Security operations and management
Cybersecurity operations and management are vital to protect enterprises against cyber threats. Learn how to create and manage infosec programs and SOCs, perform incident response and automate security processes. Also read up on security laws and regulations, best practices for CISOs and more.
Top Stories
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Video
30 Jun 2025
Ransomware: Examples, prevention and mitigating the damage
Top cybersecurity experts gathered to discuss the latest threats from ransomware and how organizations, large and small, can prevent or, at least, mitigate an attack. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jun 2025
10 cybersecurity best practices for organizations in 2025
To improve your organization's cybersecurity program, follow these best practices to safeguard your infrastructure and ensure a quick recovery after a breach. Continue Reading
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Video
30 Jun 2025
Ransomware: Examples, prevention and mitigating the damage
Top cybersecurity experts gathered to discuss the latest threats from ransomware and how organizations, large and small, can prevent or, at least, mitigate an attack. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jun 2025
How CISOs can manage and reduce compliance fatigue
Compliance fatigue can undermine security when poorly managed. CISOs can combat it by starting conversations, automating processes and using compliance to drive security initiatives. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jun 2025
What is attack surface management? Guide for organizations
Attack surface management can help CISOs and other cybersecurity managers address the growth in the number of potential entry points threat actors might exploit. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jun 2025
10 cybersecurity best practices for organizations in 2025
To improve your organization's cybersecurity program, follow these best practices to safeguard your infrastructure and ensure a quick recovery after a breach. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jun 2025
Cybersecurity outsourcing: Strategies, benefits and risks
For companies battling data breaches and cyberattacks, MSSPs can offer lower costs, better reliability, broader experience and more -- if organizations define their needs well. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 Jun 2025
Cybersecurity career path: A strategic guide for professionals
There's no single path for everyone, but knowing what employers look for and following these best practices can help you move up the cybersecurity career ladder. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Jun 2025
Enterprise cybersecurity: A strategic guide for CISOs
CISOs and others responsible for safeguarding an organization's systems, networks and data need to manage day-to-day threats while also planning strategically for what's ahead. Continue Reading
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Definition
30 Jun 2025
What is vulnerability management? Definition, process and strategy
Vulnerability management is the process of identifying, assessing, remediating and mitigating security vulnerabilities in software and computer systems. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Jun 2025
Why effective cybersecurity is important for businesses
Cyberattacks can have serious financial and business consequences for companies, which makes implementing strong cybersecurity protections a critical step. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jun 2025
Cybersecurity in M&A due diligence: Best practices for executives
Companies wouldn't think of merging with another organization without performing financial or business due diligence. The same is true of cybersecurity. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jun 2025
SBOM formats explained: Guide for enterprises
SBOMs inventory software components to help enhance security by tracking vulnerabilities. Teams have three standard SBOM formats to choose from: CycloneDX, SPDX and SWID tags. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jun 2025
How to build a cybersecurity RFP
Crafting a cybersecurity RFP requires clear goals, precise questions and vendor vetting. Follow these guidelines to streamline the process and meet your company's security needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jun 2025
Cybersecurity budget justification: A guide for CISOs
The best way to get a security budget request denied? Present it like a jargon-filled shopping list. Instead, make the case by tying security spending to business outcomes. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jun 2025
Cybersecurity skills gap: Why it exists and how to address it
The cybersecurity skills shortage is putting enterprises at risk. Worse, it shows no sign of abating. Here is why it's happening and what employers can do to mitigate the problem. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Jun 2025
Cyber insurance trends 2025: What executives need to know
Cyber insurance is essential for protecting an organization from the financial impact of a cyberattack and is a critical part of a risk management strategy. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Jun 2025
10 key cybersecurity metrics and KPIs your board wants tracked
Security leaders need cybersecurity metrics to track their programs and inform decision-makers. These 10 metrics and KPIs provide a good foundation for tracking essential activity. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jun 2025
Ransomware threat actors today and how to thwart them
Top experts convened on BrightTALK's 'CISO Insights' to discuss 'Ransomware 3.0' -- the current threat and what organizations, large and small, must do to thwart these bad actors. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jun 2025
6 edge monitoring best practices in the cloud
When it comes to application monitoring, edge workloads are outliers -- literally and metaphorically. Learn what sets them apart and how to implement monitoring best practices. Continue Reading
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Definition
25 Jun 2025
What is CCTV (closed-circuit television)?
