Network Vulnerability Assessment And Their Benefits For Businesses

Cyber security threats are a major issue that can have a significant impact on Australia’s economy and prosperity. Some of the examples of cyber threats include:

· Data breach

· Denial of services

· Compromised systems

According to research studies, fifty-six percent of privately owned businesses reported that they had faced the issue of compromised systems.

Companies can prevent these issues by engaging in a practice known as Network vulnerability assessment. Here are some benefits of this practice:

Penetration Testing

Cyber security specialists engage in a practice known as penetration testing. This practice involves companies hiring professionals who hack the company’s security system.

The aim is to identify the weak spots in the system’s security. These tests also allow companies to identify the impact a specific attack can have on their systems.

Assessment Of Network Vulnerability  

Unlike penetration testing, vulnerability assessments involve multiple tests and are overall much more detailed and thorough.

After the analysts have assessed the network, they provide the company with a list of possible solutions that they can opt for in order to make sure that their sensitive data stays safe and secure.

Network vulnerability scans are preferable since they are much more thorough and take all changes made to the software into account as well. Unlike penetration tests, network assessments do not have an impact on the operations of the company either.

Network Assessment Helps You Stay Ahead Of Hackers

Hackers are always looking for loopholes in your system’s security. Even the slightest problem with the system can give them access to data.

With network assessment, companies can prevent this from happening. Frequent assessment allows companies to identify the flaw in the system and fix them before hackers get the opportunity to exploit those weaknesses.

Business Goes On As Usual

A cyber attack can seriously affect the operations of a business. They can also lead to heavy losses as well.

Even a penetration test can slow down the operations of the business. However, this is not the case with network assessments since there are no interruptions in the business.

Gives Clients Guarantee That Their Data Is Safe

A company’s clients require guarantees from the company that their data will always stay safe. Companies can ensure this through network vulnerability assessments. This also creates a positive perception of the company in the eyes of the customers.

Are you looking for a company that offers penetration -testing services and conducts network vulnerability assessments? Get in touch with us. Our team of experts can help protect your source code before it is too late.

You can visit our website for further information or contact us at +61-(0)-2-8231 6635.

Ensure That Your Cloud Systems Stay Safe and Secure Through Automation

When it comes to cloud based systems, the words ‘automation’ and ‘orchestration’ are synonymous.

The term automation refers to the identification of weak areas within the system, detect potential threats and make changes to the system automatically.

There are certain reasons automation of cloud systems is important. Some of these include:

It Helps Make Your Systems Safer

It is the job of a date security analyst to identify if there is any kind of flaw in your system’s security. Even a slightest problem in the system’s security can allow third parties to gain access to your data.

Data security specialists use automation in order to make sure that this does not happen by simulating an attack on your system. These attacks help provide an insight into the security measures that the company has implemented.

It helps determine the extent to which an external party can gain access to the company’s sensitive data. Software these days are regularly updated and there are always new patches available.

However, these patches can have an effect on the security of the system. Keeping this in mind, through automation security analysts can also conduct a patch simulation.

This way they can determine the vulnerabilities that might occur in the system due to the installation of the software patch.  

It Helps Ensure Compliance with Company Policies

A firm needs to make sure that it is not just compliant with the regulatory policies, but also with the policies that the company itself has established concerning security.

Through automation, the firm can make sure that the cloud-based system always stays compliant with its security policies in real time. It allows the responsible personnel to keep track of all the benchmarks that the company has set for itself.

It Allows Companies To Make Changes To The System

When it comes to cloud based systems, technology is rapidly changing. Cloud systems are regularly updated. This is where automation comes in.

Making changes to the system manually leaves room for error. There are certain companies, which rely completely on cloud-based systems. For such companies even the slightest mistake with the cloud system can prove to be catastrophic.  

In case of a problem with the cloud system, you will need the services of penetration testing provider. Get in touch with us. We can conduct a data assessment of your systems. Our team members are well aware of the latest trends in penetration testing services.

You can contact us at +61-(0)-2-8231-6635 or drop us an email at info@leansecurity.com.au

Streamlining Your Netwrok Security - The Need For Regular Vulnerability Assessment- Infographic

The need for regular vulnerability assessment is need for ever business online to provide network security against threats.

Cryptocurrency Mining Malware – 2018’s New Menace!

