Cybersecurity Consulting

Safeguarding Your Business’s Future: The Strategic Power of Cybersecurity Consulting

In an interconnected digital world, where cyber threats loom large and evolving, proactive cybersecurity is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. This is where the expertise of cybersecurity consulting comes to the forefront. In this article, we delve into the critical role that strategic cybersecurity consulting plays in fortifying your business’s future against the relentless tide of cyber threats.

Understanding Strategic Cybersecurity Consulting

Strategic cybersecurity consulting involves partnering with experts who specialize in developing comprehensive strategies to protect your business from the myriad cyber threats that exist today. These consultants analyze, plan, and execute customized security measures that safeguard your digital assets and ensure business continuity.

The Complexity of Modern Cyber Threats

Cyber threats have become increasingly sophisticated, ranging from ransomware attacks to data breaches. These threats can cripple businesses, leading to financial losses, reputational damage, and legal repercussions. A strategic approach to cybersecurity is crucial to mitigate these risks.

The Expertise of Cybersecurity Consultants

Cybersecurity consultants are well-versed in the evolving threat landscape. They understand the vulnerabilities that can be exploited and the strategies that can be employed by malicious actors. This knowledge allows them to design tailored defence mechanisms.

Crafting a Resilient Cybersecurity Strategy:

  1. Risk Assessment: Consultants conduct thorough assessments to identify vulnerabilities and potential threats to your business.
  2. Customized Solutions: They develop strategies tailored to your business’s unique needs, ensuring that security measures align with your goals.
  3. Incident Response: Cybersecurity consultants help you devise a comprehensive incident response plan, minimizing the impact of potential breaches.
  4. Employee Training: Education is a key aspect. Consultants provide training to ensure your staff understands security best practices.

Conclusion

Strategic cybersecurity consulting cannot overstate the importance in the ever-evolving world of cyber threats. By collaborating with experts who understand the intricate landscape of cyber risks, businesses can fortify their defences, protect their digital assets, and secure their future.

Ready to Elevate Your Cybersecurity Strategy? Contact CMS IT Services Today! Discover how CMS IT Services can empower your business with strategic cybersecurity consulting services

India’s space cybersecurity mesh: Criticality and call of purple revolution

Introduction

Cybersecurity has audaciously engrafted itself into the traditional war theatres of land, air, sea, and more recently, space. A breach of this war penta-theatre, L-A-S-S-Cy challenges India’s territorial integrity, strategic autonomy, and sustained growth. Any infiltration, incursion, or incapacitation of space systems can temporarily paralyse or permanently cripple and cause irreversible damage to increasingly space-dependent food, water, communications, dams, defence, energy, financial, healthcare, nuclear, transportation, and other critical networks. The unhindered proliferation of technology, techniques, and tactics have improved access to attack methods of common spacecraft bus architectures, to successfully bypass air-gapped systems, to mature remote proximity operations and on-orbit docking attacks, to slither into software/ hardware of supply chains, or to escalate space systems’ privileges.

While Russia, the United States (US), China, Iran, North Korea, and Israel keep their military space cybersecurity capabilities flexed, Japan, France, South Korea, and the United Kingdom (UK) are steadily picking up pace. Interestingly, the Strategic Support Force of China’s People’s Liberation Army has centralised space, cyber, electronic, and psychological warfare capabilities.

The unhindered proliferation of technology, techniques, and tactics have improved access to attack methods of common spacecraft bus architectures, to successfully bypass air-gapped systems, to mature remote proximity operations and on-orbit docking attacks, to slither into software/ hardware of supply chains, or to escalate space systems’ privileges.

Besides surreptitious state actors, possible space cyberattack adversaries include terrorist organisations, subversives, political criminals, curious computer hackers, commercial competitors, dishonest insiders, disgruntled staff, trusted but careless business partners, or rogue astronauts. All of the above can launch asymmetric attacks and are immune to the natural dynamics of ‘credible deterrence’ and the fragile notion of stability from the condition of ‘Mutually Assured Destruction’. There are efforts underway to counter these threats. For instance, Aerospace Corporation’s SPARTA (Space Attack Research & Tactic Analysis), an extension of MITRE ATT&CK adversary tactics and techniques, presents a cyber threat-oriented approach and risks covering all stages of a cyberattack from reconnaissance and attack-resource development, initial access of vulnerable systems and attack execution, existing cyber-defence evasion, lateral movement to other systems, exfiltration of critical data and/or other impacts. This helps scaffold threats to space systems during early phase development (supply chain entities’ design, supply, procurement, assembly, integration, and complete system tests), ground control (launch, payload control, mission control, space traffic management), and space segment (platform, payload, formations, and users).

