Cyber Security

Championing Privacy-First Security: Harmonizing Privacy and Security Compliance

Published

7 months ago

February 6, 2024

Written by Emily Hancock, Data Privacy Officer at Cloudflare

The conventional perception often pits security against privacy. Establishing robust security measures involves identifying potential threats, yet this process may involve scrutinising sensitive or personal data, posing a risk to privacy. In truth, the key to ensuring data privacy lies in the implementation of effective data security. A meticulously crafted, privacy-centric security program not only provides substantial advantages to any organization but also mitigates potential privacy concerns.

Security vs. privacy misconception
The notion that security and privacy conflict arises when these two concepts are taken to their extremes. Within this perspective, any potential access to sensitive data is perceived as a breach of privacy, something to be avoided at any cost. Embracing this viewpoint significantly hinders the effectiveness of security programs in identifying and addressing potential threats.

Take, for instance, the realm of network traffic analysis. Packet inspection, a crucial tool in corporate cybersecurity, is commonly implemented through firewalls, seen as a fundamental security measure in various jurisdictions globally. By scrutinizing the content of network packets, it becomes possible to detect potential malware infections, data exfiltration, account takeover, and other threats. However, from a privacy standpoint, concerns arise when packet inspection involves personally identifiable information (PII) or other sensitive data.

From a privacy absolutist perspective, a preference is often given to end-to-end encryption with no packet inspection. On the surface, these two viewpoints—ensuring necessary security and safeguarding personal data—may appear incompatible. Nevertheless, regulators emphasise that providing reasonable security is crucial for protecting data privacy, as evident in numerous privacy regulatory enforcement actions against companies experiencing security breaches. We believe that data privacy and security leaders can reconcile the apparent conflict between security and privacy absolutism, but it necessitates adopting a different perspective on data privacy and security altogether.

What are the potential threats?
Both data security and data privacy programs are founded on the core principle of risk management. Aligning the objectives of these programs entails examining the conceivable threats to an organization’s data. For any entity handling personal data, ensuring the security and privacy of such information is paramount. A primary concern within a data security program is the possibility that security solutions might inadvertently access personally identifiable information (PII) and other sensitive data while carrying out their functions. These tools, which could include email scanners, network packet analyzers, or file inspection systems, may inadvertently come across such confidential content.

Another significant risk to both corporate and customer data is the potential exposure to cybercriminals. For instance, contemporary ransomware tactics involve stealing and disclosing sensitive data if the targeted company refuses to pay the ransom. Even compliance with the ransom demand offers no assurance that the data will be erased and won’t be disclosed. Avoiding these risks entirely is impractical. An effective security program necessitates access to data, and inadequate security measures virtually guarantee the occurrence of data breaches.

Discovering a Path Toward Privacy-First Security
When security solutions are crafted with privacy as a central consideration, organizations can deploy robust security measures while safeguarding the personal data of their customers and employees. A comprehensive cost-benefit analysis reveals significant advantages in adopting a privacy-first approach to security.

For instance, proactively blocking malware before it infiltrates an organization’s systems can avert a potential data breach. Given the average cost of $4.45 million in 2023, coupled with the consequential impact on brand reputation and legal ramifications, preventing even a single data breach becomes paramount for any company. Hence, the importance of industry-leading security measures is indisputable. Any reputable security company should provide solutions that limit its access to sensitive data and ensure the protection of the personal data entrusted to its care.

Creating a Security Program with Privacy at the Forefront
Privacy and security can coexist harmoniously. A privacy-first security program assesses the risks associated with both implementing and not implementing security measures. If the advantages of deploying a security solution, such as email scanning, outweigh the drawbacks — which is highly probable — the organization should proceed with the careful implementation of this capability. When determining the suitability of a security tool for enhancing both data security and privacy, consider asking the following key questions:

Does it provide clear benefits? The potential privacy risks of a security solution are only acceptable if it also reduces the risk of a data breach.
Does it minimise access to personal data? A security solution should minimize the amount of potentially sensitive data it accesses and processes.
Does the company prioritise security? Check how the company has handled past security incidents and prioritised security investment.
Does it meet regulatory requirements? Verify that the company has privacy-focused certifications such as ISO 27701 and ISO 27018, and is certified to the prevailing local and international data privacy frameworks. If a company has these certifications in addition to standard security certifications such as PCI DSS, ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II, it’s a great sign that a vendor goes above and beyond on privacy and security.

