Computer systems are the foundation of our digital world.
They enable us to communicate, collaborate, and conduct business. Yet, as our reliance on computer systems has grown, so has the risk of cyberattacks.
The recent string of high-profile cyberattacks - from the WannaCry ransomware attack to the Equifax data breach - have underscored the need for better security. One of the keys to better security is protecting machine identities.
Machine identities are the digital certificates and keys that machines use to authenticate and communicate with each other. They include everything from the SSL/TLS certificates that secure our web browsers to the SSH keys that provide access to our servers.
Attackers are increasingly targeting machine identities because they provide a way to bypass traditional security measures. For example, in the Equifax data breach, attackers gained access to the company's systems by exploiting an Apache Struts web application vulnerability. Once they had access, they used valid machine identities to move laterally across the network and access sensitive data.
The problem is that machine identities are often not well-protected. In many cases, they're stored in the same location as the protected systems, making them vulnerable to attack.
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To better protect machine identities, organizations need to implement a comprehensive security solution that includes the following:
Guardio is a Chrome extension that monitors suspicious activity and blocks hackers from stealing your data.
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Over one million people use Guardio to keep themselves safe as they browse the web. It’s rated “Excellent” on TrustPilot with 4.5 stars from 1,552 reviews.
As the number of devices and applications that rely on machine identities continues to grow, so does the challenge of managing them. More organizations turn to automation to help manage their machine identities.
There are several different machine identity management solutions on the market, but not all are created equal. When choosing a solution, it's essential to consider the following:
The basic structure for our digital world is built on the foundations of computer identities. They're used to authenticate and communicate with devices and applications, and they play a critical role in securing our online transactions.
However, machine identities are often not well-protected, making them vulnerable to attack.
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