Daily Tech Digest - September 04, 2024

What is HTTP/3? The next-generation web protocol

HTTPS will still be used as a mechanism for establishing secure connections, but traffic will be encrypted at the HTTP/3 level. Another way to say it is that TLS will be integrated into the network protocol instead of working alongside it. So, encryption will be moved into the transport layer and out of the app layer. This means more security by default—even the headers in HTTP/3 are encrypted—but there is a corresponding cost in CPU load. Overall, the idea is that communication will be faster due to improvements in how encryption is negotiated, and it will be simpler because it will be built-in at a lower level, avoiding the problems that arise from a diversity of implementations. ... In TCP, that continuity isn’t possible because the protocol only understands the IP address and port number. If either of those changes—as when you walk from one network to another while holding a mobile device—an entirely new connection must be established. This reconnection leads to a predictable performance degradation. The QUIC protocol introduces connection IDs or CIDs. For security, these are actually CID sets negotiated by the server and client. 


6 things hackers know that they don’t want security pros to know that they know

It’s not a coincidence that many attacks happen at the most challenging of times. Hackers really do increase their attacks on weekends and holidays when security teams are lean. And they’re more likely to strike right before lunchtime and end-of-day, when workers are rushing and consequently less attentive to red flags indicating a phishing attack or fraudulent activity. “Hackers typically deploy their attacks during those times because they’re less likely to be noticed,” says Melissa DeOrio, global threat intelligence lead at S-RM, a global intelligence and cybersecurity consultancy. ... Threat actors actively engage in open-source intelligence (OSINT) gathering, looking for information they can use to devise attacks, Carruthers says. It’s not surprising that hackers look for news about transformative events such as big layoffs, mergers and the like, she says. But CISOs, their teams and other executives may be surprised to learn that hackers also look for news about seemingly innocuous events such as technology implementations, new partnerships, hiring sprees, and executive schedules that could reveal when they’re out of the office.


Take the ‘Shift Left’ Approach a Step Further by ‘Starting Left’

This makes it vital to guarantee code quality and security from the start so that nothing slips through the cracks. Shift left accounts for this. It minimizes risks of bugs and vulnerabilities by introducing code testing and analysis earlier in the SLDC, catching problems before they mount and become trickier to solve or even find. Advancing testing activities earlier puts DevOps teams in a position to deliver superior-quality software to customers with greater frequency. As a practice, “shift left” requires a lot more vigilance in today’s security landscape. But most development teams don’t have the mental (or physical) bandwidth to do it properly — even though it should be an intrinsic part of code development strategy. In fact, the Linux Foundation revealed in a study recently that almost one-third of developers aren’t familiar with secure software development practices. “Shifting left” — performing analysis and code reviews earlier in the development process — is a popular mindset for creating better software. What the mindset should be, though, is to “start left,” not just impose the burden later on in the SDLC for developers. ... This mindset of “start left” focuses not only on an approach that values testing early and often, but also on using the best tools to do so. 


ONCD Unveils BGP Security Road Map Amid Rising Threats

The guidance comes amid an intensified threat landscape for BGP, which serves as the backbone of global internet traffic routing. BGP is a foundational yet vulnerable protocol, developed at a time when many of today's cybersecurity risks did not exist. Coker said the ONCD is committed to covering at least 60% of the federal government's IP space by registration service agreements "by the end of this calendar year." His office recently led an effort to develop a federal RSA template that federal agencies can use to facilitate their adoption of Resource Public Key Infrastructure, which can be used to mitigate BGP vulnerabilities. ... The ONCD report underscores how BGP "does not provide adequate security and resilience features" and lacks critical security capabilities, including the ability to validate the authority of remote networks to originate route announcements and to ensure the authenticity and integrity of routing information. The guidance tasks network operators with developing and periodically updating cybersecurity risk management plans that explicitly address internet routing security and resilience. It also instructs operators to identify all information systems and services internal to the organization that require internet access and assess the criticality of maintaining those routes for each address.


Efficient DevSecOps Workflows With a Little Help From AI

When it comes to software development, AI offers lots of possibilities to enhance workflows at every stage—from splitting teams into specialized roles such as development, operations, and security to facilitating typical steps like planning, managing, coding, testing, documentation, and review. AI-powered code suggestions and generation capabilities can automate tasks like autocompletion and identification of missing dependencies, making coding more efficient. Additionally, AI can provide code explanations, summarizing algorithms, suggesting performance improvements, and refactoring long code into object-oriented patterns or different languages. ... Instead of manually sifting through job logs, AI can analyze them and provide actionable insights, even suggesting fixes. By refining prompts and engaging in conversations with the AI, developers can quickly diagnose and resolve issues, even receiving tips for optimization. Security is crucial, so sensitive data like passwords and credentials must be filtered before analysis. A well-crafted prompt can instruct the AI to explain the root cause in a way any software engineer can understand, accelerating troubleshooting. This approach can significantly improve developer efficiency.


