Are Patch Management Failures Putting Your Company At Risk?

by Hannah Grace Holladay / February 14, 2023

Regular software updates and rigorous patch management processes are essential to maintaining security and compliance. Even the most careful proprietary and open source software development introduces bugs. Some of those bugs create security vulnerabilities, and cybercriminals are always looking for opportunities to infiltrate business IT resources and steal sensitive data.  A report from Arctic Wolf, a security operations vendor, shows the scale of the problem. Exposure of a known vulnerability…

What is a Web Application Firewall (WAF)?

by Hannah Grace Holladay / February 15, 2023

A web application firewall (WAF) sits between web applications and the internet. It monitors inbound traffic and filters malicious requests before they reach the potentially vulnerable application. This article explores WAFs, how they work, the most popular and effective examples, and why you should consider using a WAF to protect your site or app from cybercriminals. Does Your Web App Need a WAF? Sooner or later, every website, app, and…

How to Set Up AWS Systems Manager Maintenance Windows

by Hannah Grace Holladay / February 15, 2023

Information security regulations and standards often require businesses to perform regular maintenance tasks to ensure compliance. For example, PCI DSS Requirement 6 says merchants must deploy critical patches within a month of release. Failure to complete these tasks on time risks non-compliance.  Unfortunately, many security-related tasks are disruptive—updating a server operating system can take the server offline. Therefore, businesses prefer to carry out patching and other potentially disruptive activities during…

How to Get Started Using AWS Systems Manager and SSM Agent

by Hannah Grace Holladay / February 14, 2023

Everyday system management tasks can be time consuming and get in the way of the efficiency of your business operations.   These tasks include  OS and software patching, script execution, and service maintenance windows.  Failure to complete these tasks can lead to non-compliance with information security regulations and standards.  AWS Systems Manager is a cloud service that allows businesses to automate many everyday system management tasks.  Automating these tasks is…

5 Questions to Ask When Developing a Cybersecurity and Compliance Plan

by Hannah Grace Holladay / February 15, 2023

Last year, tens of billions of records were breached and tens of thousands of businesses suffered ransomware attacks. Every company operating in this dangerous environment should have a cybersecurity plan for keeping company and customer data safe—especially data within the scope of information security regulations and standards.   A cybersecurity plan outlines the policies and procedures a business considers essential to maintaining security and regulatory compliance. It is a written document…