Computer Security Technology Ltd

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April 29, 2015

IT Security Solutions – What’s new?

Over the last 12 months we have been putting some new solutions to the test, and thought we would share with some our findings. Of the many technologies that have come across our desk for review, we have identified three solutions that provide innovation:


Endpoint & Network Visibility – ForeScout

What and who is connected to the network was once an easy question to answer. Not so simple today, what with: highly distributed LANS, dispersed offices, remote workers, home working, traveling staff, wifi access, devices such as smart phones and tablets that bridge the network, or even the humble workstation that harbours undetected threats.

Can anyone be 100% sure that an endpoint such as a workstation, laptop, tablet, network-floor plate port… that has just connected to your network does not harbour damaging content, or has pierced a hole in your perimeter security?

Network & device complexity is creating blind spots within the endpoint defence strategy, this ironically is the last line of defence where it’s best not to fight any battles, whether it is authorised access harbouring dangerous content, or unsanctioned network admission. If left unaddressed, a network ingress soon becomes a real risk.


NAC – (Network Access Control) was once a term that was associated with complexity and productivity. Not anymore, hence the reason that the ForeScout solution is a leader within the Gartner NAC analysis with its low cost to implement and security simplicity, it patrols network access attempts, and enforces the connection policies. Unlike its peers it’s not constrained by narrow network protocols or the need for VLANS and embraces all connection protocols and media types.


Active Directory (AD) Security – 8Man

Managing AD is a sure way of managing Network security. However Microsoft lacks the native tools that are powerful enough. What’s needed are a series of tools that go beyond where Microsoft halted, tools that work together to reduce the complexity of unravelling user access privilege, group access, stale accounts, nested and inherited resource access. Tools that can empower dept. managers to enrol their own staff if needed. Tools that can report on the data assets with its access list & privileges, or just as easily audit the rights of an individual staff member or group through the jungle of AD structure, nested rights and inherited access.

How sure are you that every staff member has the appropriate access to the relevant resources? Are you 100% sure that long forgotten user group or an admin account is not providing inappropriate access?

Typically 40% of AD rights are incorrect. Inherited rights and group policy inadvertently give user access to sensitive files. When was the time you were requested to report on access privileges to key resources? Could you compile, analyse and action the task quickly?

Security Standards and Best Practise advocate the concept of “Data Asset Owners”. - Staff who are tasked with being accountable for resource access permission policies. The concept makes sense, but the implication is that to make this work you need to be able to report to the Data Asset Owners on the ; who, what and why of AD rights.


8man organises Active Directory & Sharepoint. It proactively manages who has access to what resources, controlling if privileges have been appointed correctly, such as read/write/delete/copy, reporting on these attributes are really required by so many staff, for so many resource. 8man manages admin rights, and if these crown jewels of network access being allocated correctly. Whilst also dealing with the mundane but often overlooked task of removing accounts that should just not be there anymore such as stale/unused accounts.


The threat from within - Clearswift

Whereas Cyber threats and the associated media hype address the risk to the organisation from the outside, one of the often forgotten risks are those from within. The disgruntled member of staff, the temp, the contractor, or the accidental disclosure from a well-meaning user.

Some of the most costly data breaches have arisen due to direct insider knowledge and staff abusing the trust and privileges.

It’s not uncommon for the value of the organisations data to be higher than any physical asset.

As perimeters dissolve with inter-connected systems, supply chain data sharing and 3rd party access needs, there is a need to do more to keep data confidential.


Clearswift is the data and people centric solution to critical information protection. Unlike other solutions, it’s non-disruptive and supports continuous collaboration, avoids business interruption and mitigates the risk of financial or reputational damage caused by the unauthorised disclosure of sensitive data wherever it lives – at the endpoint, on premise or in the cloud.

Want to know more? – We are running regular informal webex demos, please drop us email or call us for the next schedule: info@cstl.com or tel: 020 7 621 7836, thank you.