CCTV (closed-circuit television) is a video surveillance system in which signals are transmitted to a specific set of monitors and are not publicly broadcast. It is primarily used for security and monitoring. Continue Reading
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Tip
25 Jun 2025
10 remote work cybersecurity risks and how to prevent them
Larger attack surfaces, limited oversight of data use, AI-driven attacks and vulnerable enterprise technologies are among the security risks faced in remote work environments. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Jun 2025
CISO burnout: How to balance leadership, pressure and sanity
With CISO burnout comes increasing cyber incidents and costly leadership turnover. Organizations must invest in support to prevent this growing security risk. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Jun 2025
Cybersecurity governance: A guide for businesses to follow
Cybersecurity governance is now critical, with NIST CSF 2.0 recently adding it as a dedicated function. Learn why governance is core to an effective cyber strategy. Continue Reading
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Definition
24 Jun 2025
What is risk avoidance?
Risk avoidance is the elimination of hazards, activities and exposures that can negatively affect an organization and its assets. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Jun 2025
22 free cybersecurity tools you should know about
Cybersecurity products can get pricy, but there are many excellent open source tools to help secure your systems and data. Here's a list of some of the most popular. Continue Reading
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Definition
23 Jun 2025
What is pure risk?
Pure risk refers to risks that are beyond human control and result in a loss or no loss, with no possibility of financial gain. Continue Reading
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Definition
23 Jun 2025
What is residual risk? How is it different from inherent risk?
Residual risk is the risk that remains after efforts to identify and eliminate some or all types of risk have been made. Continue Reading
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Tip
23 Jun 2025
How to choose a cybersecurity vendor: 12 key criteria
Choosing a cybersecurity vendor entails a two-phase approach: shortlisting vendors using clear requirements, then conducting thorough evaluations based on key criteria. Here's how. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Jun 2025
What executives must know about nation-state threat actors
Nation-state threat actors like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are targeting critical infrastructure and sensitive data, so executives must prepare to defend against them. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Jun 2025
CISO's guide to implementing a cybersecurity maturity model
CISOs must both meet today's challenges and anticipate tomorrow's -- no easy feat. Cybersecurity maturity models help strategically navigate evolving threats, regulations and tech. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Jun 2025
Shadow AI: How CISOs can regain control in 2025 and beyond
Shadow AI threatens enterprises as employees increasingly use unauthorized AI tools. Discover the risks, governance strategies, and outlook for managing AI in today's workplace. Continue Reading
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News
13 Jun 2025
News brief: Gartner Security and Risk Management Summit recap
Check out the latest security news from the Informa TechTarget team. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Jun 2025
What is cyber risk quantification (CRQ)? How to get it right
Cyber risk quantification translates security threats into financial terms, so executives can prioritize risks, justify investments and allocate resources to protect the business. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Jun 2025
CISO's guide to building a strong cyber-resilience strategy
Cyber-resilience strategies that integrate BCDR, incident response and cybersecurity enable CISOs to build frameworks that help their organizations effectively handle cyberattacks. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Jun 2025
What a smart contract audit is, and how to conduct one
Smart contracts ensure the integrity of transactions, such as those that initiate key services. A smart contract audit is one way to ensure the programs work as designed. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Jun 2025
Cybersecurity risk management: Best practices and frameworks
This proactive approach protects business operations, ensures compliance and preserves reputation through comprehensive security practices. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Jun 2025
How to craft an effective AI security policy for enterprises
Enterprises unable to manage AI risks face data breaches, algorithmic bias and adversarial attacks, among other risks. Learn how to implement a comprehensive AI security policy. Continue Reading
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Tip
11 Jun 2025
Should cybersecurity be part of your digital transformation strategy?
Digital transformation offers companies some tantalizing possibilities. But new technologies usher in new vulnerabilities. Cybersecurity needs to play a key role. Continue Reading
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Definition
11 Jun 2025
What is ransomware as a service (RaaS)?