India’s space and cybersecurity: Recent trail markers and lacunae

On 28 September 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the creation of the Defence Cyber Agency (DCA) and Defence Space Agency (DSA). DCA is fully functional and DSA integration with the land, air, sea, and cyber theatres is a work in progress. The long-pending National Security Strategy must integrate L-A-S-S-Cy war penta-theatre and articulate an integrated warfare doctrine to produce purple [which combines the offence (red) and defence (blue)] capability characterised by swiftness, precision, and effectiveness.

Sectors like oil and gas, telecommunications, power, disaster management, manufacturing, logistics, delivery services, public transportation, eCommerce, insurance, law enforcement, defence verticals and their supply chains depend on global positioning, navigation, and timing. World over, there are only four Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS): US’s GPS (Global Positioning System), Russia’s GLONASS, China’s BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, or Europe’s Galileo. To streamline time synchronisation, reduce dependency on foreign GNSS, and enhance national security, India has been developing the NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) systems under Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System. It provides absolute position accuracy of fewer than 10 meters on the Indian landmass and less than 20 meters on the Indian Ocean with nanosecond preciseness.

Constructive watchful intervention has catapulted India to the 10th rank globally in the latest 2020 United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union Global Cybersecurity Index.

The Government of India has taken numerous steps to improve India’s cybersecurity posture. Constructive watchful intervention has catapulted India to the 10th rank globally in the latest 2020 United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union Global Cybersecurity Index.

With National Cyber Security Coordinator, the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) is trying to integrate the Indian cybersecurity architecture and policies. It has also formulated a draft National Cyber Security Strategy which is under consideration of the Prime Minister’s Office. But in this, the space element is missing. Interestingly, the Data Security Council of India, in its submission in 2020 on the draft National Cyber Security Strategy, had noted attacks targeting India’s critical infrastructure sectors including nuclear plants and space agencies but had provided no discourse on space cybersecurity.

This needs to change. As an integral part of the National Cyber Security Strategy, it’s imperative to integrate the L-A-S-S-Cy war penta-theatre into national critical infrastructure. Security and military functions and communications depend on critical space infrastructure. While India’s definition of “Critical Information Infrastructure”, includes “incapacitation” leading to a “debilitating impact” on “national security”, somehow space and its operations don’t figure prominently under the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre or the Computer Emergency Response Team-India.

With more than 100 start-ups, 22 MoUs, and five authorisations, space ecosystem is expanding. As more players enter this field, the attack surface is also widening. Intense collaboration among a large number of involved parties with varied expertise, risk portfolios, and information security attack-surfaces can lead to sabotage and disruption through adversarial supply-chain malware injection, malicious systems’ poisoning and unauthorised identity masquerades, and manipulative breach of confidentiality, integrity, & availability. Therefore, it is time India focuses on space cybersecurity.

India’s urgent to-do list

India’s space cybersecurity mesh needs relentless governance thrust, vigilant all-round resilience, and hawk-eyed techno-diplomatic engagement. What could be India’s urgent top five to-do?

One, on express mode, release version 1.0 of India’s comprehensive national space policy and interweave into it comprehensive critical national infrastructure level cybersecurity guardrails through National Cyber Security Strategy and finally, dove-tailing them into National Security Strategy.

Two, build rigour for a Purple Revolution- cybersecurity red-teaming (offense) and blue-teaming (defence) exercises to create a unified Purple. Ministry of Defence and Home Affairs must institute a rigorous programme and curriculum requirements covering four components: (a) Cyber Defence (Red Team), (b) Cyber Offense (Blue Team), (c) Cyber Operations and Services, and (d) Cyber Research.

The purple revolution will accelerate the rhythm of strategic and tactical Indian foreign policy, build internal critical mass to neutralise threats to India, and help create credible deterrence.

Three, adopt a whole-of-nation approach. Like corporate social responsibility policy, Chief Information Security Officers and information security researchers from public and private sector must allocate 2 percent of their productivity towards National Critical Infrastructure and space cybersecurity.

Four, increase space budget allocation from 0.04 percent to at least 0.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The Union Budget for 2023-24 allots only US$ 1.5 billion to the Department of Space, a nanoscopic 0.04 percent of GDP. More capital will boost creation of self-sufficient centrally-funded research and development centers, enhance Information Sharing and Analysis Centre–Space (ISAC-Space), and augment the creation of influential national and international space standards.

And five, integrate space supply-chain resilience and security into QUAD’s space-related applications and technologies cooperation. As part of an inter-governmental collaboration among the QUAD countries, a central Indian space resilience agency must analyse and map each sub-component with suppliers and suppliers of suppliers, their supply chain risk and attack-surfaces on design, build, delivery, and maintenance, and for mutual watchfulness, periodically conduct joint-monitoring and incident response exercises.

