What is data encryption: features and how does it work?

What is data encryption: features and how does it work?

Data encryption is a fundamental security practice to protect digital information and ensure its integrity and privacy.

Data encryption: definition

Data encryption is the process of transforming readable information (plaintext) into an encoded format (cipher text) that can only be read by those in possession of a specific decryption key. This process ensures that data is inaccessible to unauthorised persons, thus protecting the confidentiality and integrity of the information. Its importance lies in several key aspects that ensure data integrity, availability and confidentiality:

• Privacy protection: Data encryption ensures that sensitive information such as personal, financial and health data remains private and secure. By converting plaintext to ciphertext, only authorised persons with the decryption key can access the information.
• Communications security: In digital communications, such as emails, instant messages and online transactions, encryption protects against interception and eavesdropping. By encrypting transmitted data, it ensures that any attempt to intercept the communication results in information that is unreadable to attackers.
• Compliance: Many regulations and laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe, require the use of encryption to protect personal data. Compliance with these regulations not only avoids legal sanctions, but also demonstrates an organisation's commitment to protecting its customers‘ and users’ information.
• Cyber-attack and fraud prevention: Data encryption helps prevent unauthorised access and misuse of information, preventing the risk of fraud and cyber-attacks. Attackers attempting to access encrypted data will face a significant barrier, hindering their efforts and protecting critical information.
• Intellectual property protection: In the business environment, data encryption protects intellectual property such as trade secrets, patents and confidential documents. This is essential to maintain competitive advantage and prevent the leakage of valuable information.
• Customer trust: The use of database encryption also contributes to building trust among customers and users. Knowing that an organisation takes steps to protect their personal information increases customer trust and loyalty, which can translate into long-term business benefits.

Main challenges of data encryption

Despite its benefits, data encryption presents challenges:

• Key management. The generation, distribution and secure storage of encryption keys are critical and complex.
• Rendimiento. El cifrado puede afectar el rendimiento de los sistemas, especialmente en el caso de cifrado asimétrico.
• Compatibility. It is necessary to ensure that systems and applications are compatible with the encryption methods used.

How data encryption works

The data encryption process is performed by means of mathematical algorithms and the use of encryption keys. Database encryption algorithms are mathematical formulae that transform plaintext into ciphertext. The encryption process consists of the following steps:

1. Key generation. An encryption key is generated which will be used to transform the plaintext into ciphertext.
2. Encryption. The encryption algorithm uses the key to convert plaintext into ciphertext.
3. Transmission or storage. Ciphertext is transmitted or stored securely.
4. Deciphered. The authorised receiver uses the corresponding key to convert the ciphertext back into plaintext.

Most effective techniques for data encryption

Keys are essential for data encryption and decryption. There are two main types of encryption:

• Symmetric Encryption: uses the same key to encrypt and decrypt data.
• Asymmetric Encryption: uses a public and a private key pair. The public key encrypts the data, and only the corresponding private key can decrypt it.

Each of these is explained in more detail below.

Symmetric encryption methods

Symmetric encryption is an encryption method that uses the same key to encrypt and decrypt data. It is known for its speed and efficiency, making it ideal for large volumes of data. Some of the most common methods include:

• AES (Estándar de cifrado avanzado). It is one of the most secure and widely used algorithms. It offers different key sizes (128, 192 and 256 bits) and is resistant to cryptographic attacks.
• DES (Data Encryption Standard). Although older and less secure than AES, it is still used in some applications. It uses a 56-bit key.
• 3DES (Triple DES). It improves the security of DES by applying the algorithm three times with two or three different keys.

Symmetric encryption is efficient, but secure key distribution is a challenge, as both parties must have access to the same key without compromising its security.

Asymmetric encryption methods

Asymmetric encryption uses a pair of keys: a public key and a private key. The public key is used to encrypt the data, while the corresponding private key is used to decrypt it. This method is more secure for data transmission, as the private key is never shared.

• RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman). It is one of the best known and most widely used asymmetric encryption algorithms. It provides high security and is used in applications such as digital signatures and SSL/TLS certificates.
• ECC (criptografía de curva elíptica). It uses elliptic curves to provide a high level of security with smaller keys, making it more efficient in terms of performance and resource usage.

Asymmetric encryption is ideal for secure data transmission, although it is slower than symmetric encryption due to its mathematical complexity. If you want to keep up to date in this sector, we encourage you to access our content→ The 5 cybersecurity trends you need to know. Now that you know the examples of data encryption, it's time to discover its key benefits.

Key benefits of data encryption

Key benefits of database encryption include the following:

Data protection on different devices

Data encryption is an essential measure for protecting data on a variety of devices, including mobile phones, computers and servers. By converting information into a format unreadable to anyone without the decryption key, encryption ensures that sensitive data remains secure, even if the device is lost or stolen. This is especially relevant in a world where cyber-attacks are becoming increasingly common and sophisticated.

Maintaining data integrity

Encrypting data ensures that the information is not altered during storage or transmission. This is crucial to prevent malicious manipulation and to ensure that data remains accurate and reliable. In the context of data transmission, encryption protects information against unauthorised interception and modification. This is especially important in public or unsecured networks, where data may be vulnerable to attack. In addition, encryption helps to detect any tampering with the data, as any changes to the encrypted information will result in unreadable data when decrypted without the correct key.

Data migration to cloud storage

Data encryption is essential for secure data migration to cloud storage. Encrypting information before transferring it to the cloud ensures that data remains protected from unauthorized access during migration. This is especially important because data can be vulnerable to interception and cyberattacks while moving over public or private networks.
In addition, cloud database encryption ensures that only authorized individuals can access the stored information, thus protecting the privacy and confidentiality of sensitive data. This is crucial to comply with data protection regulations, such as the GDPR in Europe, which requires appropriate security measures.

Kartos XTI Watchbots, the Cyber Intelligence and Cybersecurity platform developed by Enthec, allows your organization to proactively, continuously, and in real-time control key aspects for correct data protection and compliance.
Contact us to know how Kartos can help you protect your data.

by Enthec

How to protect yourself amid a wave of cyber-attacks on businesses

Recent waves of next-generation cyberattacks on large organizations have shaken the business world, exposing vulnerabilities and challenging information security.

The reality of recent next-generation cyberattacks

The information on the recent waves of cyberattacks on companies in Spain and worldwide is alarming.
At the end of 2023, 73% of companies worldwide reported a fear of receiving a cyberattack in the following year, an increase of 8% compared to the previous year.
The outlook in Spain is also worrying, as 94% of companies have suffered a cybersecurity incident in the last year. Already in 2022, Spain ranked third globally in terms of cyberattacks.
Recent next-generation cyberattacks are sophisticated, targeted, and persistent. They use advanced techniques to bypass traditional security systems and cause significant damage.
These attacks are not limited to small and medium-sized companies with less protection capacity, but large organizations are also proving to be vulnerable targets.
Attackers use techniques such as targeted phishing, ransomware, and brute force attacks to penetrate enterprise networks, as well as zero-day vulnerabilities and security flaws unknown to the public and the software manufacturer.
These techniques are effective because they use the latest technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence or machine learning, in the design and execution of cyberattacks.
The impact of these recent cyberattacks is not limited to the short term and, sometimes, endangers the business's survival in the medium term. Immediate damage includes loss of sensitive data, disruption of business operations and services, damage to the company's reputation, and the cost of recovery.

