Top 10 reasons for decision makers to recommend Network Infrastructure Security management (NISM) Solution

Network Infrastucture Security Management solutions (NISM) can continuously provide network vizualisation and identify critical attack risks and non compliance in the complex security infrastructure. It provides security, risk and network teams with a firm understanding of where security is working, where investment is needed and where the greatest cyber attack lies.

Knowing the network, knowing the assets, knowing the security, mapping the topology, prioritize and fixing, continuous monitoring, change management and workflow build are the steps companies must take to provide an adequate network security.

Here are some useful top of mind recall areas for decision makers to go for NISM solution.

1. Visualize the network infrastructure

A. Shows network access and vulnerability paths, determine connectivity, view device details and evaluate any path
B. Visibility solves problems and can prevent thousands of cyber threats.

2. Control

A. Prioritize the vulnerabilities. The bank has say 100,000 vulnerabilities; this system will prioritize to say 100 or 200 for your attention. Over a period this exercise will optimize the security posture.
B. Highlight issues on your network path, quickly spot trouble areas and drill down to identify specific issues
C. Ensure all the access controls are correctly configured

3. Prevent

A. Proactively prevent next attack
B. Integrates knowledge of your own network, evaluates all paths to and from your critical data so you can prevent attacks and significantly reduce risk to your business.

4. Compliance

A. Solution gives you information regarding network security standards and implementations so that you can verify you are in compliance.
B. You can prove that your network follows applicable regulations and maintains those standards at all times during the time period in question.

5. Security is about systems
A. Help you to understand the interaction between the devices
B. It’s not enough to understand each element in isolation; what’s important is how these elements work together as one system.

6. Network complexities exceeds human ability to analyses

A. You need automation to properly assess the complex and quick-moving changes in your network, because you can’t handle it otherwise
B. Attackers use automation to find the holes, so you must need an automation tool as response
C. Even a 1-percent error rate in your security implementation can lead to problems affecting hundreds of changes, so using automation helps you pick out the errors and make your fixes as soon as possible.
D. Multiple points of access mean multiple opportunities for threats. You can use automation to close these holes.

7. Inconsistent IT implementations

A. Ensuring each and every access point uses the most effective and appropriate rules and regulations.
B. Even a large and attentive IT team can face an overwhelming challenge in trying to identify all security needs and provide a good remedy for each problem

8. Automation

A. No matter how many security people you have (or how skilled they are), your network security plans must include automation. Automation is simply better and faster at testing than humans can ever be.

9. Testing

A. NISM solutions can typically run over 100 basic tests for each device. Such tests include testing for whether the vendor-supplier default password is in use, whether insecure management protocols or services are enabled, and similar industry-wide best practice checks. These tests are oriented towards individual devices.
B. System test tells how the system works under the normal condition as well as when fault occurs and will verify connectivity between network zones, such as DMZ or cardholder data

10. Metrics

A. With the meaningful metrics with trending data, you can have meaningful discussions about attack risk with senior management in your organization
B. Metrics will be able to answer questions including: Where is security working, and where is additional investment needed? Where are the security holes? Are we as compliant today as we were when we passed the audit? How does our security posture compare to a month ago? A year ago?

4 reasons to Implement Managed File Transfer solution in Orgnaisation

Managed File transfer (MFT) is an integral part of the bank’s operational framework. The solution is essential for banks and financial institutions to protect sensitive data and meet compliance regulations. File transfers requirement ranges from sending files within the organization, interacting with the vendors, other stakeholders, uploading data to the website and sending critical reports to Central bank. There are cases where manual file transfer proved to be  inefficient which can lead to potential data loss, sending the wrong files and time consumption during the transit and the least, not sure about the delivery and accuracy of the send files Below are the listed reasons for the IT decision makers to evaluate in implementing a managed file transfer system in banks.

1. Use of easily available file sharing system like dropbox

IPSwitch data protection survey reveals that 53% of the respondents admit to sending sensitive files over unsecured email. Employees tend to use the system which is convenient to them. In the case of file transfer file sharing, systems like Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, Apple iCloud and Amazon Cloud Drive and other systems are widely used.  According to a recent survey of 1300 business users, one in five are using Dropbox to transfer corporate files, effectively circumventing any safeguards their IT departments have put in place with respect to file transfers.  The reasons  for such shortcuts are generally  due to growing file sizes and pressure to get job done quickly. Managed file transfer can centralize the entire system of file transfer that enable features like control of the file, LDAP authentication, robust password policies, rules for IP / user lockout and many more.

2. Poor visibility of the file over the file transfer system

The Gramm-Leach Bliley Act (GLBA), Sarbanes-Oxley 404 and 409 (SOX), and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act all require banks to have clearly outlined internal procedures that define how the integrity and security of private data will be maintained, including when data files are in transit. Every file transfer needs to be visible in order to understand what  document was sent, where was it sent, was it received, and when and how did it get there? And right now, this very minute, what is the real-time status?  Essentially a tool to monitor, manage and audit transfer trial of files across the enterprise will enable in time saving and opportunity cost.

3. IT team is not getting larger

IT department has the responsibility of file transfer where it carries operational risks such as control access, ensure accuracy, reduce complexity and manage costs. According to a recent Aberdeen study, the volume of file transfers is increasing, on a yearly average, by 11%.; the size of files by 7% , and the number of users transferring files by 6-9%. All while IT hiring goes up by a paltry 2%. The average is all across the industries.  As the operations expanded, the number of file transfers completed each day had grown by a multiple of 100 on a YOY basis. IT pros views the manual approach to the file transfer similar to sitting in traffic. The company is growing and so are the business partners. The file transfer must keep up with the increasing demands around volume, performance, reliability and security.

4. Tool to respond to security incidents

4 out of every 100 file transfer results in error exceptions or problems.  Security and compliance incidence in file transfers increased about 4% YOY. Do you have right tools to respond if your file transfer system interrupts during the peak data volumes? Does the file transfer system respond to events in real time? 65% of the Managed file transfer purchase has cited productivity as the primary reason to nod for the solution where MFT has tools to respond to events in real time and features like Encryption and anti-virus support are critical for managed file transfer system. Above all managed file transfer provide visibility of the file during transportation and rest to IT.