Tag Archives: Incidence Response Plan

5 Critical Lessons for IoT Vendors from the CrowdStrike/Microsoft Global Outage

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Hey there,infosec aficionados! The recent CrowdStrike/Microsoft global outage sent shockwaves through the tech world, and if you’re in the IoT game, you’d better be taking notes. Let’s dive into the top 5 lessons that every IoT vendor should be etching into their playbooks right now.

 1. Resilience Isn’t Just a Buzzword, It’s Your Lifeline

Listen up, folks. If this outage taught us anything, it’s that our interconnected systems are about as fragile as a house of cards in a hurricane. One domino falls, and suddenly we’re all scrambling. For IoT vendors, resilience isn’t just nice to have – it’s do or die.

You need to be building systems that can take a punch and keep on ticking. Think redundancy, failover mechanisms, and spreading your infrastructure across the globe like you’re planning for the apocalypse. Because in our world, every day could be doomsday for your devices.

 2. Data Recovery: Your Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card

When the data center lights (and flights) went out, a lot of folks found themselves up the creek without a paddle – or their data. IoT vendors, take heed: your backup and recovery game needs to be top-notch. We’re talking bulletproof backups and recovery processes that you could run in your sleep.

And don’t just set it and forget it. Test those recovery processes like you’re prepping for the Olympics. Because when the big one hits, you don’t want to be caught with your data flows down.

 3. Updates: Handle with Extreme Caution

Here’s a plot twist for you: the very thing meant to protect us – a security update – was what kicked off this whole mess. It’s like locking your door and realizing you’ve handed the key to a burglar.

IoT vendors, you need to treat every update like it’s potentially toxic. Rigorous testing, staged rollouts, and the ability to hit the “undo” button faster than you can say “oops” – these aren’t just good practices, they’re your survival kit.

 4. Know Thy Dependencies (and Their Dependencies)

In this tangled web we weave, you might think you’re an island, but surprise! You’re probably more connected than Kevin Bacon. The CrowdStrike/Microsoft fiasco showed us that even if you weren’t directly using their services, you might still end up as collateral damage.

So, IoT vendors, it’s time to play detective. Map out every single dependency in your tech stack, and then map their dependencies. And for the love of all things cyber, diversify! A multi-vendor approach might give you a headache now, but it’ll be a lifesaver when the next big outage hits.

 5. Incident Response: Time to Get Real

If your incident response plan is collecting dust on a shelf (or worse, is just a figment of your imagination), wake up and smell the coffee! This outage caught a lot of folks with their guards down, and it wasn’t pretty.

You need to be running drills like it’s the end of the world. Simulate failures, practice your response, and then do it all over again. Because when the real deal hits, you want your team moving like a well-oiled machine, not like headless chickens.

 The Bottom Line

Look, in our hyper-connected IoT world, massive outages aren’t a matter of if, but when. It’s time to stop crossing our fingers and hoping for the best. Resilience, recovery, and rock-solid response capabilities – these are the tools that will separate the IoT winners from the losers in the long run.

So, IoT vendors, consider this your wake-up call. Are you ready to step up your game, or are you going to be the next cautionary tale? The choice is yours.

Need help building an industry-leading IoT information security program? Our vCISOs have the knowledge, experience, and wisdom to help you, no matter your starting poing. Drop us a line at info@microsolved.com for a no hassle discussion and use cases. 

 

 

* AI tools were used as a research assistant for this content.

3 Key Tips for Rapid and Effective Incident Response in Information Security

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Incident response is a critical component of any successful information security program. An effective incident response process can help organizations detect, investigate, and respond to threats in a timely manner. This blog post will discuss three key tips to ensure rapid and effective incident response during an information security incident.

  1. Develop a well-structured incident response plan:

    A comprehensive incident response plan serves as the foundation for effective incident response. The plan should outline each process phase’s roles, responsibilities, and procedures. Key elements include clear communication channels, escalation paths, and predefined actions to be taken during an incident. Regularly review, update, and test the plan to ensure it remains relevant and practical.

  2. Implement proactive detection and monitoring tools:

    The rapid response starts with early detection. Invest in advanced detection and monitoring tools, such as intrusion detection systems (IDS), security information and event management (SIEM) solutions, and endpoint detection and response (EDR) technologies. These tools enable organizations to identify potential security incidents in real time and respond quickly to minimize their impact.

  3. Train and empower your Incident Response Team (IRT):

    An experienced and well-equipped IRT is crucial for effective incident response. Provide regular training, including tabletop exercises and simulations, to ensure team members are familiar with the incident response plan and can execute it efficiently during an actual incident. Ensure the IRT has access to the necessary resources and tools, and maintain a culture of open communication to encourage swift reporting of potential incidents.

 

*This article was written with the help of AI tools and Grammarly.

High-Level FAQ for Incident Response

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  1. Q: What is an incident response process in information security?