Sectors most affected by the waves of cyberattacks on companies

In Spain, according to data provided by INCIBE, in 2023 the sectors most affected by cyberattacks were:

• Industrial sector: Spain is the fourth country in Europe with the most cyberattacks against the industrial sector, and attacks are expected to continue increasing and affecting new subsectors such as agriculture or livestock in their most digitized production phases.
• Healthcare sector: According to ENISA data, Spain ranks second in episodes of cybersecurity attacks in the healthcare sector in Europe, with 25 incidents recorded between 2021 and 2023.
• Financial sector: The financial sector maintained 25% of cyberattacks recorded in 2022 and 2023, which is a stable trend compared to other sectors.
• Transportation sector: This sector has also accumulated more than 25% of cyberattacks in 2023.
• Energy sector: the energy sector has exceeded 22% of cyberattacks in 2023, making it a sector in the spotlight due to the importance of its services.
• Insurance sector: The insurance sector is another sector most affected by cyberattacks. Last year, 94% of Spanish insurance companies suffered at least one serious cybersecurity incident.
• Telecommunications and technology: 18.3% of the incidents managed in 2023 were related to this sector.
• Public Administrations: Public Administrations are in the crosshairs of cybercrime due to the large amount of sensitive data they handle and their importance in the hectic global socio-political environment.
• SMBs: SMBs continue to register a significant number of cyberattacks, and their strategy is based on the cumulative benefit of the success of a large number of lower-yielding attacks.

These data do not differ much from those provided by ENISA for the European Union. The increase in cyberattacks on the European financial sector and the health sector so far this year is noteworthy.

Why are there more and more cases of successful cyberattacks on companies?

The frequency of different types of cyberattacks worldwide has increased significantly in recent years.

Specifically, in Spain, according to the 2023 Annual National Security Report, CCN-CERT managed 107,777 incidents, Incibe, 83,517 incidents, and ESDF-CERT, 1,480 incidents in 2023. This represents a significant increase compared to previous years. In 2018, INCIBE reported 102,414 incidents, representing a 15% increase in the frequency of cyberattacks on companies in just five years.
Among the main causes of the success of the recent waves of cyberattacks are:

• Lack of risk perception. Many companies, especially small and medium-sized ones, do not have a clear perception of the risks they run and do not bother to adopt a true cybersecurity strategy.
• Vulnerabilities in hardware and software. Devices used by employees and systems critical to the operation of companies are vulnerable to attacks and are the main point of entry in 18% of cases.
• Cybersecurity culture. The lack of a cybersecurity culture among workers and collaborators leads to errors and vulnerabilities that cybercriminals can exploit. Keeping staff and collaborators up to date with the latest developments and trends in cybersecurity means reducing the chances of success of social engineering techniques and reinforcing the protection of systems.
• Lack of proactive approach to cybersecurity. Data stolen in cyberattacks or leaked by security breaches often ends up on black markets, on the Dark Web, or the Deep Web, where it is sold to other criminals for various illicit purposes, such as designing new cyberattacks. Implementing a proactive approach to corporate cybersecurity allows you to locate data and breaches before they can be used to attack the organization
• Operations by notoriety. Cybercriminal groups operate by notoriety and feed off each other with increasingly complicated challenges to expose the security of large organizations. The increase in cyberattacks is driven by the growing notoriety of attacks and feedback among cybercriminals. This has led to an increased frequency and severity of recent cyberattacks and the peculiarity that they are executed in what appear to be planned waves.

The lack of investment in cybersecurity

Of all the causes of the success of recent cyberattacks on any company, one triggers the rest and forms the basis of this: companies lack a real and solid culture of investment in cybersecurity.

Corporate cybersecurity strategies and tools require planned and continuous investment that responds to the objectives of permanent updating and incorporation of the latest technologies and the most evolved solutions.
To prevent attacks from succeeding, it is urgent that organizations incorporate into their investment culture the idea that they must be one step ahead of cybercriminals in technological updating and evolution as a foundation for business continuity and growth.
It is enough to compare what an organization may consider a high expenditure on cybersecurity with the value of its databases, industrial and intellectual properties, liquid assets, products and services, brand, the trust of customers, partners and investors, or the cost of an erroneous risk calculation, among other things, to visualize that it constitutes a profitable investment in the business.
In the current scenario, providing the corporate cybersecurity strategy with the most advanced technologies is not an option for organizations, but a necessity.
Cybercriminals quickly incorporate every technological innovation into the design and execution of their cyberattacks. Combating this growing and limitless sophistication with outdated tools or solutions not based on the latest technologies is impossible.

