Organizations face numerous challenges when it comes to their security posture management. Despite increased investments in cutting-edge security tools, the reality is that companies are struggling with intricate IT environments and fragmented technologies resulting critical gap in monitoring and enforcing security policies across all endpoints.

The post Maximize your Security Posture with PEM Holistic EndPoint Security for Vulnerability Management and compliance enforcement – Data Sheet appeared first on Promisec.

The new PEM for MSSPs enables IT and security service providers to expand their portfolio with a unique and high value security compliance management service.

PEM monitors MSSPs customers’ workstations and environments and seamlessly ensures that they are all up to date. More importantly, PEM provides assurance that customer endpoints are not exposed to vulnerabilities and can meet security standards defined in organizational policy.

Where PEM for MSSPs shows its true worth is in its ability to provide comprehensive, real-time visibility across all endpoints and servers connected to the solution. The endpoints are managed with a specially designed user interface, built from the ground up to meet the management requirement needs of MSSPs.

This solution was tailored to the specific needs of MSSPs, striving to deliver premium value to their customers. Effectively managing numerous, diverse customers, with different characteristics and requirements, is extremely challenging. MSSP teams require flexible solutions allowing visibility, with ease of use and minimal friction.

PEM for MSSPs solution allows MSSPs to easily add new customers, defining tailored policies, focus points and reports. The solution allows each covered organization to provide clear and concise reports to their stakeholders, while increasing engagement and value added to customers.

Additional functionality for PEM for MSSPs include; a web-based and user-friendly dashboard curated for the MSSPs’ customers. The dashboard can be externally accessed to enable customers to gain enhanced visibility throughout their specific domain.

According to Promisec CEO Ori Shahar: “Endpoint monitoring and management solutions are not new to the market. However, until very recently only large enterprises could effectively benefit from highly dedicated automated solutions, ensuring all their endpoints and servers met the company security compliance policy. At Promisec, we believe that comprehensive endpoint management solutions should be within reach for every company, regardless of size or security budget.”

Promisec currently serves dozens of enterprise customers with its PEM solution, who use PEM to optimize their endpoint management posture. PEM for MSSPs is ideally suited for smaller companies who consume their IT and security services via IT service providers.

Promisec Chief Business Officer Haim Levy commented “The official launch of PEM for MSSPs enables us to increase our footprint in the market with a truly unique solution to endpoint threat management. PEM brings customers’ security visibility to a new level, enabling MSSPs to better define security policy for each customer’s specific pain points and enforce requirements. We are excited to invite the MSSP community to experience PEM’s advanced endpoint management capabilities, as it will surely prove to be a valuable element for any MSSP.”

About Promisec:

Promisec provides high-end endpoint management solutions designed to meet enterprises’ security and compliance requirements.  Promisec’s patented agentless technology enables companies to get 360° visibility, as well as advanced real-time inspection, reporting and remediation capabilities across all endpoints within the organization.

Promisec solutions are trusted by leading enterprises in diverse sectors, including Euler Hermes, Nayara Energy, Israel Police, City of New York Human Resources, Kotak Bank, Elbit Systems, Clal Ins., Bank Poalim, Tnuva and Jefferson Uni.

Promisec is a CYDERO company since November 2019 and includes an elite team of cyber experts from 8200 alumni. The company operates from its headquarters in Israel and collaborates with local partners in the USA, EMEA and APAC.

Visit us at www.promisec.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

For all media inquiries, please contact Haim Levy, CBO, Promisec: haim@promisec.com.

The post Promisec announces its new PEM for MSSPs solution launch appeared first on Promisec.

We’ve all heard the conversation, we’ve listened to the pitches and sat through deck after deck explaining how this newest technology and that innovative platform will change how organizations mitigate cyber risks. When implementing the cure all, high expectations are set and rarely can the system admin or IT have comprehensive insight into what is actually protected and, moreso when the various platforms have been updated or patched.

In a time with nearly infinite opinions and almost as many security solutions to go along with them, we want to highlight some of the most common mistakes, false perceptions and misconceptions preventing you from gaining complete security within your company.  From debunking lofty promises to getting greater visibility into your actual system vulnerabilities, understanding cybersecurity requires time and the tools to dig deep into your cyber risk.

