The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 199 provides organizations and individuals with the necessary guidance to determine a cybersecurity threat’s impact level accurately. These impact levels define the level of security a system should have to protect the data contained therein adequately. This article will take you through an overview of FIPS 199 and how… Read More
The U.S. Department of Defense launched the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) in response to the escalating cyber threats. This initiative underscores the increasing emphasis on the maturity of cybersecurity programs as a benchmark for assessment and standardization within the Defense Industrial Base and its extensive supply chain. Yet, a surprising revelation from Infosecurity Magazine… Read More
In June 2023, the US. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reached an agreement with Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital over a significant breach of privacy and security rules. Specifically, HHS found that several security guards had inappropriately accessed the private records of up to 419 patients. This settlement demonstrated administrative and internal security… Read More
Not all technology is created equal, even if it all seems to serve the same function. Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) are two particular strains of digital systems that, while seemingly similar, serve radically similar functions for an organization. That being said, IT and OT are merging due in no small part to… Read More
As we navigate through 2023, the digital frontier continues to expand, bringing forth numerous novel opportunities and, regrettably, a myriad of cybersecurity threats. These cyber threats are not simply an IT concern; they have profound implications for business continuity, customer trust, and national security. Understanding these risks and their evolution is the first step in… Read More
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is one of the strongest security and privacy frameworks in operation in the world. Of this regulation, Article 32 stands out among its numerous guidelines as it deals explicitly with the “security of processing” of personal data. This piece aims to demystify GDPR Article 32, breaking down its requirements… Read More
In the interconnected world of digital health information, safeguarding Protected Health Information is paramount. Healthcare providers must legally follow the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to protect patient privacy and maintain trust, and this compliance includes understanding what it means to identify and deal with security incidents. Among these, the concepts of security… Read More
With modern computing increasingly moving into a mobile paradigm of remote workers, laptops, and smart devices, the threat to security in various industries is only increasing. This is no more true than in healthcare, where HIPAA breaches related to mobile devices are becoming more common. This article will discuss the HIPAA security rule, how it… Read More
As cloud computing continues gaining popularity, organizations increasingly turn to cloud services to store and process their data. However, with this increased reliance on cloud services comes a heightened risk of data breaches and cyber attacks, making cloud security a critical concern for businesses of all sizes. To address these concerns, the International Organization for… Read More
A Managed Service Provider (MSP) provides their clients with a wide range of IT services, including network management, software support, and hardware maintenance. However, as cyber threats evolve, MSPs are increasingly expected to provide comprehensive security solutions to their clients. This can be a significant challenge, as they may need more specialized expertise, tools, and… Read More
Multi-cloud environments are becoming increasingly common. Multi-clouds leverage the flexibility of public cloud connectivity across several providers to help organizations remain scalable and flexible. While multi-cloud offers numerous benefits, it also presents unique security challenges that must be addressed to ensure the security of applications and data hosted in the cloud. In this article, we… Read More
Businesses undergoing ISO certification are probably aware of the 27000 series and its focus on comprehensive cybersecurity. What many organizations don’t know, however, is that the series itself provides guidelines for risk managers to better implement Information Security Management Systems (the core process of ISO 27001) following best risk management practices.
When thinking about cybersecurity, many stakeholders outside the industry will rarely consider the physical systems supporting digital information. And yet, almost any security framework worth its salt will have some provision for securing physical systems and environments. PCI DSS 4.0 is no different, and the ninth requirement is dedicated to just this topic. This article… Read More
One of the cornerstones of cybersecurity has been the protection of software. These applications have been installed on local machines or workstations for most of the computing history. Hackers would use different approaches to gain access to these machines using corrupted software or other means. In modern times, the proliferation of web applications and Software-as-a-Service… Read More
In the earliest days of what could be considered cybersecurity, the primary threats were malicious programs that would operate against the wishes of the machine and its operator. These programs, referred to as viruses, served as the progenitors of what we generally refer to in modern parlance as malicious software or “malware.” Because the long… Read More
Any organization in the healthcare industry knows that cybersecurity is a critical component of doing business. So much so, in fact, that any enterprise handling protected health information (PHI) must implement and maintain strict cybersecurity and privacy controls to protect patient data from unauthorized disclosure. However, understanding that HIPAA is a requirement for operation doesn’t… Read More
We started our series on risk management a few weeks ago by introducing the concept of risk. One of the general stereotypes about risk is that it lacks some discreteness of security compliance–it doesn’t lend itself to checklists or paint-by-numbers approaches. This is, overall, a good thing, but can prove challenging for enterprises not ready… Read More
The Healthcare Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is one of the more complex regulations in the U.S., due in no small part to the complicated and open-ended nature of the law. What should companies do? In this case, covered organizations are turning to risk-based assessments to help them support their security approaches. Here, we… Read More
Discussions about security and compliance disproportionately focus on businesses and enterprises, precisely because these organizations serve as central repositories for critical industrial or consumer information. Accordingly, regulations and best practices are often tied to securing this infrastructure, with consumers getting little to no attention. However, the reality of modern cybersecurity threats is that almost all… Read More
FISMA is one of the foundational cybersecurity documents in the U.S. government. Its passage in 2002 and subsequent update in 2014 have defined the security landscape for federal IT systems and associated contractors. However, a one-two punch from Congress and the President has changed things again. With recent cyber threats causing major damage to public… Read More
Words like cybersecurity and compliance are often interchangeable without much care taken with how they differ. But make no mistake: while they are related practices, both are different approaches to a common problem of cybersecurity threats. Here we break down the differences and, more importantly, why these differences are important for when you have to… Read More
Dark data doesn’t just cost organizations money; it also damages their cybersecurity and compliance postures Server rooms filled with digital files may look neater than the paper file rooms of old, but they’re not necessarily more organized, and “dark data” lurks around every corner. Sixty percent of respondents to a survey by big data software… Read More
A new Ponemon report on SMB cyber security reveals the top challenges and threats facing global small and medium-sized businesses If you think your company is too small to be hacked, think again. According to a new report on SMB cyber security by the Ponemon Institute and Keeper Security, 66% of small and medium-sized businesses… Read More
Seal up your cloud containers with these Kubernetes security best practices. Lightweight cloud containers are fast replacing resource-sucking virtual machines, and Kubernetes is fast becoming the de facto standard for container orchestration. Kubernetes adoption doubled in 2018. Unfortunately, as with any popular technology, it was only a matter of time before hackers discovered a way… Read More