Actions to prevent cyberattacks on companies

Protecting yourself to avoid cyberattacks or minimising their consequences involves changing the traditional approach to cybersecurity and adopting one that goes beyond barrier protection with strategies such as:

Proactive Cybersecurity

In today's increasingly sophisticated cyberattack scenario, staying one step ahead is the only way to prevent them.

A proactive approach to cybersecurity involves anticipating threats before they occur. Instead of reacting to security incidents after they happen, a proactive approach seeks to prevent them.
This includes identifying system vulnerabilities in cybersecurity, implementing preventative measures, and ongoing staff training. Therefore, it involves using advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence to detect anomalous patterns, conducting penetration tests to discover weaknesses, and creating an incident response plan.
A proactive approach also involves keeping up with the latest trends and threats in cybersecurity and constant commitment from the organization to protecting its digital assets.

Third-party risk management

Due to the current scenario of interconnection between companies, a corporate cybersecurity strategy that does not include its third parties in the monitored and controlled attack surface is a failed strategy. Third-party risk management ensures that relationships with third parties do not compromise the organization's security.
This third-party risk management involves assessing and mitigating the risks associated with interacting with suppliers, partners, and other third parties. It includes access to sensitive data, systems integration, and reliance on critical services.
Organizations should conduct security audits, review third-party cybersecurity policies, and establish service-level agreements. However, it is crucial that the organization has state-of-the-art cybersecurity solutions that allow it to control and manage third-party risk continuously and in real-time for the duration of the business relationship.
NIS 2, the European Cybersecurity Directive that comes into force in 2024, elevates third-party risk management to a mandatory requirement for companies in critical or important sectors for the EU.

Locating Leaked Credentials

The location and identification of leaked credentials and passwords is essential to prevent the theft of data and critical information, as well as the execution of attacks that use social engineering techniques.
Detecting these breaches allows organizations to take steps to protect themselves, change compromised passwords, and strengthen their security policies. In addition, it helps identify patterns in leaks, which is useful to prevent future incidents.

Address the challenges of cyberattacks on businesses in the digital age with Kartos

Our Kartos by Enthec Cyber Intelligence platform enables organizations to implement a proactive cybersecurity approach based on detecting open breaches and vulnerabilities exposed for override before they are used to carry out a cyberattack.
Kartos XTI Watchbots continuously and automatically monitors the external attack surface of organizations to locate exposed vulnerabilities of organizations and their third parties.
In addition, Kartos uses self-developed Artificial Intelligence to ensure the elimination of false positives in search results.
To learn more about how Kartos by Enthec helps your organization protect against a wave of cyberattacks on companies, discover our solutions or contact us here.

by Enthec

Guidance on cyber security patch management

by Enthec

Threat hunting: 3 reasons why it is necessary to have it

Threat hunting is a proactive protection practice against advanced threats that is essential to maintain the integrity and security of an organisation's systems and data. Below we explain in more detail what threat hunting is and the relevance of implementing it in organisations.

What is Threat hunting?

Threat hunting is a proactive process of searching for and detecting cyber threats capable of evading traditional security defences. Unlike reactive methods that rely on automated alerts, threat hunting involves actively searching for suspicious or malicious activity within the system or network, both internally and externally. The primary goal of threat hunting is to identify, mitigate or nullify advanced threats before they can cause significant damage. This includes the detection of advanced persistent attacks (APTs), malware, exposed vulnerabilities and other risk factors that may not be detected by conventional security tools.

