Is Automation Compromising Your Data Security?

In modern business environments, how secure is your automation process? Alarmingly, many companies are unknowingly exposing critical data due to inadequate Non-Human Identity (NHI) and Secrets Management practices. This emerging field is crucial to maintaining data integrity and has become a high-priority concern for many CISOs, IT professionals, and data management experts.

Understanding the serious implications that data breaches can have on any business underscores the need for robust NHI management. In a recent cybersecurity incident reported by The Augusta Chronicle, cybercriminals were found to have penetrated a software system through weak spots in non-human identities. This data breach made it distressingly clear that NHIs are a critical vulnerability point that must be secured.

Effective Management of NHI and Secrets

But what exactly is NHI, and how does it apply to automation security? Essentially, non-human identities are machine-generated identities used in cybersecurity, often playing a crucial role in automated systems. These identities are assigned ‘secrets’ – encrypted passwords, tokens, or keys – which serve as unique identifiers, similar to a passport.

One of the critical challenges of NHI and Secrets Management lies in adopting a holistic approach. This means addressing every stage of the NHI lifecycle – from discovery and classification to threat detection and remediation – rather than relying on point solutions like secret scanners. These scanners may offer limited protection but don’t provide the in-depth, context-aware security that effective NHI management platforms propose.

A comprehensive NHI management platform provides valuable insights into ownership, permissions, usage patterns, and potential vulnerabilities in the automation process. When it comes to data exposure management, it’s this context-aware security that can be the difference between a cyber-safe business and one vulnerable to breaches.

The Strategic Importance of NHI Management

The potential impact of mishandling automation security on business operations is significant. Not only could it lead to direct financial damage, but it may also cause loss of customer trust, reputational damage, and even legal implications. Hence, putting robust NHI and Secrets Management practices in place can have several benefits:

– It reduces the risk of security breaches and data leaks, thereby safeguarding sensitive information.
– It helps meet regulatory requirements, ensuring compliance through policy enforcement and audit trails.
– It increases efficiency by automating NHI and secrets management, freeing up security teams to focus on more strategic initiatives.
– It enhances visibility and control, offering a centralized view for access management and governance.
– It results in cost savings by automating secrets rotation and NHIs decommissioning.

Creating a Secure Automation Environment

Cybersecurity has become a cornerstone of successful business operations. As enterprises increasingly adopt automation and cloud environments, the crucial role of non-human identities in cybersecurity is becoming apparent. A report on Manufacturing Cybersecurity highlighted how NHIs play a vital role in protecting industrial operations from cyber threats.

Securing NHIs is not just about implementing innovative technologies; it’s about embedding security into everyday operations. This involves categorizing and classifying data, encrypting sensitive information, regularly monitoring and auditing access, and educating all users about the importance of cybersecurity.

In conclusion, understanding and managing non-human identities and secrets is an integral part of securing your automation process. As data management experts, our role is to provide oversight and guidance in this crucial domain. Our blog on IAST vs RASP and their blind spots in NHI management offers more insights on this aspect. As we keep learning and evolving, we continue to share our insights and expertise to create safer, more secure digital spaces.

Decoding Non-Human Identities (NHIs)

Why should we focus on these non-human identities? Essentially, they act as the agents acting on behalf of the system, carrying out critical operations within an automated workflow, much like a production line worker in an industrial factory. They’re responsible for handling sensitive corporate data and making crucial system modifications. Imagine if someone could infiltrate your production line and manipulate your workers unchecked, the chaos and vulnerability it would create. That’s what NHIs are in the realm of cybersecurity and automation, pivotal yet exposed if not properly managed.

NHIs exist in various forms ranging from software running on IoT devices, microservices, APIs to service accounts and more. Each NHI has a ‘secret’, a unique encrypted password, token, or key acting as a unique identifier like a passport. In a secure environment, these NHIs, or non-human workers, will have appropriate ‘visas’ attached to their ‘passports’, indicating their role, rank, and permissions within the cloud environment.

Threats Lurking in the Shadows

As per an alarming cybersecurity incident reported by Oklahoma Cybercommand, an inadequately managed NHI led to unfettered access to sensitive systems, compromising confidential data. Cybercriminals exploited unmonitored NHIs, akin to stealing an unguarded passport and freely travelling across borders, wreaking havoc in their wake. This report serves as a cautionary tale, emphasizing the need for robust NHI governance.

Imagine the consequences if a rogue NHI was given unfiltered access within an automated workflow. Unauthorized modifications, access to sensitive data, and manipulations become frighteningly possible. This underlines the absolute necessity to monitor, manage and secure NHIs and their Secrets meticulously.

Securing the Invisible Workforce

Bridging the gap between security and R&D teams usually revolves around creating a secure cloud environment. Besides continuous monitoring and strict access rules, security checks using automated solutions are crucial. Manual checks, while they serve as an added safety net, cannot compete with smart, programmed scanning capabilities of an automated system.

A cutting-edge NHI management solution offers an integrated platform that addresses the complete lifecycle of NHIs and their Secrets. Constant monitoring, risk detection and classification, removal of unused or redundant NHIs, and continuous threat detection are all neatly encapsulated within a single, customizable platform. Offering a holistic approach, NHI platforms offer context-aware security, embracing a broader view than the limitations of the usual secret scanners. They provide detailed insights into ownership, permissions, usage patterns, and potential vulnerabilities. This comprehensive knowledge of the system’s weak points empowers organizations to prepare a fortified defence against potential cyber threats.

Leading the Charge With NHI Management

As we become more reliant on cloud systems and autonomous applications, NHI management is no longer an option; it’s a necessity. Swipe left at the era of legacy systems, and invite the dawn of cloud computing with open arms, but with an in-built security shield.

Integrating a top-notch NHI management system offers a plethora of advantages. Risk is mitigated, fatalities are lessened, and a potential apocalypse of data breach or cyber-attack is successfully avoided! Not only does this translate to assured business continuity but reduces the overall expenditure linked to damage control after an attack.

Safeguarding Operation Continuity

Remember, an adequately protected automated system is a profitably operating one. Proper secrets management under NHI monitoring linguistic-glove helps maintain operation continuity. Ensuring constant compliance with policies, audit trails and enhanced visibility provides an additional layer of protection. Learn more about the intrinsic relation between NHI and SOC teams, and how they work in tandem to safeguard your data from potential threats from our blog. It’s always a challenge to keep up with the continual evolution of digital threats, but armed with the right knowledge, vigilance and robust NHI management, you are well geared to tackle them.

The future of cybersecurity is context-aware, holistic, and smart. Non-Human Identities, their Secrets, and their intricate management cascade into a formidable defence network for your automated systems, leaving no stone unturned in securing your digital landscape.

The post Is Your Automation Exposing Critical Data? appeared first on Entro.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from Entro authored by Amy Cohn. Read the original post at: https://entro.security/is-your-automation-exposing-critical-data/