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NordLayer feature release: Cloud Firewall

NordLayer released one of the biggest product updates this year, a cloud-based Firewall as a Service (FWaaS) solution. The new capability is one of the fundamental components of Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and Security Service Edge (SSE) frameworks. 

The Cloud Firewall enables organizations to create new workflows with granular access control and to make existing business processes more secure. A unique new feature works at the Gateway level to improve the robust NordLayer security offering, especially when combined with a dedicated server or servers.

Feature characteristics: what to expect

  • Available for Premium plan subscribers

  • Effortless setup and compatibility with cloud infrastructure

  • Compatible with virtual private gateways configured on the NordLayer Control Panel

Problem to solve: Cloud Firewall (FWaaS) reduces the need for onsite appliances and instead administers security from the cloud to every endpoint.

How it works?

Cloud Firewall integrates into your company’s infrastructure with a few clicks. Network security as a cloud service provides companies with easy deployment, maintenance, and scalability. Our cloud-based firewall reduces the need for onsite appliances and instead administers security from the cloud to every endpoint.

Businesses can customize Cloud Firewall to specific security requirements based on their needs. The service reinforces resource access protection across remote, hybrid, and on-site environments.

Cloud Firewall rules apply to the organization unit defined by the Admin (member, group of members, team, or few teams at once) during the connection to the organization’s Virtual Private Gateway. Hence, based on the rule priority, every user can operate only within their network perimeter that is allowed and defined by their organization owner.

Cloud Firewall offers simple scalability, seamless and cost-effective deployment, and intuitive use instead of requiring hardware to get the benefits of a traditional firewall.

Solving a key challenge

Hardware firewall provides protection strictly within the company perimeter, like the headquarters or branch office where the appliance is physically installed. Cloud firewall extends security scope to hybrid company environments, whether it’s a physical location or a cloud.

NordLayer Cloud Firewall allows organization owners to create rules for their preferred virtual private gateway. Select Allow or Deny internet access to destinations defined within a set of rules. This configuration applies to members connected to the company’s virtual private gateway.

Using Cloud Firewall rules, organization owner defines who can access organization’s cloud resources over the internet based on the following criteria:

  • Traffic source: any member or team accessing the virtual private gateway

  • Destination: traffic routed through allowlisted IPs or subnets

  • Services: traffic is routed via specific protocols or ports

By integrating this service, IT admins can reduce the need for hardware appliances and centralize security inspection to a single cloud-based Control Panel. Detached from a single location and physicality, Cloud Firewall is easier to operate, configure, maintain and implement changes on the spot.

Security by design

The Firewall as a Service is a unique NordLayer portfolio component heavily backing up the product development direction. SSE and Zero Trust practices can be delivered with even better network security practices to NordLayer users utilizing FWaaS.

NordLayer’s Cloud Firewall solution can only be configured and used together with a Virtual Private Gateway and a dedicated server. The Cloud Firewall works in tandem with our other security solutions, such as ThreatBlock, DNS filtering by category, and Deep Packet Inspection (Lite), offering robust multi-layered network protection.

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About NordLayer
NordLayer is an adaptive network access security solution for modern businesses – from the world’s most trusted cybersecurity brand, Nord Security.

The web has become a chaotic space where safety and trust have been compromised by cybercrime and data protection issues. Therefore, our team has a global mission to shape a more trusted and peaceful online future for people everywhere.

How to find Exim mail servers on your network

On September 27th, Trend Micro’s Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) published details of a critical zero-day vulnerability that allows an unauthenticated attacker the ability to remotely execute arbitrary code within the context of an Exim SMTP service account.
In addition, ZDI disclosed five additional zero-day vulnerabilities with lower severity rankings: 

What is Exim Mail?

Exim mail is an open source, message transfer agent (MTA) that runs on Unix/Linux operating systems. Exim is also the default MTA configured on Debian Linux distributions.

Are updates available?

Recently, maintainers of the Exim mail server issued a 4.96.1 patch that appears to resolve four of the six vulnerabilities listed above. Although the maintainers are still working to resolve the remaining vulnerabilities,
if you are running Exim mail servers on your network, you should apply the security patch immediately.

How do I find potentially vulnerable Exim mail servers with runZero?

A Shodan search showed nearly 3.5 million Exim servers exposed to the internet. Their accessibility makes these mail transfer agents targets for attackers.

With runZero, you can find Exim mail servers in your inventory with this pre-built query. This query searches for any live asset that has the exim product exposed over SMTP.

product:exim

As always, any prebuilt queries are available from your runZero console. Check out the documentation for other useful inventory queries.

