Considerations for Safeguarding Third-Party Privileged Access

If you’re like most organisations today, you frequently grant third-party access to internal networks and systems. This practice isn’t uncommon; it’s essential. By embracing various forms of third-party access, enterprises enhance collaboration, outsourcing, and service provision.

For instance:

Vendor access involves granting third-party access to external service providers.

Partner access enables collaboration with external entities

Customer access allows third-party access for clients to interact with enterprise systems.

Cloud service providers host data and applications, and

Consultant or contractor access is provided for project-specific expertise or services.

Risks Posed by Third-Party Vendor Access

In the contemporary digital landscape, third-party entities have emerged as prime targets for threat actors. This shift in focus towards third parties is driven by the realisation that compromising these external entities provides a strategic advantage.

According to the Verizon 2022 Data Breach Investigations Report, 62 percent of all data breaches happen via third-party vendors.

One of the primary tactics employed by attackers involves infiltrating the supply chain. Cybercriminals recognise that compromising one of the entities can allow access to a network of interconnected systems. This is particularly concerning as it introduces a vector of attack less heavily fortified than the primary target.

Moreover, the compromised third party serves as a convenient launching pad for subsequent attacks against more valuable targets. This technique is often called “island hopping,” where attackers navigate through a network, leveraging compromised systems to move closer to high-value assets.

The use of a third party as an intermediary not only obscures the origin of the attack but also adds a layer of complexity for defenders trying to trace and mitigate the threat. In fact, per the IBM and the Ponemon Institute report, on average, a company takes 277 days to identify and contain a third-party data breach.

Recent Cyberattacks Associated with Third-party Access

Here are a couple of examples of cybersecurity incidents in recent times involving third parties.

Notable e-commerce players

In 2020, a significant data breach affected major e-commerce platforms, including Amazon, eBay, Shopify, and PayPal. The breach involved the exposure of a third-party database containing around eight million online shopping transactions in the UK, which was subsequently published online.

It’s worth noting that this isn’t the first instance of Amazon encountering security issues related to third-party incidents. In 2017, unauthorised access occurred through third-party vendors associated with Amazon, where attackers utilised their credentials to carry out malicious activities within the system.

General Electric (GE) Data Breach

In the year 2020, General Electric (GE) disclosed a data breach attributed to a breach in security by one of its service providers. The compromise originated from a hacked email account, leading to the public disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to both current and former GE beneficiaries and employees.

Organisations must have measures in place to secure third-party access. But before we dive into that, let us first discuss the….

Frequent Challenges in Securing Third Party Access

Dependence on Third Parties:

Many organizations work with third parties that have experienced security breaches. This reliance introduces vulnerabilities, as a compromise in a vendor’s security measures can have cascading effects on the entire ecosystem. The consequences of these third-party breaches can be severe, ranging from unauthorised access to sensitive data, financial losses, reputational damages, and even disruptions to critical services.

Vendors’ Non-Compliance with Regulations:

Regulatory compliance is a critical aspect of cybersecurity, and third-party vendors must often adhere to specific standards. Challenges arise when vendors fail to comply with these regulations, exposing the enterprise to legal and reputational issues. Your organisation faces compliance fines if there’s a third-party breach because your vendor does not adhere to the regulatory standards even if your organisation does.

Excessive Privileges:

Granting excessive privileges to third-party vendors can inadvertently compromise security. Striking the right balance between providing access for operational efficiency and limiting privileges to the essentials is crucial.

Reluctance to Implement Security Solutions:

Vendors may be hesitant to implement robust security solutions such as access control tools in their environments. This reluctance poses challenges for enterprises aiming to enforce standardised security protocols across their entire ecosystem.

All these challenges make third parties prime cyberattack targets, which brings us to the…

Best Practices to Secure Third-Party Access

Enable Robust User Authentication:

Implementing strong user authentication is a foundational step in securing intermediary access. This involves using multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an additional layer of verification beyond just a password, making it significantly more challenging for unauthorised entities to gain access, even if passwords are compromised.

Stringent Password Management Policies:

Establishing and enforcing strict password management policies is crucial in mitigating the risk of unauthorised access. This includes requirements for complex passwords, regular password updates, and prohibiting the reuse of passwords across different systems.

Implementing password management tools to facilitate secure password generation, storage, and rotation, reduces the likelihood of weak or easily guessable passwords.

Furthermore, a password vault wherein passwords stored are encrypted always bodes well for all.

Session Recording and Threat Analytics:

Session recording involves capturing and storing detailed logs of user activities during their sessions. This is invaluable for monitoring and auditing purposes, allowing organisations to track who accessed what information and when.

Moreover, Threat analytics leverages advanced algorithms to detect patterns indicative of potential security threats. Analysing user behaviour and identifying anomalies can help your organisation detect and respond to suspicious activities in real-time.

Implement Automation: Better late than never!

Automated systems can detect and respond to security incidents faster than manual processes. Automate routine security tasks, such as monitoring access logs, applying security patches, and conducting regular security scans. This not only improves the speed of response but also reduces the likelihood of human error.

By combining these best practices, organisations can create a robust framework for securing vendor access.

How Sectona Enhances Third-Party Access Management?

For organisations seeking a comprehensive solution to secure third-party access, Sectona Privileged Access Management (PAM) emerges as a strategic ally. Sectona PAM goes beyond traditional security measures, offering advanced features such as robust user authentication, stringent password management, session recording, and threat analytics.

With Sectona PAM, you can seamlessly integrate automation, providing a proactive defence against cyber threats. The platform fortifies security and enhances operational efficiency, ensuring that organisations have a centralised and streamlined approach to managing privileged and third-party access.

Also read: 10 Steps for Identity Security & PAM implementation Success