New Integration, Same Problem: how to ensure your company is secured

Experience guides the best choices and in the case of endpoint protection many face the same complex problems on a daily basis. Recently, a scenario played out which reflects a common perception of protection in the world of endpoint security. Bringing this to light, we feel, can give better context to resolving common problems to industry wide stresses and enable our customers to make the best implementation decisions for endpoint security.

A client switched their protection configuration and the tools which they use to secure their endpoints. While the new service providers promised comprehensive security across all endpoints, in practice they came up short.

The reality proved that while new solutions may provide key strategic value where they are installed, they don’t ensure that all of your endpoints are secure, up to date and optimized for your data protection needs. Just because a solution is deployed I.e. EDR or XDR on an organizational level does not ensure that it has been effectively implemented through all endpoints and servers within a business.

While some solution providers feel they can effectively guard and protect all endpoints, our practical experience has shown that even with new implantations between them the rate of unprotected elements remains concerningly high.

Who audits the auditors? 

A vast and inclusive array of PEM (Promisec Endpoint Management) deployments have shown that, even with the implantation of many best in class endpoint protection solutions (such as EDR, XDR), at least 15-30% of end points remain at risk.

To mitigate the risk and give system admins greater visibility of their endpoint vulnerabilities Companies must adapt monitoring, management and compliance solutions that will enable them to control their attack surface.

Innovative endpoint management process can enable you to easily see if your endpoints are up to date with the latest security tools you purchased recently. This way, you can ensure ALL your company assets are protected against viruses and malware and have optimized endpoint security.

With the use of advanced tools, such as PEM, your organization can defend its data from illicit players and out of date OS. To learn more contact us here.

The post When new cyber solutions implementations still leave security gaps appeared first on Promisec.

To help you get in shape, we’ll be putting out a short series of blogs detailing the trends and changes in the threats we contend with, as well as shifts that are occurring in parallel to work and organizational paradigms.

In this blog post, we’ll highlight some continuing trends which are worth keeping an eye on.

• Remote Working Models – Hybrid as the New Normal
  As Covid-19 continues to rage, the remote work model has become predominant and permanently changed how we address cyber security. Out-of-boundaries access to organizational networks has become common and legitimate, cloud-based infrastructures have transitioned from recommended to almost mandatory, and more and more work is becoming integrated with collaboration tools such as Slack and Zoom.
  With all of these changes, the simple reality is that VPNs, firewalls, IDSs and other perimeter-based solutions are no longer enough to secure networks and companies.

• The Growing Ransomware Economy
  Following the dramatic upswing in ransomware success in 2020, 2021 has seen a continued meteoric rise in ransomware prevalence.
  In addition to the rising prevalence, ransomware attack methods have also progressed by leaps and bounds – both in technological complexity and in terms of leveraging affected companies, with double and triple extortions becoming ever more popular.
  Another angle to consider is the rise of the Ransomware-as-a-service model:
  As payouts increased, the market has adjusted itself accordingly, allowing cyber criminals to rent infrastructures, tools and abilities rather than having to create them from scratch. Entire ecosystems have been built, enabling technological advancement and scaling opportunities for attackers. This has led to a greater variety of victims, as well as enabling unskilled malicious actors to deploy advanced tools.

• Supply Chain Attacks On the Rise
  Most companies do not work in isolation, and communication with other companies is vital. This opens a very convenient window for potential attackers: why attack the highly secured mothership when you can target small vendors and third-party service suppliers – and breach through there?
  At the end of the day, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and with chains becoming longer, the threat increases. With the increase of remote communication, 2021 saw a commensurate rise in malicious actors taking advantage of this concept, with ENISA (European cybersecurity agency) experts estimating a 400% increase in supply chain attacks in 2021.

• Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Coming Into Play
  AI in the cybersecurity field has long seemed a futuristic concept, and even five years ago was completely unheard of. However, in the last few years this field has become one of the fastest evolving fields, and with it came real-world use cases for machine learning.
  In the current paradigm, AI is now being used on both sides. In the hands of malicious actors, it’s being used to automate attacks, to identify vulnerabilities in systems and to create more accurate phishing, just to name a few examples. At the same time, we’re seeing security benefits as well, through behavioral firewalls and more advanced anti-virus software.

• The Hacker Community and Response Time
  Once upon a time, a zero-day released to the public would have taken a few weeks to kick into use – allowing time for companies to respond in a timely manner.
  However, as time goes on, we see more and more immediate exploitation of such vulnerabilities. One example of this is the recent log4j vulnerability – which was exploited very fast, successfully being leveraged to damage several companies.
  In general we’ve seen more activity and cooperation on dark web security forums, enabling hacking groups and individuals to respond faster and faster to new vulnerabilities and changes.

• BEC (Business email compromise, also sometimes CEO fraud)
  The process from initial attack to profit end to end is a long and tiring process – for both victims and attackers. BECs are small, targeted attacks, where a mailbox (usually of an executive / high ranking employee) is compromised and taken advantage of – usually through impersonation and for quick monetary gain. There are many methods, but some popular ones are for the attacker to reach out to investors from the executive email account and request for funds to be directed to a different account, or telling financial staff in the company to put through an emergency bank transfer to the attacker’s account.

The post Cybersecurity Trends to Look Out for in 2022 appeared first on Promisec.

Windows 11 takes on the security challenges of the hybrid work model, as well as greatly improving user experience. Being a “young” operating system, Windows 11 borrows many of its features from Windows 10, but takes them from an optional level to a default. Together with some of the newly added features, this creates a smoother and modern user experience.

Windows 11 Features- new interface is included

Here are some of the basic changes and features included in Windows 11:

• Interface changes

Perhaps the most immediate noticeable change is the centered start menu and taskbar over their legacy bottom left position. This change, along with some of the corners being rounded, pastel shading and other subtle color and menu differences create a smoother “futuristic” feel to Windows 11.

• Windows and Desktops

Multitasking is a key characteristic of modern working environments, Therefore it comes as no surprise that Windows 11 highlights work over many Windows and even Desktops, revamping windows snapping with snap groups and snap layouts, which enable you to arrange multiple windows in many configurations (depending on your screen size and resolution), making switching between windows groups much easier, and allowing for easier monitor to laptop and vice-versa transitions.

Another feature serving that purpose is the virtual desktop support – which allows you to work with multiple desktops, and easily snap back and forth between them from its new location at the taskbar.

• Integrated Android apps

Previously accessible only for Samsung Galaxy phones or through the Your Phone app, Android applications will be fully integrated in Windows 11, accessible in the new redesigned Microsoft Store via Amazon appstore. This feature however is not yet available, and will be coming to Windows 11 in future versions.

• Widgets

Previously spotted in Windows Vista, widgets make a comeback in Windows 11. Accessible directly from the taskbar, personalized and configurable and presented in a user-friendly widget panel, it seems Window 11 widgets are here to stay.

• Microsoft Teams integration

Acknowledging the giant leap online meeting application, Microsoft Teams has got a serious redesign and will now be integrated directly into the Windows 11 Taskbar, aimed at fluent use.

• XBox tech

DirectStorage, improving on I/O storage operations and Auto HDR improving on display in XBox will be adopted in Windows 11, further integrating Xbox consoles with PCs.

Another big leap in Windows 11 is security.

The way Windows 10 and previous distributions view security is no longer enough in 2021, with many zero-day unpatched, or yet worse – unpatchable – vulnerabilities existing in older hardware (processors emphasized).

To handle this, Microsoft’s new approach is “Chip-to-cloud” protection.

To create this kind of coverage, Windows 11 exports much of the security process to the hardware, ramping up the hardware requirements to install the OS.

Windows 11 Security enhancements in a nutshell

Security changes in Windows 11 include:

• TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot

TPM (Trusted Platform Module) is a technology that supports cryptography by having cryptographic keys, key generators and functions built into the processor.