Threat hunting methodology

Now that you know exactly what Threat hunting is, it is essential that you discover its methodology. This process generally follows an iterative cycle that includes the following phases:

1. Hypothesis. Threat hunting starts with the formulation of threat hypotheses based on threat intelligence, behavioural analysis and knowledge of the environment.
2. Data collection. Data is collected from a variety of sources, such as event logs, network monitoring, and endpoint data.
3. Analysis. The collected data is analysed for unusual patterns or indicators of compromise (IoCs).
4. Research. If suspicious activity is identified, further investigation is carried out to determine the nature and extent of the threat.
5. Response. If a threat is confirmed, measures are taken to contain, nullify or mitigate the impact.

Threat hunting uses a variety of tools and techniques including:

• Intrusion detection systems (IDS): to monitor and analyse network traffic for suspicious activity.
• Log and behavioural analysis: to review and correlate events recorded in different systems and identify deviations in the normal behaviour of users and systems.
• Threat intelligence: to obtain information on open breaches and exposed vulnerabilities on the web, dark web, deep web and social networks.

How to do Threat hunting: steps to follow

To carry out threat hunting effectively, the following key steps are necessary:

1. Define objectives and strategy. Determine what you want to achieve, identify advanced threats or improve incident detection and develop a strategy containing the necessary resources, tools to be used and procedures to be followed.
2. Form a Threat hunting team. The team must have experience in cyber security and data analysis, and it is essential that they are constantly updated on the latest threats and techniques.
3. Collect and analyse data. Compilation through event logs, network traffic and Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), automated Cyber Intelligence platforms...
4. Formulate the hypotheses. Based on threat intelligence and behavioural analysis, hypotheses about possible threats are formulated and steps are defined to investigate each hypothesis.
5. Execute the hunt. Active searches of collected data are conducted to identify suspicious activity. If indications of a threat are found, further investigation is conducted to confirm the nature and extent.
6. Respond and mitigate. When a threat is confirmed, measures are taken to contain, nullify or mitigate its impact.
7. Documentation and reporting. All findings and actions taken are documented and reports are provided to senior management and cyber security managers to improve defences and security strategies.

What is needed to start threat hunting?

To implement an effective Threat Hunting programme, it is necessary to prepare and organise several key components that will ensure its success. These fundamental elements include proper team selection, collection and analysis of relevant data, and integration of threat intelligence.

Human capital

Selecting the right threat hunting team is crucial to the success of the strategy. A threat hunting team should bring together a combination of technical skills, practical experience and the ability to work as a team. The threat hunting team should be composed of professionals with backgrounds in cyber security, data analysis, attacker techniques and procedures, with official certifications such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) or GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH) and, if possible, extensive hands-on experience. The team must be able to work collaboratively and communicate their findings effectively to other departments and senior management. They should be continuously updated on cybersecurity and threats.

Data

To initiate threat hunting, it is essential to collect and analyse a variety of data that can provide indications of suspicious or malicious activity. This data should be extracted from event logs, such as system or security logs; network traffic, such as packet captures or network flows; endpoint data, such as activity logs or sensor data; threat intelligence, such as indicators of compromise or information gathered from monitoring external sources; user data, such as authentication logs or behavioural analysis; and data on exposed vulnerabilities and open breaches extracted from scans of the organisation's internal and external attack surfaces.

Threat Intelligence

Threat Intelligence focuses on the collection, analysis and utilisation of information about potential and current threats that may affect the security of an organisation. It provides detailed insight into malicious actors, their tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs), as well as exposed vulnerabilities and open security holes that can be exploited to execute an attack. For threat hunting, threat intelligence acts as a solid foundation that guides the team in identifying and mitigating risks. By having access to up-to-date and accurate threat information, threat hunting professionals can anticipate and detect suspicious activity before it becomes a security incident. In addition, Threat Intelligence allows prioritisation of countermeasure efforts, focusing on the most relevant and immediate threats to the organisation.
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

Outstanding features and benefits of Threat hunting

Threat hunting offers a number of key features and advantages that distinguish it from traditional security practices. The most relevant of these are highlighted below:

