Year: 2014

The year 2014 has been dubbed “The Year of the Cyberattacks” before it even reached the halfway point, with aftershocks fromHeartbleed still being felt weeks later. But did you know that attacks and bugs like Heartbleed are often 100 percent preventable? Simply put, best IT practices can create red flags before damage can be done. But, when humans are involved, laziness and shortcuts can lead to missed security steps. Technology, of course, is programmed and designed by humans, so the possibility forhuman error in technology is everywhere.

And it is not just human fault here, but also the technology. This is a two-pronged fork. According to security expert Richard Kenner, programs should never read from the same place in memory where they were written. That is security safety 101, but that is exactly what happened with Heartbleed. It has already been estimated that millions of dollars are being paid out by enterprises affected by Heartbleed, but what lessons can be learned from this?

Technology: Not as cutting edge as you think
Kenner points out that the programming language involved in Heartbleed is more than 40 years old; and even though new languages have been developed (and are arguably safer), that doesn’t mean they have been adopted. In addition to keeping up with languages and improving upon them, best practices simply were not followed in order to stop Heartbleed. There is technology available that ensures programs meet key properties (like that pesky reading from memory writing issue), but most companies fail to utilize it.

“The program that contained the Heartbleed bug did exactly that and an attempt to prove that it didn’t would have quickly found the bug, as would the use of certain tools that also detect this type of error,” says Kenner.

There are also other best practices, such as ensuring that security services do not transmit private information like passwords, usernames or identifiers. That sounds like a given, but it is (unfortunately) common practice.

Moving forward
Lessons to be learned from Heartbleed include: Creating safer passwords, changing them regularly and only using one password per web site. Additionally, web sites need to make better use of one-time passwords, which can be annoying but can prevent information from being hacked.

I advise using client certificates, even if they are a bother to acquire, because they are proof that you really are who you say you are. Many of these precautions can take a little extra time, and time is notoriously what many professionals do not have.

Perhaps the biggest flaw that led to the Heartbleed outbreak is that only a small handful of executives, far from experts in technology and security, were put in charge. They had full plates, they did not understand what was at stake, and they too easily put this task on the back burner.

When a small group of people assumes someone else is taking care of things that open up a world of vulnerability. It all comes back to proper management at every level and better communication between IT and the rest of the staff to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Larry Alton
Business consultant

[Source: ISACA]

Data breaches and cyberattacks are becoming more and more common, causing many organizations to increase their spending on cybersecurity. But even with an increased security budget, cyberattacks continue to put important business systems at risk. To help overcome this problem, US President Obama issued Executive Order (EO) 13636, Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity, calling for the creation of a voluntary, risk-based framework for improving cybersecurity. In response to the EO, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) led the development of the Cybersecurity Framework (CSF). Input from industry, such as owners and operators of critical infrastructure, was a significant part of the development. Many organizations recommended ISACA’s COBIT as a good example of a cross-sector security framework and guideline that is technology neutral and addresses cyber risks. Since its release, organizations have been able to use the CSF to help them implement security measures. The new ISACA guide on Implementing the NIST Cybersecurity Framework helps organizations in this process by describing how to use existing ISACA methods to effectively implement the CSF.

As a participant in the development of the CSF, ISACA helped incorporate key principles from the COBIT framework. Since these COBIT principles are embedded in the Cybersecurity Framework, organizations can use COBIT processes to seamlessly and effectively implement the CSF. Though the CSF does not recommend specific methods to meet the intended objectives, the ISACA guide acts as an extension to the CSF, providing recommended methods for applying CSF concepts. Specifically, the ISACA guide aligns to each CSF step, and provides organizations with COBIT activities and processes that can be used when implementing the CSF. Additionally, ISACA provides a toolkit containing templates for planning, assessing and recording CSF activities. Because the COBIT processes suggested in the ISACA guide have been proven through years of ISACA success, this approach provides organizations with an effective, measurable way to implement the CSF, and improve their cybersecurity program.

As directed by the EO, the CSF provides a prioritized, flexible and cost-effective approach to address cybersecurity. Applying that framework using proven ISACA methods will help you enable your enterprise to achieve effective governance and management, which benefits its stakeholders.

Kristen LeClere
Security Engineer, G2 Inc.