A: The incident response process in information security is a systematic approach to identifying, containing, analyzing, and resolving security incidents that may compromise the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of an organization’s information systems and data. It involves a set of predefined policies, procedures, and tools designed to minimize the impact of security incidents and facilitate a swift recovery.

  1. Q: Why is the incident response process necessary?

A: The incident response process is crucial for organizations because it helps to minimize the damage caused by security incidents, protect sensitive data, maintain business continuity, and comply with regulatory requirements. A well-defined incident response process can also help organizations learn from security incidents and improve their overall security posture.

  1. Q: What are the critical phases of an incident response process?

A: The incident response process typically includes six key phases:

  • i. Preparation: Developing and maintaining an incident response plan, training staff, and setting up necessary tools and resources.
  • ii. Detection and Analysis: Identifying potential security incidents through monitoring, reporting, and analyzing security events.
  • iii. Containment: Limiting the spread and impact of an identified security incident by isolating affected systems or networks.
  • iv. Eradication: Removing the cause of the security incident, such as malware or unauthorized access, and restoring affected systems to a secure state.
  • v. Recovery: Restoring affected systems and networks to regular operation and verifying their security.
  • vi. Post-Incident Activity: Reviewing the incident response process, identifying lessons learned, and implementing improvements to prevent future incidents.

  1. Q: Who should be involved in the incident response process?

A: An effective incident response process involves a cross-functional team, typically called the Incident Response Team (IRT), which may include members from IT, information security, legal, human resources, public relations, and management. External stakeholders, such as law enforcement, third-party vendors, or cyber insurance providers, may also be involved, depending on the nature and severity of the incident.

  1. Q: How can organizations prepare for incident response?

A: Organizations can prepare for incident response by:

  • Developing a comprehensive incident response plan that outlines roles, responsibilities, and procedures for each process phase.
  • Regularly updating and testing the incident response plan to ensure its effectiveness and relevance.
  • Training employees on their roles and responsibilities during an incident, including reporting procedures and essential security awareness.
  • Establishing a well-equipped IRT with clear communication channels and access to necessary resources.
  • Implementing continuous monitoring and detection tools to identify potential security incidents early.

  1. Q: How can organizations improve their incident response process?

A: Organizations can improve their incident response process by:

  • Regularly reviewing and updating the incident response plan to reflect changes in the organization’s infrastructure, personnel, and threat landscape.
  • Conducting periodic tests and simulations, such as tabletop exercises or red team exercises, to evaluate the plan’s effectiveness and identify improvement areas.
  • Implement a continuous improvement cycle incorporating lessons learned from past incidents and industry best practices.
  • Investing in advanced detection and monitoring tools to enhance the organization’s ability to identify and respond to security incidents.
  • Providing ongoing training and support to the IRT and other stakeholders to ensure they remain up-to-date with the latest threats and best practices.

 

*This article was written with the help of AI tools and Grammarly.

Utility Tabletop Cybersecurity Exercises

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Recently, a group of federal partners, comprised of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), North American Reliability Corporation (NERC) and it’s regional entities released their Cyber Planning for Response and Recovery Study (CYPRES). The report was based on a review and analysis of the incident response and recovery capabilities of a set of their member’s cyber security units, and is a great example of some of the information sharing that is increasing in the industry. The report included reviews of eight utility companies’ incident response plans for critical infrastructure environments, and the programs reviewed varied in their size, complexity and maturity, though all were public utilities.

Though the specific tactics suggested in the report’s findings have come under fire and criticism, a few items emerged that were of broad agreement. The first is that most successful programs are based on NIST 800-61, which is a fantastic framework for incident response plans. Secondly, the report discusses how useful tabletop exercises are for practicing responses to cybersecurity threats and re-enforcing the lessons learned feedback loop to improve capabilities. As a result, each public utility should strongly consider implementing periodic tabletop exercises as a part of their cyber security and risk management programs.

Tabletop Exercises from MSI

At MicroSolved, we have been running cyber security tabletop exercises for our clients for more than a decade. We have a proprietary methodology for building out the role playing scenarios and using real-world threat intelligence and results from the client’s vulnerability management tools in the simulation. Our scenarios are developed into simulation modules, pre-approved by the client, and also include a variety of randomized events and nuances to more precisely simulate real life. During the tabletop exercise, we also leverage a custom written gaming management system to handle all event details, track game time and handle the randomization nuances.

Our tabletop exercise process is performed by two MSI team members. The first acts as the simulation moderator and “game master”, presenting the scenarios and tracking the various open threads as the simulation progresses. The second team member is an “observer” and they are skilled risk management team members who pre-review your incident response policies, procedures and documentation so that they can then prepare a gap analysis after the simulation. The gap analysis compares your performance during the game to the process and procedure requirements described and notes any differences, weaknesses or suggestions for improvement.