Assessing all these criteria for the 60+ security tools typically employed by an average organization can be a substantial undertaking. This underscores the compelling case for security consolidation. Conducting thorough due diligence on a single vendor offering a comprehensive suite of capabilities is more manageable than conducting a superficial assessment of multiple individual point security products.

Cyber Security

SANS Institute to Boost Cyber Resilience in Bahrain and Qatar

Published

4 days ago

September 4, 2024

Priyan Sampath

SANS Institute is set to bring world-class cybersecurity education to professionals across the Middle East with SANS Manama (7-12 September) at InterContinental Bahrain, followed by SANS Doha (14-19 September) at InterContinental Doha. The courses are designed to educate professionals on current and emerging cyber threats, ensuring that participants are confident in the latest industry trends, tools, and techniques.

SANS Manama September 2024 (7-12 September) offers the following courses:

FOR508: Advanced Incident Response, Threat Hunting, and Digital Forensics
LDR414: SANS Training Program for CISSP Certification

FOR508 is an in-depth course that equips incident responders and threat-hunting teams with advanced skills to detect, identify, counter, and recover from a wide range of threats within enterprise networks, including those posed by nation-state adversaries, organized crime syndicates, and ransomware operators. LDR414 is an accelerated review course specifically designed to prepare students for the CISSP exam. It focuses exclusively on the eight domains of knowledge defined by (ISC)², which are critical to passing the exam.

A highlight of SANS Manama will be the Community Night session on 9 September, titled “Justice Denied: How Bad Digital Forensics Threatens and Undermines Justice.” This session will delve into three real-world cases—one criminal and two civil—to demonstrate how digital forensic evidence, when presented by unqualified or biased practitioners, nearly destroyed lives in court. The session will also illustrate how a proper scientific approach to digital forensics can help achieve justice.

SANS Doha September 2024 (14-19 September) will feature:

SEC504: Hacker Tools, Techniques, and Incident Handling
SEC560: Enterprise Penetration Testing

SEC504 will teach students how to effectively respond to breaches across Windows, Linux, and cloud platforms, providing insight into the tools and techniques attackers use, the artefacts they leave behind, and how to build better defences based on this knowledge.
SEC560 is designed to strengthen the skillset of penetration testers while also training system administrators, defenders, and other security professionals to understand the mindset and methodologies of modern attackers.

Ned Baltagi, Managing Director for the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey at SANS Institute, emphasized the importance of these events, by saying, “As cybersecurity threats continue to evolve, professionals in the Middle East must stay ahead of the curve. These training sessions are not just about learning new skills—they are about building a stronger, more resilient cybersecurity community. We are committed to empowering individuals with the knowledge and tools they need to protect their organizations and, by extension, the region as a whole.”

Cyber Security

MENA Region Sees Surge in Managed Security Services Adoption, Says SearchInform

Published

5 days ago

September 3, 2024

Edward Frank

SearchInform, the leading information security and risk management solutions vendor, has conducted an extensive survey among organizations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to assess their approach to information security. The results show a significant shift towards outsourcing security functions, with nearly 70% of organizations either already using Managed Security Services (MSS) or planning to do so shortly.

This survey involved business executives, information technology and security (IT, IS) professionals, and Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) from both public and private sectors. The research aimed to evaluate the current state of corporate protection and identify priorities in ensuring information security amid the region’s unique challenges. Notably, 80% of respondents reported an increase in their information security budgets over the past year, reflecting a growing recognition of the need for robust security measures. Only 22% of respondents reported budgets haven’t changed, no one reported a decrease in budgets.

SearchInform’s findings indicate that while many organizations have implemented basic cybersecurity measures such as Antivirus, Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW), Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) and Endpoint Protection Systems (EPS); there is still a significant gap in the deployment of more advanced systems like Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM). These tools are critical for real-time monitoring and internal threat protection, yet only 29% of companies have implemented DLP, and a mere 5% have adopted SIEM systems.

Lev Matveev, Chairman of the Board of Directors at SearchInform, commented on the survey results, stating, “The increasing reliance on MSS highlights the ongoing shift in how organizations are approaching their cybersecurity needs. Outsourcing provides access to specialized expertise and technology, which is particularly vital in regions facing a shortage of skilled information security professionals.”

