Ebury Botnet Malware Compromises 400,000 Linux Servers Over Past 14 Years
A malware botnet called Ebury is estimated to have compromised 400,000 Linux servers since 2009, out of which more than 100,000 were still compromised as of late 2023.
The findings come from Slovak cybersecurity firm ESET, which characterized it as one of the most advanced server-side malware campaigns for financial gain.
“Ebury actors have been pursuing monetization activities […], Read More
Software as a Service (SaaS), which provides flexible, available, and cost-effective software solutions, has changed how businesses work in the digital world. But while SaaS apps are helpful and easy to use, they also pose big security problems that businesses need to fix to safeguard their data, intellectual property, and users’ privacy.
This detailed guide will look at the many aspects of SaaS security and give businesses a complete plan for keeping their cloud-based assets safe.
Understanding SaaS Security
SaaS security is the practice of securing access to and usage of cloud-based software applications. It encompasses a range of activities, from the initial selection and deployment of applications to ongoing management and monitoring. The goal is to protect against unauthorized access, data breaches, account hijacking, and other cyber attacks.
The Shared Responsibility Model
An essential notion in cloud computing and SaaS is the Shared Responsibility Model. The security of the cloud, including its architecture, databases, and networking, is the responsibility of cloud service providers (CSPs) like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. However, clients must ensure cloud security, including protecting their data, apps, and user accounts.
DoControl’s 2023 SaaS Security Threat Landscape Report [Download] finds that 50% of enterprises and 75% of mid-market organizations have exposed public SaaS assets.
Critical Components of SaaS Security
1. Data Protection
Data is often considered the lifeblood of an organization. To protect it:
EncryptionAll data should be encrypted at rest and in transit to ensure that even if intercepted, it cannot be deciphered.Backup and RecoveryRegular backups and robust recovery plans are vital to mitigate the risks of data loss.Data ResidencyUnderstand where your data is stored geographically to comply with regional data protection laws.
Controlling who has access to what in a SaaS environment is essential.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Always enforce MFA to add an additional layer of security.Least Privilege AccessAssign the minimum level of access needed for users to perform their job functions.Regular AuditsPeriodic access rights reviews ensure ex-employees or unauthorized users do not retain access.
3. Compliance and Privacy
Ensure your SaaS providers comply with relevant regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, or SOC 2.
Data PrivacyImplement policies to manage how personal data is collected, processed, and stored.Compliance CertificationsLook for SaaS providers that have third-party security certifications.
4. Endpoint Security
With SaaS, users can access applications anywhere, making endpoint security crucial.
Device ManagementUse tools to ensure that only secured devices can access your SaaS applications.Anti-Malware SoftwareProtect against malware with robust anti-malware solutions on all endpoints.
5. Secure Configuration
Misconfiguration of SaaS applications can lead to security vulnerabilities.
Configuration ManagementUse configuration management tools to automate the setup and maintain consistency.Regular ReviewsSchedule periodic reviews to check for misconfigurations or changes in default settings.
6. Network Security
Even though SaaS applications are hosted off-premises, network security is still important.
VPNs and Secure ConnectionsUse Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to create secure connections to SaaS applications.Monitoring and DetectionImplement monitoring to detect suspicious activities across your network.
7. Incident Response and Monitoring
Prepare for when things go wrong with a well-crafted incident response plan.
Real-Time MonitoringUse security information and event management (SIEM) systems for real-time monitoring.Automated AlertsSet up alerts for unusual activities that could indicate a security incident.
8. Education and Training
Users are often the weakest link in security. Regular training can make a significant difference.
Security AwarenessConduct ongoing security awareness training for all employees.Phishing SimulationsUse simulated attacks to educate employees about the dangers of phishing and social engineering.
Risk Assessment: Regularly assess your SaaS applications for vulnerabilities.
Secure APIs: Ensure that any APIs interacting with your SaaS applications are secure.
Vendor Management: Vet your SaaS providers’ security practices and hold them to high standards.
Security Policies: Develop clear security policies regarding the use of SaaS applications.
Continuous Improvement: Security is not a one-time effort but a continuous improvement process.
Protect your SaaS Apps and data with DoControl.
