NEC XON leverages Tenable Gold Partnership to strengthen identity security, exposure management

Armand Kruger, Head of Cyber Security at NEC XON.

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In response to the escalating frequency and sophistication of ransomware attacks and identity-based cyber threats, NEC XON, which positions itself as a leading pan-African cyber security solutions provider, is maximising its Tenable Gold Partnership to fortify identity security and exposure management for its clients.

According to the 2022 Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report, ransomware attacks have doubled in recent years, contributing to 10% of all breaches. Additionally, a staggering 82% of breaches are initiated through the "human element", including social engineering and stolen credentials. As attackers increasingly exploit valid credentials to infiltrate enterprise networks undetected, CISOs are placing identity security at the forefront of their cyber security priorities.

"Identity security coverage must extend beyond initial authentication and access control," said Armand Kruger, NEC XON Head of Cyber Security. "It should encompass all identity aspects, including credentials, privileges, entitlements and the systems managing them. This comprehensive visibility is crucial to identifying exposures and detecting potential attacks."

With a focus on an identity-centric strategy, NEC XON recognises the ever-changing nature of environments and the continuous addition of new identities for various functions, from executives to critical business-centric service accounts. Digital transformation is heavily reliant on identities, as most software as a service (SaaS) services are inherently identity-centric.

To address these challenges, NEC XON emphasises Identity Threat Detection & Response (ITDR) as an integral component of its strategy. ITDR takes a complete approach to identify, respond to and mitigate security threats linked to user identity and access. The framework establishes stringent controls and monitoring mechanisms to safeguard sensitive information.

"Tenable Identity Exposure, a fast and agentless Active Directory security solution, plays a pivotal role in our ITDR approach," stated Kruger. "By proactively identifying vulnerable identities and attack paths within complex Active Directory environments, organisations can reduce risk and neutralise potential attack vectors before adversaries exploit them.”

He points out that one of the most concerning trends observed by NEC XON is the abuse of identities in various incident response scenarios. Threat actors now engage in "credential trading", where stolen credentials are traded on internet marketplaces based on their context, including privileges, freshness and associated company. This burgeoning digital cyber economy highlights the criticality of protecting identities and mitigating identity-based risks.

NEC XON's commitment to helping organisations safeguard their environments involves identifying potential attack paths, evaluating business risks linked to stolen credentials and offering tailored solutions and services to eliminate cyber risks effectively.

"Our Tenable Gold Partnership empowers us to provide cutting-edge solutions for identity security and exposure management," concluded Kruger. "Through close collaboration with Tenable, we aim to equip our clients with the necessary tools and expertise to defend against modern cyber threats."