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About runZero
runZero, a network discovery and asset inventory solution, was founded in 2018 by HD Moore, the creator of Metasploit. HD envisioned a modern active discovery solution that could find and identify everything on a network–without credentials. As a security researcher and penetration tester, he often employed benign ways to get information leaks and piece them together to build device profiles. Eventually, this work led him to leverage applied research and the discovery techniques developed for security and penetration testing to create runZero.

Starmus announces Jean-Michel Jarre and The Offspring as new star signings for Starmus VII

  • Jean-Michel Jarre, The Offspring to headline the Starmus festival in Bratislava, Slovakia from 12-17 May 2024
  • Tony Hadley to appear as a special guest
  • New keynote speakers added, including Chris Hatfield, Robin Ince, Gary Marcus, Neil Lawrence, Phillip Torr, Roeland Nusselder, Svitlana Krakovska and Dr. Sylvia Earle

BRATISLAVA — October 11, 2023 — Jean-Michel Jarre and The Offspring will headline the seventh edition of the Starmus Festival – focused on the future of our home planet. They will be joined by Tony Hadley, former lead singer of the British pop icon from the 80s Spandau Ballet. Brainchild of Garik Israelian and Queen guitarist Sir Brian May, the festival of science communication will be brought to global audiences thanks to a partnership with cybersecurity giant ESET on 12-17 May 2024 in Bratislava, Slovakia. The event promises to deliver an extraordinary lineup of world-class speakers, discussions and music performances. Throughout the multi-day event, festival goers will have the opportunity to enjoy numerous talks, delving into diverse topics such as astrophysics, computer science, neuroscience, microbiology, and biochemistry.

New keynote speakers announced

The astronaut and engineer Chris Hadfield, the scientist and leading voice in AI Gary Marcus; the Cambridge DeepMind Professor of Machine Learning Neil Lawrence; the SLAM Oxford Professor Philip Torr; the computer scientist and co-founder and CEO of Plumerai Roeland Nusselder; the popular British multi-talented comedian, broadcaster and author Robin Ince; the Ukranian climate scientist Svitlana Krakovska and the legendary oceanographer and chairman of Mission Blue/Sylvia Earle Alliance Dr. Sylvia Earle are the latest talents joining Starmus VII unique panel of speakers (access full list here).  

A stellar faculty for the School of Astrophotography 

The Astrophotography School, organised by former senior editor of Astronomy Magazine, Michael E. Bakich, is a traditional side-event of the Starmus festival. Led by three of the world’s best astroimagers: Damian A. Peach, Chris Schur and Martin Ratcliffe, 2024 edition will offer a unique occasion for astrophotography enthusiasts to take pictures of celestial objects and enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience. 

At its core, the Starmus festival embodies ESET’s unwavering dedication to safeguarding the progress that technology enables. With over 30 years of experience in cyber-threats and digital security, ESET has firmly established itself as a research-first company. At home, ESET demonstrates its dedication to science through the ESET Science Award, an annual celebration that recognizes outstanding achievements in Slovak science. Joining forces with the Starmus Festival, therefore, represents the company’s natural ambition to promote the power of science among local and global audiences.

“We are thrilled to partner with Starmus, a celebration where science and music harmonize to inspire innovation and curiosity. ESET stands at the intersection of research and security, working to joining them and ensure that the digital landscape remains both trustworthy and protected,” said Richard Marko, CEO at ESET. “In our ever-evolving digital landscape, it is crucial to not only protect technology but also to foster a deep appreciation for the scientific achievements that drive progress. This festival serves as a platform to celebrate these accomplishments and inspire future leaders in both fields.”

Garik Israelian, astrophysicist and Starmus founding director, explained, “Science is a pathway to curiosity, a bridge to understanding, and a beacon of endless possibilities. Embracing science means embracing the future—it nurtures critical thinking and fuels innovation. In a rapidly evolving world, scientific knowledge empowers us to make informed decisions, question the unknown, and shape a brighter tomorrow. With the Starmus Festival, we aim to inspire people to explore, discover, and believe in the extraordinary potential that lies within the realms of science.”

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About ESET
For 30 years, ESET® has been developing industry-leading IT security software and services for businesses and consumers worldwide. With solutions ranging from endpoint security to encryption and two-factor authentication, ESET’s high-performing, easy-to-use products give individuals and businesses the peace of mind to enjoy the full potential of their technology. ESET unobtrusively protects and monitors 24/7, updating defenses in real time to keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. Evolving threats require an evolving IT security company. Backed by R&D facilities worldwide, ESET became the first IT security company to earn 100 Virus Bulletin VB100 awards, identifying every single “in-the-wild” malware without interruption since 2003.

