- hello@group8.co
- 12 Marina View, Singapore
Despite its common nature, security/cybersecurity misconfigurations pose a significant risk as they can increase an organisation's vulnerability to data breaches. These occur when the settings of an application, system, or network device are not properly configured, leaving them open to exploitation by potential threat actors.
Misconfigurations can take many forms, from default factory configurations being left unchanged to enabling unnecessary features. Hackers are always on the lookout for these overlooked gaps in an organisation's cybersecurity posture as they offer the easiest way to launch malware attacks and gain access to sensitive corporate data.
With the most recent data breach investigation report by the Ponemon Institute and IBM stating that the average cost of a breach has reached a peak of US$4.35 million, businesses should spare no effort in rooting out any misconfigurations in their infrastructure. Below, we list the leading security misconfigurations you should zero in on first.
The rise of cloud adoption has led many companies to increasingly rely on platforms like Microsoft Azure and AWS for data storage and management. But as with any technology, cloud services come with their own security risks, primarily misconfigured settings.
A high-profile incident where insecure default settings had the potential to facilitate a large-scale breach was the data leak incident with Microsoft Power Apps back in 2021. The root of the issue was the Power Apps portal data feeds, which were set by default to be publicly accessible. So unless developers specifically set OData feeds to private, virtually everyone could get into the databases of apps developed with Power Apps.
Overly permissive access controls run the risk of unauthorised users getting access to sensitive information or performing malicious actions. This is where the principle of least privilege comes in to ensure users are granted the bare minimum level of access necessary to do their jobs. There are many ways to implement and maintain this principle throughout the organisation, such as through proper role-based access control configurations and periodic audits of user privileges. In addition, organisations must take care to encrypt their sensitive data both in transit and at rest to further reduce the risk of unauthorised access.
Activating certain features not essential to a system or application’s operation often expands its attack surface and unnecessarily increases its vulnerability. Some examples include file-sharing services and remote administration tools. Mitigating these risks requires periodic reviews of one's digital assets to identify and deactivate any features that are non-essential for their functioning.
An inadequately secured API makes for an easy target for hackers looking to access sensitive data or wreak havoc on a company's systems. API misconfigurations – such as the one that led to the T-Mobile data breach of 2023 – are becoming increasingly common as more organisations move to the cloud and have to deal with the challenge of securing the APIs of their cloud environments.
Organisations can significantly mitigate the risks associated with insecure configurations by implementing robust authentication and authorisation mechanisms like API keys and OAuth 2.0 to ensure that only authorised users can access their APIs. Furthermore, organisations should perform routine security assessments and engage penetration testing services to uncover and address vulnerabilities in their APIs.
Last but not least, adopting a secure software development lifecycle and adhering to the latest best practices regarding API security, such as input validation and rate limiting, can help prevent data breaches caused by insecure APIs.
Although businesses now typically stay on top of their systems' important updates, like operating system updates and security patches, the same cannot always be said for the rest of the software they use. Thus, they continue exposing part of their systems to known vulnerabilities and, ultimately, data breaches.
Using a robust patch management programme can help streamline this key aspect of the organisation's IT systems as it provides key advantages like monitoring for patch availability, update deployment prioritisation, and patch installation verification. When paired with an automated patch management solution and vulnerability scanning tools, organisations can also minimise the risk of human error in the update process.
Rooting out security misconfigurations effectively starts with knowing what you are looking for in the first place. With this knowledge in hand, you can also resolve these issues from the get-go moving forward and ensure they do not cause you a headache down the line.
Whether big or small, GROUP8 is always ready to lend a helping hand with any security issues that beset your business. With our wide array of offensive-inspired cybersecurity services in Singapore, our solutions cover the entire ecosystem and guarantee total protection for your businesses against known and unknown threats. For more information about how we can effectively elevate your defences, don't hesitate to contact us at hello@group.co today.