Target scenarios can be created to test any division of the organization, wide scale attacks or deeply nuanced compromises of specific lines of business. Various utility systems can be impacted in the simulation, including business networks, payment processing, EDI/supply chain, metering/AMI/smart grid, ICS/SCADA or other mission critical systems.Combination and cascading failures, disaster recovery and business continuity can also be modeled. In short, just about any cyber risks can be a part of the exercise.

Tabletop Exercise Outcomes and Deliverables

Our tabletop exercises result in a variety of detailed reports and a knowledge transfer session, if desired. The reports include the results of the policy/procedure review and gap analysis, a description of the simulated incident and an action plan for future improvements. If desired, a board level executive summary can also be included, suitable for presentation to boards, management teams, direct oversight groups, Public Utility Commission and Homeland Security auditors as well.

These reports will discuss the security measures tested, and provide advice on proactive controls that can be implemented, enhanced, matured or practiced in order to display capabilities in future incidents that reflect the ability to perform more rapid and efficient recovery.

The knowledge transfer session is your team’s chance to ask questions about the process, learn more about the gaps observed in their performance and discuss the lessons learned, suggestions and controls that call for improvement. Of course the session can include discussions of related initiatives and provide for contact information exchange with our team members, in the event that they can assist your team in the future. The knowledge transfer session can also be performed after your team has a chance to perform a major review of the reports and findings.

How to Get Started on Tabletop Exercises from MSI

Tabletop exercises are available from our team for cyber security incidents, disaster preparedness and response or business continuity functions. Exercises are available on an ad-hoc, 1 year, 2 year or 3 year subscription packages with frequencies ranging from quarterly to twice per year or yearly. Our team’s experience is applicable to all utility cyber programs and can include any required government partners, government agencies or regulators as appropriate.

Our team can help develop the scope of threats, cyber attacks or emergency events to be simulated. Common current examples include ransomware, phishing-based account compromises, cyber attacks that coincide with catastrophic events or service disruptions, physical attacks against substations or natural gas pipelines, data breach and compromise of various parts of the ICS/SCADA infrastructure. Our team will work with you to ensure that the scenario meets all of your important points and concerns.

Once the scenario is approved, we will schedule the simulation (which can be easily performed via web-conference to reduce travel costs and facilitate easy team attendance) and build the nuances to create the effects of a real event. Once completed, the reporting and knowledge transfer sessions can follow each instance.

Tabletop exercises can go a long way to increasing cybersecurity preparedness and re-enforcing the cybersecurity mindset of your team. It can also be a great opportunity for increasing IT/OT cooperation and strengthening relationships between those team members.

To get started, simply contact us via this web form or give us a call at (614) 351-1237. We would love to discuss tabletop exercises with you and help you leverage them to increase your security posture.

 

Security Alert: RSA Breach and 7 Ways to Secure Your Tokens

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Since the compromise of the RSA environment several months ago, much attention has been paid to the potential impact of the attack on RSA customers.

Given the popularity of the RSA products and the sensitivity of the processes that they protect, the situation should be taken very seriously by RSA token users.

Last night, RSA made a public announcement that their breach and information stolen in that breach has now been used in attacks against RSA customers. The primary focus, as far as is known, has been the defense sector, but it is very likely that additional threat-focus has been placed on other critically sensitive verticals such as financial and critical infrastructure.

There are a number of things that RSA customers should do, in the advice of MicroSolved, Inc. Below is a short list of identified strategies and tactics:

  1. Identify all surfaces exposed that include RSA components. Ensure your security team has a complete map of where and how the RSA authentication systems are in use in your organization.
  2. Establish a plan for how you will replace your tokens and how you will evaluate and handle the risks of exposure while you perform replacement.
  3. Increase your vigilance and monitoring of RSA exposed surfaces. This should include additional log, event and intrusion monitoring around the exposed surfaces. You might also consider the deployment of honeypots or other drop-in measures to detect illicit activity against or via compromised systems available with the RSA exposed surfaces.
  4. Develop an incident response plan to handle any incidents that arise around this issue.
  5. Increase the PIN length of your deployments as suggested by RSA, where appropriate, based on identified risk and threat metrics.
  6. Teach your IT team and users about the threats and the issue. Prepare your team to handle questions from users, customers and other folks as this issue gains media attention and grows in visibility. Prepare your technical management team to answer questions from executives and Board-level staff around this issue.
  7. Get in contact with RSA, either via your account executive or via the following phone number for EMC (RSA’s parent company): 1-800-782-4362

In the meantime, if MSI can assist you with any of these steps or work with you to review your plan, please let us know. Our engineers are aware of the issues and the processes customers are using to manage this problem in a variety of verticals. We can help you with planning or additional detection and monitoring techniques should you desire.

We wish our clients the highest amount of safety and security as we, as an industry, work through this challenge. We wish RSA the best of luck and the highest success in their remediation and mitigation efforts. As always, we hope for the best outcome for everyone involved.

Thanks for your time and attention to this issue. It is much appreciated, as is your relationship with MicroSolved, Inc.