Ransomware as a service (RaaS) is a subscription-based business model that enables threat actors, also called affiliates, to launch ransomware attacks by accessing and using predeveloped ransomware tools. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
10 Jun 2025
How to implement effective app and API security controls
Security leaders must implement multilayered strategies combining threat modeling, balanced controls, cloud-first approaches and more to protect apps and APIs from evolving threats. Continue Reading
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News
06 Jun 2025
News brief: CISA and partners face budget overhauls, cuts
Check out the latest security news from the Informa TechTarget team. Continue Reading
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News
03 Jun 2025
HashiCorp Terraform leads IBM, Red Hat integration roadmap
HashiCorp and IBM have begun to knit together products such as Terraform and Ansible and divulged some roadmap details, but a few potential product overlaps are still unresolved. Continue Reading
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Tip
02 Jun 2025
The DOGE effect on cybersecurity: Efficiency vs. risk
The DOGE effect on security is a complex issue. Pursuit of efficiency might be a legitimate goal, but experts caution it can conflict with cybersecurity defenses. Continue Reading
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Video
02 Jun 2025
The DOGE effect on cyber: What's happened and what's next?
In this webinar, part of 'CISO Insights' series, cybersecurity experts debate the pros and cons of the Department of Government Efficiency's actions and the impact on their field. Continue Reading
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News
21 May 2025
Red Hat, HashiCorp reveal Ansible, Terraform and Vault plans
Red Hat Ansible and HashiCorp reps filled in the blanks about how infrastructure automation tools will more deeply integrate, news welcomed by financial services customers. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 May 2025
Best practices for board-level cybersecurity oversight
Corporate boards must play an increasingly active role in overseeing cybersecurity strategies. Here's what they need to know, from SEC disclosure requirements to best practices. Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2025
RSAC 2025: AI everywhere, trust nowhere
We're at an inflection point. AI is changing the game, but the rules haven't caught up. Continue Reading
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Conference Coverage
16 May 2025
RSAC Conference 2025
Follow SearchSecurity's RSAC 2025 guide for insightful pre-conference insights and reports on notable presentations and breaking news at the world's biggest infosec event. Continue Reading
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Definition
16 May 2025
What is risk appetite?
Risk appetite is the amount of risk an organization or investor is willing to take in pursuit of objectives it deems have value. Continue Reading
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News
13 May 2025
Building effective security programs requires strategy, patience and clear vision
Capital One executives share insights on how organizations should design their security programs, implement passwordless technologies, and reduce their attack surface. Continue Reading
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News
13 May 2025
Cyber then & now: Inside a 2-decade industry evolution
On Dark Reading's 19-year anniversary, Editor-in-Chief Kelly Jackson Higgins stops by Informa TechTarget's RSAC 2025 Broadcast Alley studio to discuss how things have changed since the early days of breaking Windows and browsers, lingering challenges, and what's next beyond AI. Continue Reading
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Definition
09 May 2025
What is a security operations center (SOC)?
A security operations center (SOC) is a command center facility in which a team of information technology (IT) professionals with expertise in information security (infosec) monitors, analyzes and protects an organization from cyberattacks. Continue Reading
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News
06 May 2025
AI domination: RSAC 2025 social media roundup
Documented in a series of social media posts, cybersecurity experts shared with Dark Reading their insights on RSAC 2025 throughout the week. Continue Reading
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News
02 May 2025
IBM uses agentic AI for autonomous security operations: RSAC 2025
The launch of IBM’s Autonomous Threat Operations Machine and X-Force Predictive Threat Intelligence agent were announced at the event. Continue Reading
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News
02 May 2025
SANS top 5: Cyber has busted out of the SOC
This year's top cyber challenges include cloud authorization sprawl, ICS cyberattacks and ransomware, a lack of cloud logging and regulatory constraints keeping defenders from fully utilizing AI's capabilities. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 May 2025
RSAC 2025: The time for crypto-agility adoption is now
An RSAC 2025 speaker explained why companies should begin their quantum-safe journey now and how crypto-agility adoption helps prepare for post-quantum cryptography. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Apr 2025
RSAC Conference 2025 video reports
We chatted on camera with attendees and presenters at RSAC 2025. Check out this video collection to get highlights from one of the world's major cybersecurity conferences. Continue Reading
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News
29 Apr 2025
RSAC 2025: Cisco debuts latest AI cybersecurity innovations
In terms of innovation, Cisco says it's 'just getting warmed up.' Continue Reading
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News
29 Apr 2025
U.S. critical infrastructure still struggles with OT security
How does a company defend itself from cyberattacks by a foreign adversary? A collection of experts gathered at this year's RSAC Conference to explain how the U.S. can help. Continue Reading
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News
28 Apr 2025
Cisco AI Defense embeds with ServiceNow SecOps tools