The research also revealed that internal threats are coming to the fore. More than half of respondents admitted experiencing one or more information security incidents, caused by insider actions. “To effectively combat internal threats, increasing the cybersecurity literacy of employees will reduce the risk of undesirable incidents. The second measure is the implementation of protective solutions that help prevent both accidental and deliberate incidents, such as data leaks, corporate fraud cases, theft, kickbacks and bribery, illicit access to confidential data, etc. In this regard, the integration of DLP and DCAP systems is necessary. DCAP-class systems that perform corporate file system analysis, classify data stored in the organization, handle the task of distributing access rights, and prevent the risk of data leakage and misuse at the initial stage. These are important components of the protective system, and the concept of DCAP systems is highly recommended by Gartner experts,” Matveev commented.

As the demand for MSS continues to grow, SearchInform’s local subsidiary in the UAE has seen strong interest from both businesses and governmental organizations, underscoring the importance of managed services in addressing the region’s complex security challenges. The global MSS market size is expected to grow from USD 30.6 billion in 2023 to USD 52.9 billion by 2028, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.5%.

Cyber Security

Positive Technologies: 16% of Darkweb Listings Involve Middle Eastern Organisations

Published

6 days ago

September 2, 2024

Prarthana Mary

In 2024, cyber criminals have shifted focus from personal data to stealing company credentials and trade secrets. One in six listings (16%) on the dark web featuring stolen government data involves organizations in the Middle East. This insight comes from Positive Technologies’ first study on data breaches in Russia, the Middle East, and globally. Their experts reviewed over 1,000 dark web listings and 700 public incident reports from the first half of 2024 worldwide.

Credential leaks from organisations hit a record high of 21% in the first half of 2024, up 9 percentage points from last year. The theft of commercial secrets and restricted information rose to 24% in the first half of 2024, an increase of 10 percentage points compared to the same period in 2023. Meanwhile, personal data theft incidents returned to pre-peak levels: dropping to 2022 levels in Q1 2024 to 37%, and then falling to 25% in Q2 2024.

In the first half of 2024, the industrial sector (39%), government agencies (36%), and transportation companies (29%) continued to lead in the share of leaks of commercial secrets and other restricted information. Notable victims include Hyundai Motor Europe and Volkswagen, with the latter losing documents on electric vehicle technology. IT companies are also at risk, with breaches involving internal processes and products accounting for 29% of incidents. In 2024, hackers allegedly accessed the source code of some Apple and AMD software.

Stolen credentials are often used for further attacks on these companies’ clients, primarily government organizations. Credential compromise is typically a step before more severe actions, such as theft of funds or system disruption. Ransomware was used in nearly a third of successful breaches involving data leaks. Dark web listings for government data heavily feature Middle Eastern countries (16%), with Asia (33%) in the lead, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (18%). These regions are targeted by APT groups, mainly focusing on the public sector. Positive Technologies’ research on APT groups in the Middle East and Southeast Asia provides more details.

“Credentials are frequently sold on dark web forums, a key revenue source for cybercriminals. In March, access to a prominent UAE Bank’s website was listed for $10,000. The rise in these leaks is evident on the dark market—forums now offer access to dozens or hundreds of companies per post. In April, a listing was posted offering access to the infrastructure of 16 companies from various industries across Latin America, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, with prices ranging from $250 to $5,000. According to the listing’s authors, these firms’ revenues range from $4 million to $2.8 billion. For instance, a UAE-based consumer electronics company with $6.5 million in revenue had its data valued at $400. In June, another listing offered credentials for over 400 companies, including access via Jira, GitHub, and GitLab,” notes Anna Golushko, Senior Analyst at Positive Technologies.

The number of dark web ads offering free information is nearly double those selling it (64% vs. 33%). This is because not all attackers aim to sell data; many demand ransom not to disclose it, though not all victims pay. In the first half of 2024, government organizations were often targeted specifically to steal personal data. More than half of ads on the dark web are priced under $1,000. Every tenth ad belongs to the most expensive category at $10,000 or more.

The most expensive offers (over $50,000) involve major financial institutions, retail giants, and IT companies. In Q2 2024, EDR developer Cylance suffered a cyberattack, resulting in 34 million emails and an unspecified volume of customer and employee data being sold for $750,000. Positive Technologies analysts highlight that every second successful attack on organizations in H1 2024 resulted in the leakage of confidential data. The largest number of incidents occurred in government agencies (13%), IT companies (12%), and industrial companies (11%).

Preventing data leaks requires a comprehensive approach, including tools to protect user devices, corporate networks, and the data itself. As corporate data infrastructures evolve into complex systems that are constantly changing rapidly, a unified solution is essential to safeguard information, regardless of its complexity or location.