The Hidden Aspects of Cybersecurity

Brian Berger, President of Cytellix Corporation • Mar 12, 2021

It should come as no surprise that businesses are flocking to the cloud and other digital platforms to replace their outdated data management systems. The internet is a wonderful thing, and the capabilities that come with it are unmatched. Unfortunately, many businesses head online without taking the proper precautions. The internet has plenty of hackers, all of whom are looking for weak spots in data collections so they can make their move. Many business owners believe they are prepared against cyber attacks, but few are as secure as they would hope to be. Cybersecurity companies like Cytellix are here to ensure that you have no weak link, no open door, and no unprotected file floating around in the cloud. Let's take a look at some of the weakest areas of cybersecurity we often see. 


Payment Processors

One of the most sought-after areas to attack are payment processors. We've all heard news stories about credit card information being stolen from retail stores, major banks, and more. Hackers will always aim to find money, so payment processors are particularly at risk of cyber attack. Hackers are adapting as technology advances, so we aren't always as safe as we think. Here at Cytellix, we are constantly looking towards the future to figure out what hackers might try next. By staying several steps ahead, we are able to safeguard any and all payment-related programs from breech. Consumers are able to make payments in many ways, several of which involve digital processes. Credit cards, debit cards, online payment, direct deposits, mobile banking, and more are all viable areas for hackers to target. It's crucial to pay extra attention to these areas to protect both company and consumer finances. When a person or business gets their credit information stolen, it is a process and a half to fix. Not to mention the lawsuits that will inevitably come if it's determined that the business did not have the proper safeguards in place. Cytellix is committed to protecting financial data at all costs, so we go the extra mile when it comes to setting up and managing cybersecurity services for payment processors. 


Information Databases

When hackers aren't successful at stealing credit and banking data, they'll go for the next best thing; personal information. Identity theft is far more common than it should be. Back in the day, most identity theft cases came from someone losing an ID or being robbed. Now, with most information available somewhere in the cloud, hackers can steal thousands of identities without leaving their homes. It's shocking how frequently we put personal information online. Whenever we create online accounts, you're asked for, at the bare minimum, your name, and email address. Without the proper cybersecurity in place, your customers' valuable personal information is up for grabs. It's more important than ever to protect personal information from cyber-attacks because more and more important duties are heading online. Banking, insurance, taxes, the entirety of your smartphone's data, they're all on the cloud, and therefore all vulnerable for attack. Even though you might be asking for "general" personal information, hackers can get a lot out of it. For example, if someone can connect a name with a birthdate, cybercriminals can likely figure out their social security numbers. People of the same birth year have the same first two sections, and many websites ask for the last four digits as a login. Add them together, and you have easy access to someone's identity!


Email Systems

While email addresses can also be included in the "personal information" section, some hackers are out for them specifically. Malicious malware is sent most commonly through emails, the recipients of which could have been found through weak security spaces. In addition, emails can be hunted down by cybercriminals, only to be sold to businesses for unsolicited email lists. This is illegal but happens all the time. If hackers get into business emails, there's a chance they can then get into shared drives on Google or similar platforms. Once they're in there, the havoc they can cause has no limits. They can email clients from your accounts, change passwords, delete or corrupt documents, and more. Cytellix is fully aware that emails are valuable to cybercriminals, so we make it our mission to safeguard them. With our help, you can feel confident that internal emails and customer emails will be kept confidential as intended. Even if they don't cause too much damage, security breaches will destroy any trust that your customers have in you. It's extremely challenging to rebuild that relationship, so the best thing to do is enact cybersecurity services ASAP. Hire a team you can trust to build out and manage your cybersecurity system. With us, all emails will be safe and sound!


Manual Processes

One of the easiest things for hackers to break into is anything done manually. Human error is a business's worst nightmare, especially online. It's not wise to trust your employees to follow a rigorous protocol for tasks they often do. Odds are, something will fall through the cracks, opening a window of opportunity for cybercriminals to sneak in. We always suggest automating processes as often as possible because computers don't forget. If you need all documents to be saved in a particular folder, create an automation for it. That way, none of your valuable data can be stolen because an employee accidentally saved a Google Doc to the wrong place. The less human interaction you can make with digital tasks, the better. Of course, most human errors are completely accidental and nothing to get upset about, but an accident can result in a lot of headaches for you in the wrong situation. Cybersecurity companies will be able to look at your current processes and find weak spots vulnerable for attack. Cytellix does a thorough analysis to make sure we don't miss anything. We'll discover weaknesses caused by human error and help implement permanent solutions. 


If you're ready to start working with one of the most trusted cybersecurity companies in the business, call Cytellix today! Our team of experts has been entrusted to protect some of America’s biggest companies, including the US Army, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, and NASA. We will curate solutions specifically for you, making sure to lock up your data, so it's airtight. Call us today at (949) 215-8889 to get started.


Cytellix has expert capabilities in cybersecurity technology, risk management frameworks (RMF, NIST, CMMC, GDPR, FFIEC, ISO) and provides a complete visibility platform that supports: DoD customers, DIB Customers, DoD Supply Chain, and other highly regulated industries (Finance, Automotive, Utilities, State and Local Government).  Our technology stack includes SIEM as Service, 24x7 SOC, Vulnerability Management, Real-time continuous cyber monitoring, Firewall Management,  and threat hunting and threat correlation.