Protecting your cloud applications with a service like DoControl can provide a robust securityposture for your SaaS environments. DoControl is a SaaS security platform that offers automated data access controls, data security operations, and continuous compliance for SaaS applications. Here’s how leveraging a service like DoControl can safeguard your applications and help maintain a secure SaaS ecosystem:
Automated Data Access Controls
Least Privilege Access: DoControl provides automated mechanisms to ensure users only have access to the data they need, minimizing the risk of data leaks or unauthorized access.
Real-time Visibility: With DoControl, organizations gain real-time visibility into who has access to what data across their SaaS applications, which is critical for maintaining secure environments.
Continuous Monitoring: The platform monitors data access and can revoke permissions that are no longer necessary or pose a security risk.
Data Security Operations
Sensitive Data Detection: DoControl can automatically detect sensitive data across SaaS applications using pre-defined or custom data identifiers.
Data Access Workflows: The platform enables the creation of automated workflows that can take action when certain conditions are met, such as revoking access or alerting administrators to potential issues.
Remediation: DoControl allows for the quick remediation of identified issues, such as unauthorized sharing of sensitive files, to prevent data breaches.
Continuous Compliance
Compliance Reporting: DoControl assists in compliance efforts by generating reports that can help organizations meet various regulatory requirements.
Policy Management: Organizations can set policies that reflect their security and compliance standards, and DoControl ensures that these policies are enforced across all SaaS applications.
Audit Trails: The platform maintains detailed logs and audit trails that can be invaluable for forensic investigations and compliance audits.
Integrated Security Approach
API Security: DoControl ensures that the APIs connecting your SaaS applications are monitored and secured against potential threats.
Third-party Risk Management: It allows businesses to manage and assess risks associated with third-party vendors and their access to the SaaS ecosystem.
User Behavior Analytics: By analyzing user behavior, DoControl can detect anomalies indicating a security threat, such as a compromised account.
Scalable and Adaptive Security
Scalability: As organizations grow, their SaaS usage intensifies. DoControl’s security measures are designed to scale with the company, maintaining a consistent level of security.
Adaptation to New Threats: The threat landscape is constantly evolving. DoControl’s platform adapts to new threats, updating its security measures to counteract them effectively.
Simplified Security Management
Unified Dashboard: DoControl provides a centralized dashboard that simplifies the management of SaaS security, offering a consolidated view of security events and controls.
User-Friendly Interface: The platform is designed to be user-friendly, making it accessible for security professionals and other stakeholders within the organization.
Integration: DoControl integrates seamlessly with many widely-used SaaS applications, simplifying the implementation and enforcement of security measures across the board.
DoControl’s ZTDA solution extends Zero Trust to the SaaS application data layer, offering complete visibility for all SaaS access by every identity and entity (internal users and external collaborators) throughout the organization.
SaaS Security Checklist
1. Conduct Vendor Assessments
Evaluate the security practices and compliance certifications of the SaaS vendor.
Perform regular risk assessments on SaaS applications.
Review and understand the vendor’s data privacy policies and incident response plans.
2. Implement Strong Access Controls
Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for all users.
Employ Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to limit access based on the user’s role.
Establish strict password policies and encourage the use of password managers.
3. Data Encryption and Protection
Ensure data is encrypted in transit and at rest.
Apply additional encryption for highly sensitive data, possibly using your own encryption keys.
Regularly back up data and verify the integrity of those backups.
4. Identity and Access Management (IAM)
Utilize an IAM solution to manage user identities and access privileges.
Regularly review and update access rights, especially after role changes or terminations.
Centralize identity management for better visibility and control.
5. Monitor and Audit Activity
Set up logging and continuous monitoring for anomalous activities.
Regularly audit user activities and access patterns.
Implement a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system for advanced threat detection.
6. Secure API Connections
Regularly review and secure API permissions and keys.
Monitor for abnormal API usage which could indicate a breach.
Use API gateways and secure API management tools.
7. Network Security
Use secure, encrypted connections (like VPNs) for accessing SaaS applications.
Implement DNS filtering to block malicious websites and phishing attempts.
Employ network segmentation to separate SaaS traffic from the rest of your network.
8. Compliance and Legal
Regularly review compliance requirements relevant to your industry (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA).
Align SaaS usage with internal policies and external regulations.