This allows for much more secure communication to begin with, as well as supporting and enabling Secure Boot, which ensures the integrity of boot code and operating system components.

• Virtualization

When it comes to security solutions, virtualization can come in handy by providing a sandbox environment to work in, either in a user-accessible manner – virtual machines and internet browsers or internally – memory isolation.

Windows 11 uses both VBS (Virtualization-based Security) and HVCI, which together provide an isolated (i.e. secure from the OS) memory slab, protecting apps from loading unsigned code and from code running out of order.

• Passwordless Sign-in

Passwords are one of the most important and vulnerable aspects of securing a network, service or device. Derived from the above hardware requirements, Windows 11 fully supports Windows Hello (Passwordless authentication), potentially eliminating the need for passwords in the future.

Implementing Windows 11 – things to keep in mind

Here are some factors that can impact the decision whether to upgrade to Windows 11:

• Hardware Compatibility

As mentioned before, certain hardware is required to support Windows Hello (Passwordless FIDO standard in general), virtualization through VBS and HVCI, Secure boot and a CPU with embedded TPM, along with general requirements such as 4GB RAM, 64GB of storage, and a graphic card compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver.

This is the first obstacle. While most systems manufactured after 2015 should include the mentioned hardware, upgrading whole networks will continue to be a problem.

• Software Compatibility
  As with every new OS, some softwares will take time to be compatible with Windows 11, meaning you might not be able to use some of them. This usually resolves itself within the first few months, but is a factor to take into consideration when planning when to upgrade.
• Bugs and Updates
  While Windows Insider (Microsoft’s beta-tester/early access version) has tens of millions of users, they are but a grain in the sand next to the monstrous mass of billions of users who in the following months will most likely uncover hundreds of bugs to fix.
• Microsoft Account
  Windows 11 Home edition requires you to login to a Microsoft Account to complete device setup. Local-only account will not be enough.

In summary : Windows 11 with its new security standard and inviting user experience truly feels like a step in the right direction to become a secure, modern and common operating system, just like Windows 7 and 10 before. However, from an enterprise point of view the demanding hardware requirements and fairly early release are factors worth considering in the delay of Windows 11 adoption, especially considering that for those who are unwilling or unable to upgrade just yet – many of the features presented in Windows 11 can be enabled in Windows 10 with some effort.

The post 101 Windows 11: aiming for better security and hybrid work model – features review appeared first on Promisec.

But once a year, it feels like maybe we’re not doing this alone. 

Once a year, for 18 years now, industry and government join forces “to ensure every American has the resources they need to stay safer and more secure online,” reports the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCSA). Leading the Cybersecurity Awareness Month every October, NCSA and the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) determined that this year’s overarching theme will be “Do your part. #BeCyberSmart.” 
Do Your Part – #BeCyberSmart 

We’ve heard “do your part” a lot over the past year or two, since the pandemic changed our world. Usually, this phrase referred to wearing a mask, keeping social distance, and getting vaccinated if we’re privileged enough to have access to vaccines. 

But simultaneously, we’ve had to keep our companies, employees and customers figuratively vaccinated to the growing threat of hackers, who wasted no time at taking advantage of this global crisis. 

Hackers’ work seemed to have gotten easier, as we sent our teams to work from home, to protect their health, and lost control over our endpoints. 

That’s why here, at Promisec, we’ve decided to dedicate our efforts during Cybersecurity Awareness Month to securing the hybrid work model. We plan on doing our part by bringing you expert panels (for free) to teach you how to do yours in this new cybersecurity frontier. 

Let’s expand this idea a bit, and then give you all the information you need to attend the virtual panels. 

Securing the Hybrid Endpoint is Possible 

Securing your endpoints has always been a challenging job, especially if you have hundreds or thousands of endpoints, each with its own vulnerabilities, patch requirements and downright breaches. Now, with employees working from home, you have even less visibility, even less control. 

True, part of doing our part is enrolling employees to do theirs. But go explain every possible scenario to employees, or to their kids who share their parents’ work from home computers. 

