The MDR market is becoming increasingly crowded, which can cause confusion and frustration for those looking to invest in their cybersecurity.

Analyst firms still play a crucial role in providing clarity about the market and establishing standards for security vendors overall. Their research provides vendor-neutral perspectives that can inform your top-level strategy. Sometimes, translating broad analyst guidance into concrete plans can be challenging.

Review sites and AI resources also crowd the landscape with advice, creating even more noise and challenges with decision-making.

Our MDR Buyer’s Guide aims to provide an actionable success blueprint for MDR that aligns with analyst-defined best practices.

This guide includes:

• What you should/shouldn’t look for with an MDR provider
• Must-haves vs nice to haves
• Simple one-page “MDR Buying Guide Checklist”

The post Managed Detection and Response MDR Buyer’s Guide appeared first on CyberMaxx.

In a landscape where artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing cyber defense, understanding its true role is crucial. This guide aims to clarify how AI can be effectively integrated into cybersecurity strategies and debrief misconceptions that cloud its application.

At CyberMaxx, we define AI for Cyber Defense as:

AI for Cyber Defense is a strategic, data-driven approach that leverages artificial intelligence to enhance threat detection, response, and prevention. its primary aim is to bolster cybersecurity measures by leveraging AI to identify and neutralize threats, reduce response times, and improve overall security posture while ensuring human oversight remains central to the decision-making process.

This four-part series aims to provide organizations with a proper understanding of how to integrate AI effectively into their cybersecurity strategies, ensuring a robust defense against emerging threats.

What’s Included:

• An exploration of AI’s transformative role in modern cyber defense
• Insights into balancing AI with human expertise in threat detection and response
• Strategies for leveraging AI to enhance Managed Detection and Response (MDR) operations

The post AI for Cyber Defense: Committing to a Secure Digital Future appeared first on CyberMaxx.

Breaking through industry misconceptions and identifying emerging threats systematically​

We’ve published this guide to provide a clear understanding of what threat hunting is and what it isn’t. ​

The security vendor community often makes this confusing by using the term to describe things that aren’t truly threat hunting. ​

We, here at CybeMaxx define Threat Hunting as:​

Threat hunting is a proactive, human-led pursuit guided by threat intelligence that seeks to discover adversary activity, that has evaded existing security controls. Its goals are to reduce dwell time, minimize the negative impact on the business, of security incidents, reduce the attack surface, and improve overall security posture. ​

The goal of this guide is to help organizations cut through this noise and create a threat hunting function that is comprehensive, effective, and seamlessly integrated with an equally effective detection and response motion.​

What’s included:​

• The four definitive pillars of effective threat hunting​
• Insights into threat hunting, MDR and the Risk Reduction Flywheel​
• Anatomy of a successful threat hunt​

The post Threat Hunting eBook appeared first on CyberMaxx.

What is Penetration Testing?

Penetration testing is an assessment delivered by an ethical hacking service to “penetrate” your network or a specific system. Pen testers simulate real-world cyber attacks using tactics and tools adopted by today’s threat actors. Why? To find insights that boost your security program before an actual attack occurs.

One of these vital insights is system vulnerabilities. By doing cyber attack “mock trials,” you can see where you’re susceptible. For example, areas of the network that are most exploitable or security control weaknesses that need improvements.

Types of Penetration Testing

Cyber attacks can target your business from all directions using various tactics. Hence, you can deploy many types of pen test services for complete security analysis:

• (External) network testing: Finds vulnerabilities in your internet-facing assets like firewalls, servers, and routers. It lets you find exploits hackers could target from the outside.
• (Internal) network testing: Identifies attack paths and vulnerabilities within the network. For example, misconfigured admin controls could let employees access unauthorized, privileged information.
• Web application testing: Evaluates your web app configurations, integrations, and controls. It helps ensure app security and that a hacker can’t get unauthorized access through the host site.
• Wireless assessments: Tests wireless security settings for on-premise networks. It checks if hackers could establish connections to your internal environment.
• Mobile app testing: Simulates attacks on iPhone and Android applications. You use it to find vulnerabilities in the app’s encryption protocols, configurations, and access controls.
• Social engineering & spear phishing testing: Tests user awareness through email phishing campaigns. It targets a list of employees or individuals to see if they’ll comply with a spoofed email’s request.
• Configuration review: Assesses on-premise or cloud environments. It looks at the servers, network, access controls, and security settings to find vulnerabilities a hacker could exploit.

Importance of Penetration Testing

93% of company networks are susceptible to a breach by a cybercriminal. Unfortunately, without regular pen testing, these organizations don’t know where an actual attack will come from or how.

Penetration testing lets you protect against cyber threats by pinpointing your weaknesses. Taking insights gathered from your pen test, you can:

• Fill in known security gaps with new controls
• Prioritize remediation efforts based on where you’re most vulnerable
• Find security flaws to make adjustments or add failsafe controls
• Remediate any system misconfigurations

Pen testing is proactive by nature. It lets you improve security before falling victim to an attack.