PricewaterhouseCoopers’ new CAIO – workers need to know their role with AI

“AI is becoming a natural part of everything we make and do. We’re moving past the AI exploration cycle, where managing AI is no longer just about tech, it is about helping companies solve big, important and meaningful problems that also drive a lot of economic value. “But the only way we can get there is by bringing AI into an organization’s business strategy, capability systems, products and services, ways of working and through your people. AI is more than just a tool — it can be viewed as a member of the team, embedding into the end-to-end value chain. The more AI becomes naturally embedded and intrinsic to an organization, the more it will help both the workforce and business be more productive and deliver better value. “In addition, we will see new products and services that are fully AI-powered come into the market — and those are going to be key drivers of revenue and growth.” ... You need to consider the bigger picture, understanding how AI is becoming integrated in all aspects of your organization. That means having your RAI leader working closely with your company’s CAIO (or equivalent) to understand changes in your operating model, business processes, products and services.


What Is Active Metadata and Why Does It Matter?

Active metadata’s ability to update automatically whenever the data it describes changes now extends beyond the data profile itself to enhance the management of data access, classification, and quality. Passive metadata’s static nature limits its use to data discovery, but the dynamic nature of active metadata delivers real-time insights into the data’s lineage to help automate data governance: Get a 360-degree view of data - Active metadata’s ability to auto-update ensures that metadata delivers complete and up-to-date descriptions of the data’s lineage, context, and quality. Companies can tell at a glance whether the data is being used effectively, appropriately, and in compliance with applicable regulations. Monitor data quality in real time - Automatic metadata updates improve data quality management by providing up-to-the-minute metrics on data completeness, accuracy, and consistency. This allows organizations to identify and respond to potential data problems before they affect the business. Patch potential governance holes - Active metadata allows data governance rules to be enforced automatically to safeguard access to the data, ensure it’s appropriately classified, and confirm it meets all data retention requirements. 


How to Get IT and Security Teams to Work Together Effectively

Successful collaboration requires a sense of shared mission, Preuss says. Transparency is crucial. "Leverage technology and automation to effectively share information and challenges across both teams," she advises. Building and practicing trust and communication in an environment that's outside the norm is also essential. One way to do so is by conducting joint business resilience drills. "Whether a cyber war game or an environmental crisis [exercise], resilience drills are one way to test the collaboration between teams before an event occurs." ... When it comes to cross-team collaboration, Scott says it's important for members to understand their communication style as well as the communication styles of the people they work with. "At Immuta, we do this through a DiSC assessment, which each employee is invited to complete upon joining the company." To build an overall sense of cooperation and teamwork, Jeff Orr, director of research, digital technology at technology research and advisory firm ISG, suggests launching an exercise simulation in which both teams are required to collaborate in order to succeed. 


Protecting national interests: Balancing cybersecurity and operational realities

A significant challenge we face today is safeguarding the information space against misinformation, disinformation, manipulation and deceptive content. Whether this is at the behest of nation-states, or their supporters, it can be immensely destabilising and disruptive. We must find a way to tackle this challenge, but this should not just focus on the responsibilities held by social media platforms, but also on how we can detect targeted misinformation, counter those narratives and block the sources. Technology companies have a key role in taking down content that is obviously malicious, but we need the processes to respond in hours, rather than days and weeks. More generally, infrastructure used to launch attacks can be spun up more quickly than ever and attacks manifest at speed. This requires the government to work more closely with major technology and telecommunication providers so we can block and counter these threats – and that demands information sharing mechanisms and legal frameworks which enable this. Investigating and countering modern transnational cybercrime demands very different approaches, and of course AI will undoubtedly play a big part in this, but sadly both in attack and defence.


How leading CIOs cultivate business-centric IT

With digital strategy and technology as the brains behind most business functions and operating models, IT organizations are determined to inject more business-centricity into their employee DNA. IT leaders have been burnishing their business acumen and embracing a non-technical remit for some time. Now, there’s a growing desire to infuse that mentality throughout the greater IT organization, stretching beyond basic business-IT alignment to creating a collaborative force hyper-fixated on channeling innovation to advance enterprise business goals. “IT is no longer the group in the rear with the gear,” says Sabina Ewing, senior vice president of business and technology services and CIO at Abbott Laboratories. ... While those with robust experience and expertise in highly technical areas such as cloud architecture or cybersecurity are still highly coveted, IT organizations like Duke Health, ServiceNow, and others are also seeking a very different type of persona. Zoetis, a leading animal health care company, casts a wider net when seeking tech and digital talent, focusing on those who are collaborative, passionate about making a difference, and adaptable to change. Candidates should also have a strong understanding of technology application, says CIO Keith Sarbaugh.



Quote for the day:

''When someone tells me no, it doesn't mean I can't do it, it simply means I can't do it with them.'' -- Karen E. Quinones Miller

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