Conclusion

L-A-S-S-Cy war penta-theatre demands swift, precise, and effective purple interventions. In the face of progressively intensifying adversary attacks rapidly evolving on obfuscated pivots, to accurately adapt, respond, and recover, the purple revolution in India’s space cybersecurity mesh is at a critical point of convergence. The purple revolution will accelerate the rhythm of strategic and tactical Indian foreign policy, build internal critical mass to neutralise threats to India, and help create credible deterrence. It’s a critical time to integrate the entire country’s innovative perspectives, technical intelligence, and engineering abilities and apply thought and research to each entity in securing India’s space journey.

hybrid IT operations

Hyper Automation in IT Services

Automation is all-pervasive and proves beneficial in various ways and to varying extents across every industry. From increased productivity to enhanced quality and reduced manual effort, automation, and its benefits have become one of the key enablers of success in the contemporary context. But like every other technology, automation also is evolving. Hyper automation, you may say, is the next stage of automation. Many consider it a future trend. However, on the contrary, it isn’t the future but the present!

But what is hyper automation, and how can it benefit the IT industry in particular? Let’s delve into these aspects of hyper automation services in this blog.

What is Hyper Automation?

Hyper automation involves using automation technology to streamline organizational processes and automating various manual processes, enabling them to run on their own without manual intervention. The technology uses AI, ML, and robotic process automation (RPA) to transform legacy and modern processes and devices.

Many organizations who’ve heard about hyper automation services wonder why they need them. While that is a valid question, here’s what drives their demand, no matter whether you run hybrid IT operations or are completely on the cloud.

  • Keep up with the increasing demand for pace, quality, and competence
  • Eliminate inefficiencies resulting from legacy applications and processes
  • Increase departmental and organizational productivity in the long run
  • Enhance employee satisfaction by allowing them to contribute better
  • Ensure compliance across the concerned area
  • Focus on the strategically more crucial and imminent tasks

Key Advantages of Hyper Automation Services in IT

Hyper automation builds tangible value through its practical benefits. They can benefit companies with hybrid IT operations and even those completely on the cloud. Accordingly, here are some advantages of hyper automation services in the IT context.

  • Improved Data Management and Seamless Data Sharing

Hyper automation involves integrating AI and ML that help enhance data management and foster improved data accuracy and integrity. In addition, hyper automation services in IT enable simplified data integration across various business systems and applications, thus ensuring a quicker and more efficient data process. In other words, it interlinks departmental data to enable the decision-making team to get a comprehensive understanding of departmental operations.

  • Augmented Productivity

This one is a no-brainer! As the name suggests, hyper automation essentially involves automating every possible process. It endeavors to eliminate manual intervention to the farthest extent possible. But that’s not it. Integrating advanced capabilities like AI and ML ushers in intelligence and continuous evolution to ensure enhanced automation and improved operations by the day. The collaborative impact of these factors is a significant increase in organizational productivity 

  • Increased Agility

Amidst the dynamic environment today, agility is one of the most significant factors distinguishing a company from its competitors. Hyper automation enables better data management and data-based informed decision-making. It increases a company’s situational awareness and puts it in a better position to respond to the changes and align itself with them. An agile company is a more competent organization! Hyper automation helps contribute to a company’s competence with improved responsiveness.

  • Focus on Core Business

Hyper automation minimizes or eliminates manual attention or intervention. As a result, companies can automate many mundane or repetitive IT routines and operations. They can divert all the effort, energy, and resources to do something strategically better and more beneficial for the company. Simply stated, hyper automation helps companies focus more on their core business while it takes care of several operations. 

Embrace Hyper Automation with CMS IT Services!

Fast-track your cloud or hybrid IT operations with our hyper automation services and solutions. Very well integrated with AIOps and various other automation solutions, our hyper automation offerings aim to help you streamline and automate your IT workflows, enable you to use your data better, increase responsiveness and save substantial costs in the long run. The purpose is to help you derive more value from your IT operations – that’s what we do with our AIOps and hyper automation services.

Please email us at inquiry@cmsitservices.com to discover our automation services.

cyber security

Why Migrate to AI and ML-Boosted Cloud-Based Antivirus and EDR?

We all know how dynamic the cyber security landscape is. Attackers keep inventing new cyber threats to cut through cyber security. And on the other hand, cyber security experts innovate proactive and reactive ways to stay a point ahead of the points table.

Nevertheless, if cyber threats keep evolving, so should your measures to keep your IT environment safe. Using a conventional antivirus might not prove as helpful anymore, especially considering the level to which threats have reached. In situations like these, moving to AI/ML-driven cloud-based antivirus and EDR can help. CMS IT Services, one of the leading firms for cyber security consulting in Bangalore explores how.

What is an AI-ML-Powered Cloud-Based Antivirus?