Downsizing in 2023: Transformation into an era of job stability

In a world increasingly dominated by technology, tech companies have faced financial challenges on a number of times.

Microsoft.

Everybody knows it, right?

It has again made the headlines due to its decision to downsize, adding a new wave of layoffs to the approximately 10,000 employees who were terminated earlier in the year.

While sales department layoffs are common when companies are looking to reduce their costs, it’s not the only department affected:

Hiring, marketing, and customer service functions also often bear the brunt when the revenue becomes uncertain.

A clear example of this trend was evidenced in Crunchbase, a business data platform.

After announcing its recent downsizing, it was possible to see in a spreadsheet the departments in which the startup considered that they could cut some expenses:

  • Sales
  • Customer service
  • Marketing
  • Hiring
  • Even Crunchbase News, a team that encouraged the dissemination of relevant news, was affected by this decision

It is worth mentioning that the situation is personal for some, such as those who participated in the construction of the team while working in the company and still retain shares of the company.

*We will call them “Martyrs”.

Despite this seemingly ingrained trend, the landscape of tech layoffs is showing signs of change.

A detailed analysis of Layoffs.fyi, a database that tracks downsizing in the tech sector, reveals an interesting trend in the making.

Since the peak of layoffs in January 2023, the number of tech workers affected by them has been steadily decreasing.

This suggests that companies are finding new approaches to maintaining financial stability while retaining the talent that drives innovation in the sector.

*Good thing someone cares, right?

As we move into this era of constant technological transformation, the future of tech layoffs looks uncertain.

Will companies be able to find a balance between the need to adjust expenses and talent preservation?

Will layoffs become a less frequent measure?

These questions will remain at the heart of the debate as companies seek to adapt to an ever-changing environment and strive to ensure a sustainable future for both their businesses and their employees.

Impact of layoffs in the technology sector during 2023

As we get through the year 2023, the tech sector has witnessed a significant trend when it comes to the number of workers laid off.

Analyzing the figures collected on Layoffs.fyi, it is clear that the beginning of the year was gloomy for many employees in the industry.

During the month of January, a staggering total of 89,554 workers were unemployed due to adjustments made by different companies.

However, the figures began to show signs of change in February, when the number of layoffs dropped noticeably to 40,011.

This decrease continued in March, with a total of 37,823 employees affected by the downsizes in that month.

The month of April brought with it a new decrease in layoffs, standing at 19,864 workers.

As we moved towards the end of the year, the downward curve continued, reaching 14,858 layoffs in May and falling further to 10,524 in June.

These figures reflect a positive change in the trend of technology layoffs throughout the year.

It seems that companies have been looking for other alternatives to keep their operations in the midst of economic difficulties.

*Minipoint for companies.

The steady decline in layoffs suggests that companies are adopting a more cautious and strategic approach to adjust their costs, rather than resorting to mass layoffs as a first option.

This outlook could be a sign that tech companies are adapting to an ever-changing environment, finding more sustainable ways to manage their human resources.

In addition, the reduction in layoffs may be a response to the growing awareness of the importance of talent and innovation in the development of the technology sector.

As we head into the second half of the year, it will be interesting to see how this trend evolves.

Will the decrease in technological layoffs continue, or will there be unforeseen factors that can reverse this positive trend?

The future remains uncertain, but data suggests that the tech sector has learned its lessons from the past and is seeking a more stable and balanced future for its employees and their sustainable growth.

Conclusions: New management era. Reduction of layoffs in the technological field

The era of technological layoffs has undergone a significant transformation over the course of the year 2023.

Although the beginning of the year was characterized by a worrying number of dismissed workers, the figures have shown a constant decrease in the subsequent months.

This change in trend suggests that tech companies are rethinking their approach to reducing costs and managing their human resources.

Traditionally, layoffs in the tech sector have impacted departments such as sales, marketing, hiring, and customer support.

*Wow, always marketing, ALWAYS! KEEP IT UP, COMRADES!
**I’m marketing 🙁

However, this practice seems to be giving way to a mindset more focused on retaining talent and preserving innovation.

Companies may be recognizing the strategic value of having highly skilled and engaged employees in a highly competitive environment.

Layoffs.fyi’s analysis has provided valuable insights into the evolution of the employment situation in the technology sector.

The sustained decline in layoffs from January to June has been encouraging and has raised the question of whether companies are taking more balanced and responsible approaches to addressing economic challenges.

The new era of job stability in the technology sector represents not only a change in management practices, but also an opportunity for companies to redesign their vision for the future.

Prioritizing talent investment and fostering a business culture that values creativity and collaboration can be the key to maintaining a competitive edge in an ever-changing tech world.

