauthorized access to sensitive locations and hardware assets. Security cameras, door locks, and live guards all contribute to physical security. These controls prevent external attacks from taking place on premises. Administrative controls are policies, practices, and workflows that secure business assets and provide visibility into workplace processes. These are vital for protecting against credential-based attacks and malicious insiders. Technical controls include purpose-built security tools like hardware firewalls, encrypted data storage solutions, and antivirus software. Depending on their configuration, these controls can address almost any type of threat. These categories have further sub-categories that describe how the control interacts with the threat it is protecting against. Most controls protect against more than one type of risk, and many controls will protect against different risks in different ways. Here are some of the functions of different controls that you should keep in mind: Detection-based controls trigger alerts when they discover unauthorized activity happening on the network. Intrusion detection systems (IDS) and security information and event management (SIEM) platforms are examples of detection-based solutions. When you configure one of these systems to detect a known risk, you are implementing a detection-based technical control. Prevention-based controls block unauthorized activity from taking place altogether. Authentication protocols and firewall rules are common examples of prevention-based security controls. When you update your organization’s password policy, you are implementing a prevention-based administrative control. Correction and compensation-based controls focus on remediating the effects of cyberattacks once they occur. Disaster recovery systems and business continuity solutions are examples. When you copy a backup database to an on-premises server, you are establishing physical compensation-based controls that will help you recover from potential threats. 5. Document the results and create a remediation plan Once you’ve assessed your organization’s exposure to different risks and developed security controls to address those risks, you are ready to condense them into a cohesive remediation plan . You will use the data you’ve gathered so far to justify the recommendations you make, so it’s a good idea to present that data visually. Consider creating a risk matrix to show how individual risks compare to one another based on their severity and likelihood. High-impact risks that have a high likelihood of occurring should draw more time and attention than risks that are either low-impact, unlikely, or both. Your remediation plan will document the steps that security teams will need to take when responding to each incident you describe. If multiple options exist for a particular vulnerability, you may add a cost/benefit analysis of multiple approaches. This should provide you with an accurate way to quantify the cost of certain cyberattacks and provide a comparative cost for implementing controls against that type of attack. Comparing the cost of remediation with the cost of implementing controls should show some obvious options for cybersecurity investment. It’s easy to make the case for securing against high-severity, high-likelihood attacks with high remediation costs and low control costs. Implementing security patches is an example of this kind of security control that costs very little but provides a great deal of value in this context. Depending on your organization’s security risk profile, you may uncover other opportunities to improve security quickly. You will probably also find opportunities that are more difficult or expensive to carry out. You will have to pitch these opportunities to stakeholders and make the case for their approval. 6. Implement recommendations and evaluate the effectiveness of your assessment Once you have approval to implement your recommendations, it’s time for action. Your security team can now assign each item in the remediation plan to the team member responsible and oversee their completion. Be sure to allow a realistic time frame for each step in the process to be completed – especially if your team is not actively executing every task on its own. You should also include steps for monitoring the effectiveness of their efforts and documenting the changes they make to your security posture. This will provide you with key performance metrics that you can compare with future network security assessments moving forward, and help you demonstrate the value of your remediation efforts overall. Once you have implemented the recommendations, you can monitor and optimize the performance of your information systems to ensure your security posture adapts to new threats as they emerge. Risk assessments are not static processes, and you should be prepared to conduct internal audits and simulate the impact of configuration changes on your current deployment. You may wish to repeat your risk evaluation and gap analysis step to find out how much your organization’s security posture has changed. You can use automated tools like AlgoSec to conduct configuration simulations and optimize the way your network responds to new and emerging threats. Investing time and energy into these tasks now will lessen the burden of your next network security risk assessment and make it easier for you to gain approval for the recommendations you make in the future. Schedule a demo Related Articles Q1 at AlgoSec: What innovations and milestones defined our start to 2026? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud 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

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2024 just started but cloud network security insights are already emerging. Amongst all the research and insights GigaOm’s comprehensive... Cloud Network Security Understanding the human-centered approach for cloud network security with GigaOm’s 2024 insights 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. Tags Share this article 1/23/24 Published 2024 just started but cloud network security insights are already emerging. Amongst all the research and insights GigaOm’s comprehensive research emerges as a vital compass. More than just a collection of data and trends, it’s a beacon for us – the decision-makers and thought leaders – guiding us to navigate these challenges with a focus on the human element behind the technology. GigaOm showcased indicators to where the market is heading. Understanding multi-cloud complexity : GigaOm’s insights highlight the intricacies of multi-cloud environments. It’s about recognizing the human factor in these ecosystems – how these technologies affect our teams and processes, and ultimately, our business objectives. Redefining security boundaries : The shift to adaptive security boundaries, as noted by GigaOm, is a testament to our evolving work environments. This new perspective acknowledges the need for flexible security measures that resonate with our changing human interactions and work dynamics. The human impact of misconfigurations : Focusing on misconfiguration and anomaly detection goes beyond technical prowess. GigaOm’s emphasis here is about protecting our digital world from threats that carry significant human consequences, such as compromised personal data and the resulting erosion of trust. To learn more about cloud misconfigurations and risk check out our joint webinar with SANS . Leadership in a digitally transformed world Cultivating a Zero Trust culture : Implementing Zero Trust, as GigaOm advises, is more than a policy change. It’s about cultivating a mindset of continuous verification and trust within our organizations, reflecting the interconnected nature of our modern workspaces. Building relationships with vendors : GigaOm’s analysis of vendors reminds us that choosing a security partner is as much about forging a relationship that aligns with our organizational values as it is about technical compatibility. Security as a core organizational value : According to GigaOm, integrating security into our business strategy is paramount. It’s about making security an inherent part of our organizational ethos, not just a standalone strategy. The human stories behind vendors GigaOm’s insights into vendors reveal the visions and values driving these companies. This understanding helps us see them not merely as service providers but as partners sharing our journey toward a secure digital future. Embracing GigaOm’s vision: A collaborative path forward GigaOm’s research serves as more than just guidance; it’s a catalyst for collaborative discussions among us – leaders, innovators, and technologists. It challenges us to think beyond just the technical aspects and consider the human impacts of our cybersecurity decisions. Schedule a demo Related Articles Q1 at AlgoSec: What innovations and milestones defined our start to 2026? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read 2025 in review: What innovations and milestones defined AlgoSec’s transformative year in 2025? AlgoSec Reviews Mar 19, 2023 · 2 min read Navigating Compliance in the Cloud AlgoSec Cloud 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

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Webinars [Panel] How Financial Institutions Can Achieve Network Security and Compliance Financial institutions have strict network security requirements, which sometimes hinder innovation and digital transformation. Security and regulatory requirements act as a barrier to innovation. However, financial institutions can enable business innovation, while still achieving network security and compliance. Watch AlgoSec’s panel discussion, as Asher Benbenisty, Director of Product Marketing, and Yitzy Tannenbaum, Product Marketing Manager, discuss how financial institutions can simplify the network security management, reduce risk and ensure continuous compliance. They discuss: How intelligent automation helps overcome security management intricacy How to make sure network changes meet compliance requirements and pass regulatory audits the first time Industry metrics so you can benchmark your own organization as well as see how the finance sector compares to other industries Case studies from other financial institutions September 8, 2020 Yitzy Tannenbaum Product Marketing Manager Asher Benbenisty Director of product marketing Relevant resources Automated Security Policy Allows Financial Institutions to make the Triple Play Keep Reading Security policy management for financial institutions 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

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