Proactive and immediate approach

Unlike traditional security methods that tend to be reactive, threat hunting empowers organisations to anticipate threats before they materialise. This proactive approach involves actively looking for signs of malicious activity rather than waiting for incidents to occur. By taking an immediate approach, threat hunting professionals can identify and neutralise threats in real time, minimising the potential impact on the organisation. This not only reduces incident response time, but also improves the organisation's ability to prevent future attacks. In addition, the proactive approach allows organisations to stay one step ahead of attackers by quickly adapting to new tactics and techniques used by malicious actors. You may be interested in→ Proactive security: what is it and why use it to prevent and detect threats and cyberattacks?

Continuous improvement

Threat hunting enables organisations to constantly evolve and adapt to new threats and tactics employed by malicious actors. Through threat hunting, security teams can identify patterns and trends in threats, allowing them to continuously adjust and improve their defence strategies. Continuous improvement involves a constant feedback loop, where threat hunting findings are used to refine security policies, update detection tools and techniques, and train staff on new defence tactics. This process not only strengthens the organisation's security posture, but also increases resilience to future attacks.

High adaptability

Through threat hunting, organisations can quickly adjust their defence strategies in response to emerging threats and the changing tactics of cyber attackers. Adaptability in threat hunting involves the ability to continuously modify and update the tools, techniques and procedures used to detect and mitigate threats. Thanks to this adaptability, security teams can respond more effectively to new challenges and vulnerabilities that emerge in the cyber security landscape. In addition, adaptability enables organisations to integrate new technologies and methodologies into their defence processes, thereby improving their ability to protect their critical assets.

Types of threat hunting according to need

To effectively address Threat Hunting, organisations can adopt a variety of models depending on their specific needs and the context in which they operate. Each Threat Hunting model offers a different approach to identifying and mitigating threats, adapting to different aspects of the security environment and protection objectives.

Intelligence models

These models focus on identifying cyber threats using Cyber Threat Intelligence. They enable organisations to identify suspicious activities and patterns of behaviour that could indicate the presence of malicious actors, as well as exposed vulnerabilities and open gaps in the network using indicators of compromise obtained from threat intelligence sources. They respond to the organisation's need to detect, monitor and understand threats at its external perimeter in order to neutralise them or respond effectively to their use by cyber criminals.

Hypothesis models

These models focus on the formulation of hypotheses about possible cyber threats. They rely on the knowledge and experience of security analysts to develop feasible assumptions about possible attacks and how they could be executed, as well as the vulnerabilities that could be exploited. They respond to the organisation's need to anticipate any type of threat and to proactively adapt to new threats as they emerge.

Personal models

These are advanced models that are tailored to the specific needs of an organisation. They are based on in-depth knowledge of the corporate environment, weaknesses and particular requirements, and use the organisation's own data and patterns to identify potential threats. They respond to the needs to detect specific threats, to adapt the strategy to its infrastructure and operations, and to optimise organisational resources. These models can be run through human teams, advanced Cyber Intelligence platforms that allow customisation of searches, or a combination of both.

Find out how Kartos by Enthec helps you in your Threat hunting strategy.

Kartos is the Cyber Intelligence platform developed by Enthec that allows you to develop a Threat hunting strategy in your organisation thanks to its capacity for continuous, automated and customisable monitoring of the internet, the deep web, the dark web and social networks in search of exposed vulnerabilities and open corporate breaches. Thanks to its self-developed AI, Kartos XTI is the only cyber intelligence platform that eliminates false positives in search results, thus ensuring the usefulness of the information provided to disable latent threats and vulnerabilities. In addition, Kartos by Enthec issues real-time alerts, sends constantly updated data and develops reports on its findings. Contact us to learn more about our Threat Intelligence solutions and licenses and how Kartos by Enthec can help your organisation implement an effective threat hunting strategy.

by Enthec

The role of cyber-intelligence in preventing digital fraud

by Enthec