The Initial Access tactic is one of the 12 tactics that make up the matrix developed by MITRE for industrial environments (for more information on the matrix, feel free to consult the article ICS Matrix, the State of v11). Within this tactic, different techniques used by attackers with the aim of gaining unauthorized access to an industrial environment are shown. This is often the first target of external attackers, as access to the ICS's internal environment allows internal computers to be recognized and exploited, move around the network, gain elevated privileges, or steal sensitive information. Therefore, it is important to know this tactic in order to defend our systems
Today, one of the most critical, but least known, procedures in industrial security is the secure development. This article gathers all the best practices for the creation of specific applications and equipment for industrial environments in a secure manner. Security aspects that must take into account both the work done during the design (confidentiality of the company and customers, workers' security...), and the security that the designed product itself must present throughout its life cycle (vulnerability management, access control, input/output management...).
The aim of this article is to address the good practices of secure development, from the perspective of industrial cybersecurity. Although traditional best practices can be applicable to these environments, the fundamental aspects of safety and availability generate different approaches, mainly in aspects related to memory and resource management, update and patch management cycles, etc.
This article aims to present a brief example guide for an implementation of the new standard in a supplier's facilities.
Going through the critical points of the standard, a generic use case will be followed to exemplify how a vehicle manufacturer can adapt its processes to comply with the new standard in an efficient and effective way.
By presenting an overview of the standard and production processes, the aim is to provide a brief guide to serve as a starting point and help avoid common failures in industrial environments when faced with new regulations, such as redundancy of effort, inefficiency in resource management and deficiencies in the application of safety measures.
Larger scale and complexity industrial control networks present risks, and cybersecurity needs that usually cannot be met by applying a traditional segmentation model. Factors such as the presence of critical obsolete equipment, equipment managed by third parties or the increased presence of IoT technologies that require external connections, are motivating the adoption of more advanced architectures when applying the principle of defense in depth.
Proper segmentation can be a fundamental aspect in preventing attacks, especially in their propagation to essential and critical production assets. It is also important to adapt to the environment to be segmented. It is a common mistake to try to segment networks based on concepts and schemes like the IT environment.
This article will present some new network models and tips to work on a correct segmentation in an environment where different components are involved (OT, IIoT, IT, IoT).
Organizations face the constant challenge of adopting new security strategies, such as the Zero Trust model, which operates under the premise of "never trust, always verify." This change is crucial especially in cloud environments, where identity and resource access management is more complex. In particular, the Secure Web Gateway (SWG) is a key system, which focuses on controlling user access to the web, protecting against web-based threats, and enforcing security policies. It acts as an intermediary between users and the internet, filtering and inspecting web traffic to ensure it meets the organization's security requirements.
However, implementing and managing SWGs presents significant challenges, such as integration with existing infrastructures, managing complexity, and scalability. These challenges require meticulous attention to ensure effective and efficient protection in the changing cybersecurity landscape. This article explores the purpose and function of SWGs, as well as their architecture, their ability to protect against cyber threats, and best practices for their implementation.
MITRE Caldera OT stands out mainly for being an open-source tool that allows the simulation of different cyber-attacks in industrial environments. This tool was created by MITRE and CISA (US Cybersecurity and Infrastructures Security Agency), as the experts saw the need to be able to improve and understand cybersecurity in industrial environments without using a high number of resources.
In addition, this tool is designed to be used by both the Red Team and the Blue Team, allowing both teams to collaborate with each other to improve the level of cyber security in these environments.
The digital twins are virtual recreations of real-world objects or processes. This innovative idea, proposed by Dr. Michael Grieves, has become increasingly relevant in various industrial sectors thanks to the advancement of technologies such as 3D modelling, the Internet of Things (IoT), the IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things), machine learning and big data. Its application makes it possible to simulate and analyse physical processes efficiently, thus contributing to the digital transformation of industry, also known as Industry 4.0.
The fundamental purpose of digital twins is to facilitate the understanding of how elements operate in the physical world. For example, in manufacturing, it is possible to create a digital twin of a factory and through simulations explore different scenarios: what would happen if a machine were modified, how would it impact production, and what would happen if a machine were changed? The digital twin provides answers before real changes are made to the physical environment, speeding up decision-making and optimising processes.
The ability to monitor and analyze the behavior of users and entities becomes crucial for early detection and response to potential threats. UEBA solutions identify unusual or anomalous patterns in user behavior, enabling rapid identification of internal threats or external compromises. This post focuses on how UEBA analysis is becoming an essential tool for a cybersecurity strategy, from identifying suspicious behavior to preventing potential security breaches.
The agri-food sector is one of the most critical sectors today because it is one of the most important sectors for the country's economy, as it produces food.
This sector, like many others, is in continuous evolution. An example of this is the automation and digitalization of the many processes that are carried out. These new technologies bring many advantages, such as more efficient processes, less water consumption, detection of possible risks, etc. These great advantages also bring with them some problems, such as increased exposure to cyber-attacks.
Therefore, this article provides some basic knowledge to make the industry aware of the importance of implementing cybersecurity in their technologies.
In the field of cybersecurity, CASB systems play a crucial role in providing an additional layer of protection for cloud applications. This approach prevents threats, detects malware, and ensures privacy in a digital environment, thereby addressing the growing need for data protection.
This article explores how CASB systems work, their key applications, and their benefits in terms of security and privacy, ensuring that applications operate by protecting data in cloud environments and maintaining fine-grained control over cloud operations. From vendor assessment to malicious behavior detection, its versatility extends, offering benefits such as risk mitigation and improved cloud security.