Cisco AI Defense will feed in data and automate AI governance in ServiceNow SecOps products as enterprises seek a platform approach to cybersecurity. Continue Reading
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News
28 Apr 2025
Cisco, former Google, Meta experts train cybersecurity LLM
Cisco's new Foundation AI group, which includes engineers from multiple companies, has released a compact AI reasoning model based on Llama 3 for cybersecurity to open source. Continue Reading
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Opinion
25 Apr 2025
RSAC 2025 to center on agentic AI, GenAI in security
If AI continues to become more accurate and secure, automation and self-healing systems that strengthen security programs could be the future. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Apr 2025
How to incorporate smishing into security awareness training
Smishing is a major threat on enterprise smartphones, but users might not know how it compares to traditional email phishing. IT can help block attacks with training and testing. Continue Reading
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Definition
23 Apr 2025
What is ransomware? Definition and complete guide
Ransomware is malware that locks and encrypts a victim's data, files, devices or systems, rendering them inaccessible and unusable until the attacker receives a ransom payment. Continue Reading
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Opinion
22 Apr 2025
3 EUC security topics I'll be looking for at RSAC 2025
There will be a ton of security topics that RSA Conference-goers can check out, but IT admins should be aware of three common themes surrounding email and endpoints. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Apr 2025
How to create a CBOM for quantum readiness
Quantum is on the horizon -- is your organization ready to migrate to post-quantum cryptographic algorithms? Make a CBOM to understand where risky encryption algorithms are used. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Apr 2025
Building mobile security awareness training for end users
Do concerns of malware, social engineering and unpatched software on employee mobile devices have you up at night? One good place to start is mobile security awareness training. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Apr 2025
Tips to find cyber insurance coverage in 2025
Most businesses have a form of cyber insurance, either through cyber liability and data breach endorsements in traditional business policies or through standalone cyber policies. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Apr 2025
How to conduct ransomware awareness training for employees
As your organization's first line of defense, hold regular employee training on how to prevent, detect and respond to ransomware attacks. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
14 Apr 2025
How to create custom sudo configuration files in /etc/sudoers
Sudo offers administrators a lot of flexibility. Creating custom sudo configurations can go a long way toward easing management and service upgrade challenges. Continue Reading
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Tip
08 Apr 2025
Ransomware payments: Considerations before paying
To pay or not to pay -- that's the question after a ransomware attack. Law enforcement recommends against it, but that doesn't stop some companies from paying up. Continue Reading
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Definition
08 Apr 2025
What is a side-channel attack?
A side-channel attack is a cybersecurity exploit that aims to gather information from or influence a system's program execution. It does this by measuring or exploiting indirect effects of the system or its hardware rather than directly targeting the program or its code. Continue Reading
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Video
07 Apr 2025
An explanation of cybercrime
Cybercrime refers to criminal activity that uses a computer, networked device or network. Its many forms, from extortion to identity theft, can cause real damage to organizations. Continue Reading
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News
07 Apr 2025
RSAC unveils keynote speaker slate for RSAC 2025 Conference
RSAC, the company behind the world's largest and most influential cybersecurity conference, today announced its current lineup of keynote speakers for its upcoming RSAC 2025 Conference, taking place at the Moscone Center in San Francisco from April 28 – May 1. Continue Reading
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News
04 Apr 2025
Trends at the 2024 RSAC startup competition
Startups at Innovation Sandbox 2024 brought clarity to artificial intelligence, protecting data from AI and accomplishing novel security solutions with new models. Continue Reading
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News
04 Apr 2025
RSAC Conference 2025 Innovation Sandbox contest celebrates 20th anniversary
Starting in 2025, the RSAC Innovation Sandbox Top 10 Finalists will each receive a $5 million investment to drive cybersecurity innovation. Continue Reading
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Opinion
31 Mar 2025
Security could be the use case AI PCs need
AI PCs have struggled to find a perfect use case, but the need for stronger security systems on local desktops, along with agentic AI might end that struggle. Continue Reading
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Opinion
26 Mar 2025
Making a case for the cybersecurity data fabric
When it comes to data, context is everything. Learn how a cybersecurity data fabric can supercharge a security team's ability to see the big picture. Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Mar 2025
10 biggest data breaches in history, and how to prevent them
Did you know the biggest data breach in history exposed a whopping 3 billion user records? Don't make the same mistakes these companies did in the largest data breaches in history. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Mar 2025
How to build an application security program
A well-defined application security program that includes multilayer software testing, SBOMs, and documentation and standards is vital to protect apps from threat actors. Continue Reading
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Definition
11 Mar 2025
What is a copyright?
