Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

When it comes to managing hidden risk and shadow IT, our primary challenge as cybersecurity practitioners is securing the organization’s data and applications while empowering users to perform their duties efficiently. After all, one survey found that 67% of employees aren’t completely satisfied with their workplace tools and technologies—often resulting in the adoption of unsanctioned applications.

Cyber risk regulations like NIS2 and DORA in the EU, or PS21/3 in the UK, signal a seismic shift toward strengthening cyber resilience and enforcing accountability. Championing regulations is not just a matter of checking compliance boxes: it’s an opportunity to become a business leader. To enable growth and protect revenue.

In this article: If you're a security leader being asked to facilitate a cybersecurity audit, or if you are a member of the board requesting one, you must understand the difference between a cybersecurity audit and a cybersecurity assessment. Despite sounding the same, both provide you with different types of information - and that might have a significant impact on your organization’s security posture. In this blog, we provide a quick introduction to a cybersecurity audit vs.

In today's fast-paced business environment, the ever-evolving landscape of technology empowers employees with unprecedented flexibility and agility. While this fosters innovation and productivity, it also presents a lurking challenge—Shadow IT. This term encapsulates the use of unauthorized software, applications, or devices within an organization, posing substantial cybersecurity risks and operational hurdles.

If you’re a business executive or a risk leader, you’re likely familiar with “proxy season,” the time of year when public companies hold their annual general meetings. During these meetings, investors have the opportunity to vote on important issues such as the election of board members and executive compensation.

Third-party risk is everywhere and the cybersecurity posture of those third parties is more important now than ever before. With organizations using 130 SaaS solutions on average, onboarding the “wrong” vendor — one that doesn’t share the same cyber practices or hygiene as you do, or that sharing sensitive data with would be cause for concern — could land an organization in hot water.

The problem with shadow IT isn’t really the need for new tools, it’s the fact that people use them without IT security teams knowing. This usually happens because they perceive security policies as restrictive and antagonistic toward their productivity. In this way, Shadow IT is a process issue—not a software issue. Hidden risk is increasingly challenging cybersecurity leaders as digital supply chains grow and more apps are added to the network.

The recent SEC breach disclosure rules place enormous pressure on CISOs. The new SEC disclosure requirements for public companies require companies to report annually on their cybersecurity risk management and governance efforts and publicly announce cybersecurity incidents that prove "material." Determining materiality may be one of organizations' most prominent challenges with the new rules. What exactly is a material cybersecurity incident?

One study found that 65% of SaaS applications in use are unsanctioned. And 59% of IT professionals find SaaS sprawl challenging to manage. In other words, shadow IT risks are growing—but that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to hidden risks across today’s expanding attack surface. Missed software patches, outdated certificates, and stealth malware are some examples. Many security teams still struggle to keep their networks safe from ever-growing digital supply chains.

The annual doctor wellness check always interests me. It’s generally the same routine every year: The doctor and I exchange pleasantries. She asks about any noticeable health changes while looking in my ears with that cool little penlight. If I’m lucky, she uses the mini-hammer to see how high my leg kicks after a gentle knee tap (I just love that for some reason). But it’s all a bit of a show, isn’t it?