Cyber threats aren’t what they used to be a decade ago. They’ve evolved a lot and have become much more sophisticated. Often, you don’t even recognize a particular instance is a cyberattack until it is too close or penetrates significantly deep into your system.

It isn’t that traditional antiviruses haven’t evolved over the years. But they potentially fall short of protecting the system from newly emerged cyber threats. It is because they respond only to known and historical threats. In addition, geographical factors are making it even more difficult for companies to track attackers.

Adopting and migrating to AI-ML-driven antivirus can help. These antiviruses can manage massive datasets, create threat models, and project potential attacks. Additionally, with their AI-ML prowess and capabilities, these antiviruses can detect a threat before it hits the ground. AI also proves useful in combating phishing emails and scams, which have been on a continual rise ever since they first surfaced.

Now, along with AI-ML, why should you have a cloud-based antivirus? Cloud-based antiviruses have unique benefits that encourage companies to migrate to them. Some of the most significant ones include the following.

  • Tackling various online threats with minimal to no impact on the system
  • Providing proactive functioning, eliminating latency between the time a particular security breach is discovered and when the system avails the protection
  • Central management of resources
  • Connecting each instance of antivirus to the central server in the cloud
  • Real-time and automatic scanning and virus signature updates
  • Remote and internet-enabled access to antivirus software

What is Endpoint Detection and Response?

Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) is an endpoint security solution that constantly monitors end-user devices to identify and respond to threats like malware and ransomware. EDR records activities and events taking place on all endpoints. It provides security teams with the visibility to discover otherwise invisible incidents. Additionally, EDR offers advanced threat detection, threat hunting, investigation alert triage, suspicious activity validation, malicious activity detection, containment, etc.

Some key EDR functions (which you may also call benefits) and which we, as experts in cyber security consulting in Bangalore, consider important in making the decision to migrate to EDR.

  • Seamless integration with threat intelligence
  • Auto-discovering stealthy attackers
  • Get real-time and historical visibility
  • Managed threat hunting to enable proactive defense
  • Quick and decisive remediation
  • Accelerated investigations

How Can CMS IT Solutions Help?

As one of the leading firms for cyber security consulting in Bangalore, India, CMS IT Services can help you migrate to AI-ML-powered cloud-based antivirus and EDR and leverage them optimally to strengthen your cyber security. Our expertise in cyber security and cloud AI-ML solutions help you deal with cyber threats proactively and keep your environment safe to the best extent possible. Please email us at inquiry@cmsitservices.com to learn more about our cyber security proposition.

The Role Of Artificial Intelligence

The results of Red Teaming were promising for Advanced Defence Systems. ADS had vastly improved their defensive posture.

But in Nilay’s (CEO of ADS) mind, advanced cyber security was not just necessary to maintain the defensive posture of the firm, it was necessary to gain competitive advantage in the marketplace. He turned to Seema, ADS CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) on what could be done next.

Seema suggested deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) in security operations centre (SOC) to transform the way they could thwart cyber threats. She explained to Nilay that;

  1.  AI has the potential to help automate many of the processes involved in security operations.
  2. AI in SOC would use machine learning (ML) algorithms to “analyze” vast amounts of data and detect anomalies that may indicate a cyber threat.
  3. It can carry out vulnerability assessment (VA) and detect threats in real time, providing SOC analysts with the information they need to respond quickly and effectively to mitigate the impact of a security incident.

Over time, ADS began to implement a range of AI-powered solutions in their SOC. They used machine learning algorithms and leveraged natural language processing (NLP) to better understand the content of emails and other communications.

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The results that started coming in immediately post implementation were not fully accurate. There were some false positives and false negatives that needed to be addressed.

But Seema was sure that the AI package they had deployed in their SOC would start using ML algorithms to analyse vast amounts of data to detect anomalies that may indicate a cyber-attack. In a few months’ time ADS started reaping the benefits of their latest cyber defence intervention. AI helped them detect threats in real time, providing SOC analysts with the information they need to respond quickly and effectively to mitigate the impact of a security incident.

 As time progressed, the AI solution in ADS’ SOC was able to learn from past incidents and improve its accuracy. ADS’ SOC had thus become more effective at detecting and preventing attacks as time went on.

Nilay was happy on two fronts – his organisation’s defensive posture was state-of-the-art. This helped them develop defence technologies under the shroud of secrecy they wanted. Secondly, a strong cyber defense posture provided huge competitive advantage to ADS in the marketplace. The trust that their customers placed in them far outranked ADS’ competitors. ADS had to spend much less time dealing with attacks, therefore they could focus more on their business & customers.

What are you focused on? Customers, or cyber defence?

If you have queries related to 𝘾𝙮𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮, reach out to our in-house Cyber Security experts. They are happy to hear from you info@cmsitservices.com. You could also reach out to us on our website https://www.cmsitservices.com/contact-us/.