Copyright is a legal term describing ownership or control of the rights to use and distribute certain works of creative expression, including books, video, motion pictures, musical compositions and computer programs. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Mar 2025
SEC cybersecurity disclosure rules, with checklist
Public companies must regularly share information about their cybersecurity practices and disclose details of material cyberincidents. Learn how to comply. Continue Reading
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Tip
07 Mar 2025
Top 14 open source penetration testing tools
From Aircrack-ng to ZAP, these open source penetration testing tools are essential additions to any security pro's toolbox. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Mar 2025
How to create a data security policy, with template
When it comes to data security, the devil is in the details. One critical detail organizations shouldn't overlook is a succinct yet detailed data security policy. Continue Reading
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Tip
04 Mar 2025
Types of DNS servers and how they work, plus security threats
DNS security is a critical component of system administration. Learn about five types of DNS servers, what each does and the security threats each server faces. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Feb 2025
What is a watering hole attack?
A watering hole attack is a security exploit in which the attacker seeks to compromise a specific group of end users by infecting websites that members of the group are known to visit. Continue Reading
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Definition
28 Feb 2025
What is the NSA and how does it work?
The National Security Agency (NSA) is a federal government surveillance and intelligence agency that's part of the U.S. Department of Defense and is managed under the authority of the director of national intelligence (DNI). Continue Reading
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News
27 Feb 2025
CrowdStrike: China hacking has reached 'inflection point'
In its 2025 Global Threat Report, CrowdStrike observed an increase in China's cyber capabilities, with a focus on espionage and 'pre-positioning' itself in critical environments. Continue Reading
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Opinion
24 Feb 2025
Security, cost attention mark new era of storage modernization
According to recent research, enterprises are prioritizing cybersecurity and cost management. Storage vendors such as NetApp are making these elements a focal point of products. Continue Reading
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Definition
21 Feb 2025
What is application allowlisting?
Application allowlisting, previously known as 'application whitelisting,' is the practice of specifying an index of approved software applications or executable files that are permitted to be present and active on a computer system. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Feb 2025
9 tips for migrating between managed SOC providers
Switching between managed SOCs can be daunting, but with proper planning, organizations can successfully navigate it. One important tip: Document everything. Continue Reading
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Definition
19 Feb 2025
What is challenge-response authentication?
In computer security, challenge-response authentication is a set of protocols used to protect digital assets and services from unauthorized users, programs and activities. Continue Reading
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Definition
11 Feb 2025
What is information security management system (ISMS)?
An information security management system (ISMS) is a set of policies and procedures for systematically managing an organization's sensitive data. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
11 Feb 2025
How to use pfSense: Use cases and initial configurations
Open source firewall and routing software pfSense offers a compelling mix of capabilities that can work for organizations large and small. Continue Reading
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Definition
10 Feb 2025
What is ISO 27001?
ISO 27001, formally known as ISO/IEC 27001:2022, is an information security standard jointly created by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Continue Reading
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Definition
07 Feb 2025
What is physical security and how does it work?
Physical security protects personnel, hardware, software, networks, facilities and data from physical actions and events that could cause serious loss or damage to an enterprise, agency or institution. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Feb 2025
How to build an effective purple team playbook
Enterprises across a wide variety of vertical industries can benefit from purple team exercises that harness red and blue teams toward a common goal: reducing vulnerabilities. Continue Reading
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News
29 Jan 2025
CISO enlists agentic AI reinforcements for SecOps
AI agents are already in the hands of adversaries. One aerospace CISO has begun to use them to augment his SecOps staff and even the score. Continue Reading
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News
28 Jan 2025
DeepSeek claims 'malicious attacks' disrupting AI service
DeepSeek, which gained popularity recently for its AI platform, did not specify the cause of 'large-scale malicious attacks,' which continue to disrupt new account registrations. Continue Reading
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News
27 Jan 2025
Former CSRB members largely silent on dismissal
The Cyber Safety Review Board was investigating recent attacks by Chinese state-sponsored threat actor Salt Typhoon when DHS terminated all advisory board memberships. Continue Reading
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Definition
24 Jan 2025
What is SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language)?
Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) is an open standard for sharing security information about identity, authentication and authorization across different systems. Continue Reading