Penetration Testing Process

For the best results, pen-testing engagements emulate real-world attack scenarios. They often follow a structured process, with certain steps typically used by a cybercriminal:

• Planning: You and the pen testers create a plan of action, set goals, and establish the rules of engagement. Doing so ensures a smoother testing campaign that meets your security objectives.
• Reconnaissance: Pen testers get intelligence on your users, network, or target system. This data helps them pinpoint weaknesses they can exploit to gain access.
• Scanning: Pen testers use vulnerability scanning or network mapping tools to get visibility on the target system. They typically look for any points of entry they can use to carry out an attack later on.
• Exploitation: Pen testers try to access the target system using vulnerabilities found during the prior stages. The purpose is to confirm these vulnerabilities, attack and penetrate the system, and then escalate privileges for more elevated data access.
• Reporting: Pen testers share insights gathered during the testing process. This information gives recommendations and a roadmap to improve your security posture based on your most significant vulnerabilities.

Best Practices in Penetration Testing

While vital for security, penetration testing is often a costly process that is invasive on your IT stack. To maximize your experience and get the best possible insights, follow these useful tips:

Clearly Define Your Objectives

Before the engagement. Ask yourself, “What do we want to get out of this?” Is it for vulnerability management? To test current security controls? Check a box for compliance requirements? Or perhaps all of the above?

Ensure Proper Documentation

Maintain accurate records of your cybersecurity program and pen test results. This information keeps you in compliance with many guidelines and regulatory requirements. It also gives you a performance baseline to build on for future assessments.

Work Exclusively with Certified Professionals

Pen testing is a complex, rigorous process. You’re literally authorizing someone to hack your critical data systems, so don’t take shortcuts when engaging with providers. Look for robust experience in pen testing and team certifications such as Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP), or Certified Penetration Testing Engineer (CPTE).

Prioritize the Most Critical Vulnerabilities

With budgetary restrictions and only so much time in a day, it’s simply not practical to address every security flaw identified in the test results. Start with the most exploitable and the ones that could severely impact your business.

Challenges and Limitations

Bear in mind that penetration testing isn’t always foolproof. False positives, for example, show a vulnerability that doesn’t actually exist in the network. Alternatively, testing tools may generate false negatives — a vulnerability that does exist but wasn’t detected.

Much of the false flags occur because of pen test limitations. Regarding scope, you’re typically simulating attacks on specific areas of the network. If you, for example, only do social engineering & spear phishing tests, you’ll miss critical vulnerabilities in other areas, such as the network’s perimeter or within a web application.

You’re also limited in time. Pen testing generally only takes place over a few days or weeks. What about the vulnerabilities that pop up after that time frame?

Regulatory Compliance

Depending on your industry or the types of data managed, penetration testing lets you comply with various regulatory security requirements like:

• Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS): For credit card information
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): For personal data of European Union citizens
• California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA): For the private data of California residents
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): For medical records and personal health information (PHI)
• North American Electric Reliability Corporation Critical Infrastructure Protection (NERC CIP): For securing the North American electric grid
• Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC): For contractors to protect sensitive government defense information

Pen testing is also required to get the “stamp of approval” for professional certifications like ISO 27001.

Penetration Testing: The Crucial Step Toward Enterprise Security Success

Penetration testing lets you answer the key question, “How would we withstand a real-world cyber-attack?” Through attack simulations by a professional, you can pinpoint your network weaknesses while evaluating security control effectiveness.

The post The Ultimate Guide to Penetration Testing: Everything You Need to Know appeared first on CyberMaxx.

Healthcare cyberattacks are becoming more common. In Q1 2023, the healthcare sector experienced an average of 1,684 attacks per week, according to Check Point Research. This data represents a year-on-year increase of 22%.

These attacks are also becoming more expensive. According to IBM’s X-Force Threat Intelligence Report, the average costs of a studied breach in healthcare reached nearly $11 million in 2023.

There’s a good reason why healthcare is one of the biggest targets for bad actors. Confidential patient information and medical records are worth a lot of money, and attackers know they can use this as leverage to increase the pressure on organizations to pay the ransom.

As healthcare cybersecurity professionals, we must maximize our security posture while minimizing disruptions to ensure patients don’t suffer the ramifications of healthcare IT vulnerabilities.

CyberMaxx investigated the current state of healthcare cybersecurity to uncover the most cutting-edge medical innovations and cybersecurity threats so you can be prepared to triage risks as effectively as possible.

The post White Paper: The State of Cybersecurity in Healthcare appeared first on CyberMaxx.

With an increase of 470% in recent years, ransomware attacks are more prevalent than ever and are showing no sign of slowing down.

That’s where a managed detection and response (MDR) provider can come to the rescue. MDR, or Managed Detection Response, is a managed cybersecurity service that combines intrusion prevention and detection, event log monitoring, and endpoint monitoring, all of which allow for efficient and effective response service and remediation.

There are a lot of MDR providers in the marketplace and they each bring their own professional expertise in different forms. Knowing what to look for when evaluating the capabilities of a managed security services provider in order to make sure that your needs are met and your organization is protected is no simple task and at times can seem daunting.

Our whitepaper: “The Evolution of Threat Detection & Response”, will help you understand the evolution of the detection and response space and the challenges and differentiators facing MDR service providers.

Free Trial

Are you interested in a free proof of concept of our managed detection and response services? No, really, it’s free, it’s your data in our platform, so you can see in real-time how CyberMaxx works.

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