However, the future remains uncertain, and it is possible that economic conditions and other unforeseen factors could alter this positive trend.

It is critical that companies continue to be agile and flexible in their approach to adapting to changing circumstances.

*Please, tech companies, don’t be so cold towards your employees.

El equipo de redacción de Pandora FMS está formado por un conjunto de escritores y profesionales de las TI con una cosa en común: su pasión por la monitorización de sistemas informáticos.

Pandora FMS’s editorial team is made up of a group of writers and IT professionals with one thing in common: their passion for computer system monitoring.

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About PandoraFMS
Pandora FMS is a flexible monitoring system, capable of monitoring devices, infrastructures, applications, services and business processes.
Of course, one of the things that Pandora FMS can control is the hard disks of your computers.

Keepit Recognized for Risk Management Innovation in 2023 CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards Program

Prestigious International Awards Program Honors Outstanding Information Security Products and Companies 

LOS ANGELES, Calif., Oct. 5, 2023 – CyberSecurity Breakthrough, a leading independent market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global information security market, today announced that Keepit, the market leader in cloud data protection and management, has been selected as winner of the “Overall Risk Management Solution Provider of the Year” award in the 7th annual CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards program. 

 

Keepit’s breakthrough cloud protection for Azure AD helps businesses back up and recover critical identity and application objects in the cloud that are not protected by Microsoft. Coverage of Azure AD cloud objects include: Users, Groups, Roles, App Registrations, Enterprise apps, BitLocker Recovery Keys, Sign-In Logs and more. 

 

Keepit keeps customer data in a separate, dedicated infrastructure, with the backed-up stored data fully isolated from the SaaS vendor’s cloud. Customer data is held in two separate physical data centers across six regions worldwide. 

 

 Utilizing the Keepit platform, it takes only moments to backup Azure AD and requires virtually no training or administration to operate. Recovery of data is fast, precise, and granular. Keepit provides the highest security standards as the platform is built on unique architecture which keeps data and metadata immutable and ensures compliance. In anticipation of future cyber resilience standards and requirements, Keepit is evolving into a comprehensive platform to support all SaaS application data types. 

 

“Azure AD is the brain to the Microsoft 365 body, but it also sees 50 million password attacks per day. Our protection helps users access and recover business-critical identity and access management objects when they need it,” said Frederik Schouboe, co-CEO and co-founder of Keepit. “It’s an honor to receive this recognition from CyberSecurity Breakthrough. We’re committed to providing fine-grained, incremental coverage that protects against any size incident with unmatched ease of use, minimizing downtime and serving as a solution that organizations rely on to protect their cloud-based data.” 

 

The mission of the CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards is to honor excellence and recognize the innovation, hard work and success in a range of information security categories, including Cloud Security, Threat Detection, Risk Management, Fraud Prevention, Mobile Security, Email Security and many more. This year’s program attracted thousands of nominations from over 20 different countries throughout the world.  

 

“Azure AD is the heart of an organization’s IT, serving as one place for managing user identities and permissions – making it a prime target for hackers,” said Steve Johansson, managing director, CyberSecurity Breakthrough. “Keepit addressing this head-on with a breakthrough solution that allows companies to close critical gaps in their cloud security strategy that they haven’t been able to close properly up until now. We extend our sincere congratulations to Keepit for bringing home the 2023 CyberSecurity Award for “Overall Risk Management Solution Provider of the Year!’” 

 

In addition to Azure AD, Keepit offers unrivaled backup and recovery for Microsoft 365, Dynamics, Power Platform, Azure DevOps, Google Workspace, Salesforce, and Zendesk. 

About CyberSecurity Breakthrough

Part of Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in information security and cybersecurity technology companies, products and people. The CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards provide a platform for public recognition around the achievements of breakthrough information security companies and products in categories including Cloud Security, Threat Detection, Risk Management, Fraud Prevention, Mobile Security, Web and Email Security, UTM, Firewall and more. For more information visit CyberSecurityBreakthrough.com. 

Tech Breakthrough LLC does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our recognition programs, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with award designations. Tech Breakthrough LLC recognition consists of the opinions of the Tech Breakthrough LLC organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Tech Breakthrough LLC disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this recognition program, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Version 2 Digital

Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About Keepit
At Keepit, we believe in a digital future where all software is delivered as a service. Keepit’s mission is to protect data in the cloud Keepit is a software company specializing in Cloud-to-Cloud data backup and recovery. Deriving from +20 year experience in building best-in-class data protection and hosting services, Keepit is pioneering the way to secure and protect cloud data at scale.

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