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The Clock is Ticking for CMMC 2.0: Here’s Everything You Need to Know – START NOW

By Brian Berger • 23 Aug, 2023
The Department of Defense (DoD) has formally presented the CMMC regulation for official evaluation, marking the start of its journey toward formal announcement. Every regulation proposed by the executive branch, including this one, undergoes scrutiny by OIRA, a division of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The significance of this step is that the previously mentioned "delays" in the CMMC process were due to the time taken for the DoD to forward the rule to OIRA. With this action now taken, the subsequent stages of the rulemaking procedure are underway. Nevertheless, due to the intricate nature of federal rulemaking, several more stages need to be navigated before the CMMC becomes a part of contracts. The following scenarios should be considered for preparation for compliance and certification for the Defense Industrial Base (DIB). Scenario 1: Proposed Rule Submission to OIRA: The Department of Defense (DoD) has officially submitted the CMMC rule for regulatory review to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA). Review and Publication: After OIRA's review, which takes an average of 66 business days, the CMMC rule is expected to be published in late October 2023. Public Comment Period: A standard 60-day public comment period will follow, ending in December 2023. Finalization: The CMMC rule will be published as a "proposed rule", which means it will only become effective after the agency responds to public comments in a final rule. Based on historical data, the average time for DoD proposed rules to be published as final rules is 333 business days. This means the CMMC final rule is expected between February and April 2025 . Phased Roll-Out: The DoD plans a 3-year phased roll-out for CMMC contract clauses. Assuming the final rule is published in Q1 2025, all relevant DoD contracts will contain CMMC by 2028. Scenario 2: Interim Final Rule Immediate Effectiveness : If the CMMC rule is published as an "interim final rule", it will be effective before the agency responds to public comments . This means the rule would be in effect and appear in contracts in Q1 2024 . Rarity of Interim Final Rules: Such rules are rare and bypass the usual democratic process of "notice and comment" rulemaking. They are typically granted in urgent situations, like the need to enhance national security. So when should you start preparing? Before we start with the background and changes, let’s talk about the "Big Elephant” in the room. Clearly, the updated compliance and certification process developed by the DoD and the non-profit organization liaisons has been long overdue with a lot of anticipated deadlines that never materialized. And with the latest announcements it does seem to be mildly reminiscent of the movie comedy and colloquial meaning of Groundhog Day. Since the Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry I found humor in relativity, not cynicism. Opinion: This is different and the information we have in the DoD supply chain must be protected from our adversaries. This is a serious issue and needs clear and precise guidelines as the supply chain will not spend money on the protection of the information that protects national security unless they must as it is deemed as a complex undertaking. That’s an unfortunate reality. We have seen the start and restart of the cyber programs for DoD for the past 5-years, what makes this different? The implementation of the CMMC rule in contracts will be phased in over a period of 3 years, with all relevant DoD Defense Industrial Base (DIB) contracts containing CMMC by 2028. For a company with 50-100 employees operating in the DoD supply chain, it takes an average of 12-18 months to prepare for assessment and audit for eventual certification, with certification being the ultimate requirement for compliance. Therefore, the time is now to start the process if you plan to hold government contracts in 2024/2025. There are also varied flow down requirements that need to also be taken into consideration. Understanding Plan of Action and Milestones (POAM) There is now the ability to present interim status vs 100% compliance as we have with the current DFARS and NIST requirements. These interim reports can be handled in the traditional manner by presenting a Plan of Action and Milestones (POAM) that have a less than 180-day completion date for allowed baseline gaps. Unallowed gaps will have a “No POAM” designation and need to be implemented. If you have any doubts, work with a highly skilled 3 rd party who has expertise in these standards and a track record of enabling comprehensive successful standards-based cyber programs. The information presented by the suppliers in POAM’s or claiming 100% compliance will be evaluated and can and will likely trigger audits if certain high-level cyber controls are not met or the 100% compliance score creates suspicion of a false claim. Be careful to present accurate and validated information. So, what does this all mean? You must be compliant with DFARS clause 252.204.7012 and NIST 800-171 today. This is a requirement of your current contracts, and the False Claims Act applies to all cyber compliance representations. If you are not compliant, you could be subject to civil penalties and criminal charges. You need to start preparing for CMMC 2.0 today. The deadline for the final rule is 18 months from now, and it will take an average company in the DoD supply chain 12-18 months to become assessment ready. Waiting is not an option. Waiting is a bad idea. Why you ask? It is very clear that most suppliers and Small and Medium Businesses are not cyber ready and nowhere near compliant with any cyber framework. The timeframe for a typical business to understand, develop and implement full compliance is more than 1-year assuming they have the skills and personnel to complete the objectives. CMMC 2.0 clearly aligns with DFARS and NIST, so it is the best way to protect your organization's sensitive data. Don't delay, start preparing today! *If you have any questions, please reach out to our experts – [email protected]
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