[Source: ISACA]

PCI DSS version 3 is an improved ballast for addressing the protection of cardholder data. Version 3 deltas from previous versions focus on providing a stronger understanding and clarity of the intent and application of PCI DSS test procedures and on driving more report consistency among PCI QSAs. They also provide flexibility to merchants and service providers in the implementation and assessment of the PCI Data Security Standard. Clearly these are noble and much needed revisions; however, a pragmatic look to PCI DSS v3.0 might help us better see its application.

PCI DSS changes in version 3 focus on five major areas:

• Penetration testing
• Inventory of system components
• Service providers
• Evolving malware threats
• Physical access and point of sale

Penetration Testing
Currently, there is no universally accepted industry standard for penetration studies. Although required by PCI DSS v3.0, the quality, approach and reporting of the pen tests are subjectively reviewed by the QSA and entity being assessed. Despite this, PCI DSS v3.0 requires the development and implementation of a pen test methodology.

• 11.3 – Clarifies requirements for annual internal and external network penetrations tests, and application-layer penetration tests.
• 11.3 – New requirement to develop and implement a methodology for penetration testing. Effective July 1, 2015. PCI DSS v2.0 requirements for penetration testing must be followed until then. This means a penetration test of the CDE must include the analysis of card data flow in electronic form on any system within the CDE and any connected systems.
• 11.3.4 – New requirement, if segmentation is used to isolate the CDE from other networks, penetration tests are to verify that the segmentation methods are operational and effective. This is an interesting one since typically, pen testers have a modicum of knowledge of the environment pen tested. To test segmentation, they now need to know more.

Inventory Systems Components
PCI DSS has always required that entities maintain an inventory of their equipment, software, applications, databases, URL sites, input devices and PAN data storage locations. However, v3.0 is now asking for additional information.

• 11.1.1 – Maintain an inventory of authorized wireless access points including a documented business justification.
• 12.3.3 – Verify that the usage policies define a list of all devices and personnel authorized to use the devices.

Service Providers
In addition to maintaining a list and agreement from service providers to comply with PCI DSS in handling entity cardholder data, version 3 is asking that entities provide proof of compliance and a process to monitor (at least annually) compliance, such as the service provider’s Attestation of Compliance (AOC). This includes maintaining information (12.8.5) about which PCI DSS requirements are managed by each service provider, and which are managed by the entity. Effective July 1, 2015, service providers will be required (12.9) to acknowledge in writing to customers that they are responsible for the security of cardholder data the service provider possesses or otherwise stores, processes, or transmits on behalf of the customer, or to the extent that they could impact the security of the customer’s cardholder data environment.

Evolving Malware Threats
Version 3 now states that entities must evaluate evolving malware threats for systems not commonly affected by malware (5.1.2). This includes mainframes (z/OS), mid-range computers (such as iSeries, Tandem, etc.) and similar systems that may not currently be commonly targeted or affected by malware. The mainframe and mid-range computing environments have long since and continue to be a critical PCI DSS cardholder environment (CDE). Unfortunately, QSAs that truly understand z\OS, virtual storage protection, RACF\ACF2\TopSecret internals are few in number. Threats to CDE and CHD in these environments are much more expansive than malware but a good start.

Physical Access and Point of Sale
Physical access controls of in-scope office locations, data centers, storage sites and retail store locations are standard in PCI DSS assessments. Version 3 is now requiring that entities protect (9.9) devices that capture payment card data via direct physical interaction with the card from tampering and substitution. This new requirement will be a challenge at retail stores, onsite merchant locations, gas stations, etc. Corporate offices will be easier to handle but where there is no badge access, changing door locks whenever an employee terminates might be an expensive proposition.

Maintaining an up-to-date list of devices (9.9.1) by make, model, location and serial number sounds reasonable. However, effective 1 July 2015, this new requirement to protect point-of-sale devices (9.9.2) will require periodic inspection of device surfaces to detect tampering (for example, addition of card skimmers to devices), or substitution (for example, by checking the serial number or other device characteristics to verify it has not been swapped with a fraudulent device). Admittedly this is a great idea, but we need to understand that now retail personnel, typically hourly employees, will need to be trained on how to detect device tampering.

Summary
This past year has taught us a major lesson. Malware infections, state sponsored attacks, APT, including the not-so-talked-about internal frauds, will continue to happen with increased frequency, many of which could be avoided with prudent deployment of controls. Admittedly, PCI DSS will not prevent such occurrences, but if properly deployed is an effective mitigant that seemingly improves with every version.

