Protecting agile
business innovation against devastation
business innovation against devastation
As the business world continues on an exciting trajectory of
technological innovation, new and increasingly sinister cyber threats consistently
counter-balance that momentum with the threat of devastation. Spurred on by the
pressure to evolve and deliver new and exciting services to customers,
businesses are at risk of falling victim to the innovation machine.
technological innovation, new and increasingly sinister cyber threats consistently
counter-balance that momentum with the threat of devastation. Spurred on by the
pressure to evolve and deliver new and exciting services to customers,
businesses are at risk of falling victim to the innovation machine.
Over the past two years, we’ve seen the DevOps phenomenon gathering
speed across industries and geographies as businesses around the world strive
for a competitive edge. However, the need to accelerate new applications,
processes and services can come at a cost as safeguards fall by the wayside in
a bid to stay ahead.
speed across industries and geographies as businesses around the world strive
for a competitive edge. However, the need to accelerate new applications,
processes and services can come at a cost as safeguards fall by the wayside in
a bid to stay ahead.
Largely because other departments don’t understand what they
do, DevOps teams often operate in isolation. This means that critical
considerations such as securing privileged account credentials and secrets may
be left out of the conversation. In fact, CyberArk’s recent research revealed that 75
percent of security professionals don’t have a privileged account security
strategy for DevOps within their organisation, creating significant weak points
for attackers to target.
do, DevOps teams often operate in isolation. This means that critical
considerations such as securing privileged account credentials and secrets may
be left out of the conversation. In fact, CyberArk’s recent research revealed that 75
percent of security professionals don’t have a privileged account security
strategy for DevOps within their organisation, creating significant weak points
for attackers to target.
The potential risk created by these weak points has been underscored
in recent news headlines with a string of high-profile incidents that exposed
private data. The recently revealed Uber breach is just one example of an instance
where an attacker gained access to over 57 million accounts, reportedly because
the AWS access keys were embedded in code that was stored in an enterprise code
repository by a third-party contractor.
in recent news headlines with a string of high-profile incidents that exposed
private data. The recently revealed Uber breach is just one example of an instance
where an attacker gained access to over 57 million accounts, reportedly because
the AWS access keys were embedded in code that was stored in an enterprise code
repository by a third-party contractor.
As DevOps takes hold, more and more privileged account
credentials and secrets are created and shared across interconnected access
points. Moreover, DevOps teams are always
looking for new ways to innovate and achieve their objectives faster –
something of great value to businesses when conducted properly. However,
shortcuts like downloading tools from the internet could compromise company
data and secrets.
credentials and secrets are created and shared across interconnected access
points. Moreover, DevOps teams are always
looking for new ways to innovate and achieve their objectives faster –
something of great value to businesses when conducted properly. However,
shortcuts like downloading tools from the internet could compromise company
data and secrets.
This agile
development approach results in a vastly expanded attack surface for
security teams to contend with, as hackers will look to exploit all the gaps
that are overlooked. The frequency of changes in DevOps
environments can also make it difficult to untangle processes and tools and
retrospectively secure them. Furthermore, most developers
and security teams don’t fully understand all of the places where privileged
accounts and secrets might exist across their IT and cloud environments.
development approach results in a vastly expanded attack surface for
security teams to contend with, as hackers will look to exploit all the gaps
that are overlooked. The frequency of changes in DevOps
environments can also make it difficult to untangle processes and tools and
retrospectively secure them. Furthermore, most developers
and security teams don’t fully understand all of the places where privileged
accounts and secrets might exist across their IT and cloud environments.
So, what can businesses do to tackle
this issue and secure the backdoor access that is left open for hackers? There
are three key actions to consider:
this issue and secure the backdoor access that is left open for hackers? There
are three key actions to consider:
Unite DevOps
and security, yesterday – There is a lack of integration and
collaboration for nearly two thirds of DevOps and security teams. Consequently,
nearly a
quarter of DevOps professionals have taken
matters into their own hands and built makeshift security solutions to protect
and manage secrets for DevOps projects. Though this is a step in the right
direction, security by design – true collaboration between security and DevOps
teams – is required to ensure businesses are consistently protected as new
tools are developed and rolled out across an organisation. This is known as DevSecOps. Integrated
teams can implement a unified security solution that
applies common controls across disparate services and infrastructures.
and security, yesterday – There is a lack of integration and
collaboration for nearly two thirds of DevOps and security teams. Consequently,
nearly a
quarter of DevOps professionals have taken
matters into their own hands and built makeshift security solutions to protect
and manage secrets for DevOps projects. Though this is a step in the right
direction, security by design – true collaboration between security and DevOps
teams – is required to ensure businesses are consistently protected as new
tools are developed and rolled out across an organisation. This is known as DevSecOps. Integrated
teams can implement a unified security solution that
applies common controls across disparate services and infrastructures.
Use ephemeral Secrets – With a complex web of disparate tools operating simultaneously across
any organisation’s network, it’s essential to ensure secrets (passwords,
credentials, AWS root credentials and access keys) are not embedded. It is cyber security best practice
to eliminate credentials and secrets from any public or private source control
system where they could be stolen by a bad actor. Source control is not a
security tool nor is a code repository a safe location for storing credentials.
Secrets should be ephemeral (lasting for a very short time) and only be
provided to tools and applications when needed, and should be rotated
regularly.
any organisation’s network, it’s essential to ensure secrets (passwords,
credentials, AWS root credentials and access keys) are not embedded. It is cyber security best practice
to eliminate credentials and secrets from any public or private source control
system where they could be stolen by a bad actor. Source control is not a
security tool nor is a code repository a safe location for storing credentials.
Secrets should be ephemeral (lasting for a very short time) and only be
provided to tools and applications when needed, and should be rotated
regularly.
Automate – Automation can help organisations respond to the demands of ever-changing
internal processes and the perilous external threat landscape. By creating
consistent, repeatable and reportable processes, which can be implemented to
maintain security standards each time a new tool, process or application is
spun up, it is possible to vastly improve protection as new innovations are
rolled out.
internal processes and the perilous external threat landscape. By creating
consistent, repeatable and reportable processes, which can be implemented to
maintain security standards each time a new tool, process or application is
spun up, it is possible to vastly improve protection as new innovations are
rolled out.
But it’s not just down to DevOps and
security teams – security practices need to be championed from the top down. Business
leaders need to implement clear guidelines that capture anyone who could be
opening the door to hackers but failing to put in place adequate security
measures. Furthermore, all relevant groups within the business – be they
DevOps, security, broader IT and even legal and compliance teams – need to determine
a cohesive strategy together.
security teams – security practices need to be championed from the top down. Business
leaders need to implement clear guidelines that capture anyone who could be
opening the door to hackers but failing to put in place adequate security
measures. Furthermore, all relevant groups within the business – be they
DevOps, security, broader IT and even legal and compliance teams – need to determine
a cohesive strategy together.
The rush to innovate is increasingly
putting businesses at risk of being undermined. Breaches have the potential to
result in loss of consumer trust and market capital, damage to careers and
reputation, and opportunities for competitors to gain ground. It’s time for
businesses to acknowledge the doors they’re leaving open and establish practices
to safeguard against devastation. Importantly, security need not compromise
innovation and agility.
putting businesses at risk of being undermined. Breaches have the potential to
result in loss of consumer trust and market capital, damage to careers and
reputation, and opportunities for competitors to gain ground. It’s time for
businesses to acknowledge the doors they’re leaving open and establish practices
to safeguard against devastation. Importantly, security need not compromise
innovation and agility.
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