With digital currency slowly gaining popularity over the past 8 years, the biggest question that arises is, is it a safe investment to make? Cryptocurrency depends on cryptography for distribution and transferring.

The most famous cryptocurrency is Bitcoin, having been declared the ‘best performing currency’ in 2016, having beaten gold in performance.

But as cryptocurrency values increase on a daily basis, so do the security threats. With cyber criminals trying everything in their books to crack digital vaults and steal digital money, it makes one wonder if cryptocurrency mining malware is the new menace and ransomeware to be wary of.

 Recently, in February 2018, cyber criminals used the Australian Government’s website to hack into cryptocurrency accounts. The criminals used more than 4,000 websites to breach security and commit the crime.

What made the scenario worse is that the attackers could have used keylogger to save user login credentials and committed crimes by stealing their accounts and identity.

Ways to Stop Cryto-Mining

There are some ways you can stop crypto-mining and attackers from taking over your computer. Not only individuals, businesses also need to be aware since they are more likely to invest in digital money.

• Use the “No-Coin” Chrome Extension

It’s safe to assume that most businesses use Chrome for browsing. If you do, make sure to install the “no-coin” extension in Chrome

No Coin identifies the different ways websites interact with your browser and stops threats from penetrating through your browser’s security. It also identifies websites with hidden cryptocurrency mining applications.

• Block the Coin Mining Domains in Host Files

You will have to do this manually. You will need to block the coin mining domains in your host files, blocking their access to your browser. When your browser is unable to connect to these files, you will need to redirect the files to 0.0.0.0.

• Use AdBlock

You never know who’s trying to mine your browser and host files. Therefore, use an ad blocker like AdBlock to prevent external threats from taking over your browser’s connection.

If you see those strange click-bait ads pop up often, they are full of malware and crypto-mining applications.

It’s important to keep your organisation safe from such threats. Lean Security helps keep your systems safe, by ensuring that your website & web application security and systems are free of security loopholes!

Feel free to get in touch with us learn more!

Secure Code Review – The Best Practices

Nearly two years ago, a hosting provider deleted his entire company because of a small mistake. The mistake, you ask? A single destructive line of code.

For weeks, you’ve been working on the development of your application, integrating security features where necessary. You are nearing your final deployment date, and you feel that your app is ready to go.

Think again. You might be missing a crucial step in making sure that your app does what you meant for it to do—a secure code review.

Locked and Coded

Simply put, a secure code review is the process to identify and rectify any potential and definite security vulnerabilities in the code, particularly that written at the end-stage of the application life cycle. It serves as a final check of sorts; you need to make sure that all features of your code are functional and devoid of any security flaws.

Here are a few secure code best practice tips to find and overcome any constraints in your app.

¥ Make sure the coding team follows one review checklist

Errors occur when inconsistency exists in a team working on the same application—including project managers, designers, developers and reviewers. It is also important that the entire team participates in creative meetings, and developer and reviewers collaborate to avoid neglecting secure coding practices.

¥ Refrain from pointing fingers at the development team

It’s not uncommon for reviewers to initiate a blame game, singling out developers and breathing down their necks for making the mistakes. This attitude only creates communication barriers between the developers and security reviewers, and ends up affecting the app’s performance.

If a developer is making mistakes, introduce a security education program to minimise risk of code errors in an effective manner. Facilitate their security training in a practical way and work to promote a healthy relationship within the team.

¥ Review code at each significant change

Gone are the days when the only SDLC (software development life cycle) style followed was the waterfall style. A spiral, iterative SDLC is the modern app development team’s ideal working process. After each meaningful change in the code, re-review its security.

It takes one line of code to change the functionality of the entire program. Minimise wasted time and risk of losses by reviewing the app in chunks.

¥ Combine manual and machine code reviews

Automated review tools are pretty awesome, and save time and effort. However, even in this day and age of highly-advanced tech, there’s nothing quite as capable of detecting issues with the logical aspect of the code as the human brain.

That said, the best way to approach secure code review is combining manual review and technological analysis. Utilise your review team’s expertise to test the complex, valuable segments of the application code, and leave the rest to automated tools.

To make sure your application app’s security is completely insusceptible to vulnerabilities, go for professional web application testing services. We offer top-notch vulnerability scanning service for web and mobile applications.

Reach out to us to us learn more!