Document all compliance measures and keep records of compliance efforts.
9. Endpoint Security
Install and update anti-malware solutions on all devices accessing SaaS applications.
How IT teams can conduct a vulnerability assessment for third-party applications
Google Chrome, Adobe Acrobat Reader, TeamViewer, you name it—there’s no shortage of third-party apps that IT teams need to constantly check for vulnerabilities. But to get a better picture of the problem, let’s bust out some napkin math.
If you’re not using a comprehensive tool like ThreatDown Vulnerability Assessment (free for all ThreatDown users), it’s going to take a solid combo of resourcefulness and patience to do that much vulnerability assessment on your own.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled this list of the five things IT teams need to do in order to find vulnerabilities in their environment.
Vulnerability Assessment: A Step-by-Step Guide
1. Cataloging Applications
The crucial first step involves cataloging every application within the IT environment. This foundational task, akin to a thorough inventory check, is essential for identifying potential security issues.
2. Software Version Analysis
It’s not just about identifying the applications but also understanding their versions.
Why? Because you’re not just looking for vulnerabilities in one version of 7-Zip; to see if you’re truly affected, you’ll need to match your list of applications against vulnerabilities across different versions, such as 3.5 or 3.7.4. Not to mention that if your organization’s workforce doesn’t require regular updates of important software, then you might find countless versions of the same app dating back to the longest-term employees.
3. Correlating with CVE Databases
Matching the cataloged applications and their versions against entries in Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) databases is the next critical step. This process helps in pinpointing specific vulnerabilities applicable to the software in use.
Here’s the play-by-play:
Go to https://cve.mitre.org/cve/search_cve_list.html
Type in the application you want vulnerability info on in the search bar.
Pinpoint whether the vulnerability impacts the specific version of the software that’s present throughout your network.
Rinse and repeat.
4. Prioritizing Threats
This type of repetitive, sometimes monotonous work isn’t just about identifying a CVE—it’s also about determining its severity. After identifying potential vulnerabilities, the next challenge is to prioritize them by CVSS and by asking questions that should inform you and your team about the best response. This includes questions like:
Is the vulnerability being actively exploited in the wild?
Is the CVE impacting critical tools or areas?
How important is the affected asset in maintaining operational continuity?
5. Routine Vulnerability Assessment
Remember, this is not a one-time task. You don’t just run vulnerability assessment once a year, or even once a month; you should be doing this on a daily basis. Why? Because every day counts. New CVEs are constantly popping into existence left and right, and if you’re not on top of them, you could be the target of an attack.
For teams seeking a more streamlined approach, the ThreatDown Vulnerability Assessment tool offers a solution.
Single, Lightweight Agent
To simplify security and reduce costs, Vulnerability Assessment deploys easily in minutes without a reboot, using the same agent and cloud-based console that powers all ThreatDown endpoint security technologies.
Quick Vulnerability Scans
Identifies vulnerabilities in modern and legacy applications in less than a minute.
Accurate severity ratings
Utilizes the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recommendations to evaluate and rank vulnerabilities for proper prioritization.
Security Advisor Integration
Our Security Advisor tool to analyzes an organization’s cybersecurity health—such as by assessment of current inventory and which assets are vulnerable—and generates a score based off what it finds. To improve the endpoint security health score, Security Advisor delivers recommendations to address discovered vulnerabilities: patching, updates, or policy changes.
Vulnerability Assessment Doesn’t Have To Be Hard
While manually identifying vulnerabilities in third-party applications is a demanding task, following these structured steps can make the process more manageable. However, for ThreatDown customers, the ThreatDown Vulnerability Assessment tool is a valuable alternative.
The ThreatDown Vulnerability Assessment tool simplifies the process with features like a lightweight agent, quick vulnerability scans, accurate severity ratings based on CVSS and CISA guidelines, and integration with Security Advisor for tailored recommendations.
RADIUS Protocol Vulnerability Exposes Networks to MitM Attacks
Cybersecurity researchers have discovered a security vulnerability in the RADIUS network authentication protocol called BlastRADIUS that could be exploited by an attacker to stage Mallory-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks and bypass integrity checks under certain circumstances.
“The RADIUS protocol allows certain Access-Request messages to have no integrity or authentication checks,” InkBridge Read More