Employee education is critical and doable, yet the most impactful solution is to monitor all endpoints, regardless if in-office or remote, are up-to-date on a regular basis (By the way, that’s exactly what Promisec’s agent-based PEM work from home module does – regardless of network connectivity. Click here for more information).  

Learn from the Best (for Free) 

We’re excited to bring you leading thought leaders from Altisec, EMI and efimatica – and have deep conversations about what it really means to secure the hybrid endpoint. 

You’ll get practical tips that will help your company weather this storm successfully, and might even get your question answered directly on one of the panels. Sign up to watch the panels for free, and let’s create a much more secure 2022.  

Save your spot for October 20 panel, October 27 or October 28 panel closing panel. 

The post How to #BeCyberSmart in a World of Hybrid Endpoints appeared first on Promisec.

Whether we gave them devices to use at home or relied on whatever technology they already had, there was little time to strategize, execute and adjust. A deadly pandemic took over the world, and we had to act fast.

For some of us, it meant using band-aid solutions, relinquishing endpoint visibility and control, and hoping to stay ahead of malicious actors anyway.

Our network felt more exposed and vulnerable than it had in a long time.

Now, a year and a half later, as we catch our breath, as we navigate through changing COVID restrictions, as employees switch from WFH to in-office and back home again.

WFH is clearly not just a passing episode. COVID taught us that the hybrid work model is here to stay. Therefore, we need to ensure we have visibility to all endpoints, whether on-premise or remote.

How do we maintain our security standards in this hybrid model? How do we control endpoint patches and access?

How to Secure the Hybrid Endpoint

As we previously shared, 60% of cyber incidents could have been prevented by installing existing patches. But monitoring and managing endpoints is more complex now than ever. It’s hard to keep track of which endpoints have been patched, which are vulnerable, and which have already given access to malicious programs.

Anyone who works in cybersecurity has heard the horror stories. An employee – whether in an entry-level or VP position – opens an email or downloads an innocent looking app, and unintentionally opens wide the door for malicious actors.

Employee education has always been key, but it’s more necessary than ever in today’s hybrid work model.

Of course, a one-time training isn’t enough. Even the best-intentioned employees can’t remember everything throughout the daily grind of their own work and home life. Changing mindsets and habits takes time. This needs to be part of your company culture, in combination with greater control for the security team.

In other words, your team still needs deep visibility into the entire network, even if some or all of it is remote.

Ensure Endpoint Visibility, Whether On-premise or Remote

Helping cybersecurity professionals protect their companies and teams from hackers’ malicious attempts has always been at the forefront of everything we do here at Promisec.

After hearing from many of you about your struggles with this new hybrid work model, we got our own team together and developed a PEM work from home module.

It’s an agent-based solution that allows you to scan remote endpoints and ensure compliance regardless of network connectivity. The system seamlessly integrates remote and on-premise endpoints, to allow you to manage and monitor your assets as if they were all on the company network. Scan results are delivered to the PEM system and processed the same way you process standard scan results.

All scan results are encrypted and secured through HTTPS connections, and we support all current PEM security and cyber configurations.

Click here to get a free consultation, and stay as secure in the new paradigm as you were before.

The post Securing a Hybrid Environment: In Office & Remote Endpoints appeared first on Promisec.

Key takeaways:

• Explore what can be learned from Colonial Pipeline Breach 
• Learn the fundamentals for keeping endpoints up-to-date. 
• Discover the new PEM dashboard for complete endpoint visibility

Who should watch the webinar: 
CIOs, CISOs, Cybersecurity Professionals, Network Engineers, and IT Ops.

The post Reducing cyber risk- putting theory into practice. See everything. React in real-time. Stay secure. appeared first on Promisec.

With 60% of cyber breaches involving vulnerabilities for which a security patch was available but not applied, it’s clear that any information security executive must ensure such failure will not happen during their shift.

In this white paper, you will learn: 

• How to get complete visibility across all endpoints within your organization
• How to identify security issues or noncompliance to your specified company standards
• Best practices in monitoring, managing, and analyzing endpoints’ related data.
• Tactics to remediate security gaps with PEM.

The post Quick guide for endpoint monitoring and management appeared first on Promisec.