Blog size limitations preclude further comment on noteworthy version 3 changes, but overall they appear to provide for better CHD protection. The five major changes listed here are to raise awareness and possibly postulate on the preparatory work needed for version 3 compliance. There are clearly some challenges that will arise, but none that would prevent us from formulating proper remediation and compliance.

Miguel (Mike) O. Villegas, CISA, CISSP, CEH, GSEC, PCI-QSA, PA-QSA, ASV
Vice President, K3DES LLC

[Source: ISACA]

Improvements in security education, budgets, tools, and methods will help our industry avoid more costly and dangerous attacks and data breaches in the future.

The bad guys are winning. Numerous companies have been in the news recently because they failed to rebuff information security attacks. Target lost its customers’ credit and debit card data. Adobe lost its customers’ credit card information, along with IDs and passwords. EBay lost its customers’ personal information, including email addresses and physical addresses.

These breaches have caused disquiet in the minds of consumers and cost the companies themselves millions of dollars’ worth of bad publicity and damage to their brands, not to mention the costs of mitigation and restoration. And the breaches we know about could just be a fraction of the incidents. Companies have to disclose breaches of consumer data, but not the theft of their own internal information.

As long as there is valuable personal information at risk, hackers will try to access it, whether the goal is the immediate use of stolen financial data, the long con of identity theft, or just causing pain to companies and their consumers.

Unfortunately, there is a growing skills gap between those out to do harm and the average defender. Until the information security workforce catches up, we will continue to see the increasing success of sophisticated attacks. However, there are important steps the information security industry can take to slow and even reverse this trend. Here are four key areas to get you started:

Everything starts and ends with education
Education and research need to be improved at the college and university level to improve the skills of future information security professionals and to grow the number of individuals qualified to enter the workforce. Once those security professionals — the front line against malicious attacks — have been hired, employers need to invest in their continuing education and training in order to stay ahead of ever-changing security threats. Only such educated individuals will be able to predict the next wave of vulnerabilities and attacks, and design ways to combat them before they develop into a crisis.

Be smart about spending
It is crucial to make the most of our limited security budgets. With more and more critical data touching the Internet, increasingly well-funded cyber criminals have their choice of targets. High-profile companies are always going to be attacked, but small-and medium-sized businesses are now being targeted as low-hanging fruit. Though the rewards might be smaller, there’s a high probability of success and a low probability of being caught.

As an industry, we need to focus whatever security budget is available on the most likely threats. Though all companies must be aware of common threats like APTs and DDoS attacks, one of the biggest threats to us all is the under-educated employee. Whether it’s an executive who falls prey to social engineering or an IT guru who chooses not to use the best network configuration techniques, we often open ourselves up to preventable attacks.

Involve application developers
Increased security has a reputation for hindering an application’s usability, and as time and budget constraints work against the developers, security requirements get squeezed out of software development. There is a massive difference in building a computer application and building a secure computer application, though. Despite the immediate price tag, building security into an application up front is rarely more expensive than trying to make adjustments once the application is built, or cleaning up the mess once a vulnerability is exploited.

Get management to buy in
Even when the security pros are aware of what needs to be done, they can have trouble convincing management to allocate the resources to do it. We need to improve our ability to make a business case for better tools and better training. If you can’t talk “dollars and sense” to your CFO or budget analyst and navigate office politics, you won’t get anywhere. Part of improving education is improving a security professional’s awareness of not just the theoretical importance of security, but security’s return on investment. When you can show executives specifically how security can save the business money, or even save their jobs, you are now speaking their language.

The very public breaches of the past year have caused a lot of damage to companies and individuals, but perhaps they have been a blessing in disguise. If these cyberattacks serve as a wake-up call to the security industry and the businesses we support, precipitating an improvement in our education, budgets, tools, and methods, then we may be able to avoid even costlier and more dangerous breaches down the road. Lost passwords and credit card data will be the least of our concerns if cyberattacks become the weapon of choice in nation-state attacks or ultimately damage the country’s critical infrastructure.

W. Hord Tipton, CISSP-ISSEP, CAP, CISA, CNSS, is currently the executive director for (ISC)2, the not-for-profit global leader in information security education and certification. Tipton previously served as chief information officer for the U.S. Department of the Interior for over five years. Mr. Tipton can be reached athord.tipton@isc2.org.

[Source: DarkReading]