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Incident Response

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Virtual Guardian’s Incident Response services are designed to provide organizations with swift and effective response to unauthorized access, data breaches, or disruptions that compromise the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of their digital systems. In today’s digital landscape, security concerns are at an all-time high, and organizations need a reliable partner to help navigate these challenges.

Ransomware is arguably the greatest of disruptive threats, and appropriate incident response is critical. Ransomware immediately affects business operations and compromises data integrity. Long-term effects include financial losses, reputational damage, and continued operational disruptions. It can lead to the loss of sensitive data, customer trust, and business opportunities as well as additional costs for remediation, legal actions, and cybersecurity enhancements. The impact of ransomware can be felt for months or even years, making it crucial for organizations to have in place robust incident response plans, emergency response, proactive offensive security and monitoring and digital resilience plans to mitigate risks and minimize long-term consequences.

Appropriate ways to respond to a ransomware attack include immediately disconnecting infected systems from the network to prevent further spread, contacting law enforcement and reporting the incident, notifying affected individuals or organizations, and engaging a professional incident response team like Virtual Guardian to assist with containment, investigation, and recovery efforts. It is important to avoid paying the ransom, as it does not guarantee the return of encrypted data and can encourage further attacks. Regularly backing up data and implementing strong security measures can also help prevent and mitigate the impact of ransomware attacks.

Our team of experts follows a well-defined incident response plan, which includes containment, eradication, and recovery strategies tailored to the specific needs of each organization. By working closely with our clients, Virtual Guardian ensures that all necessary steps are taken to mitigate incidents and prevent future ones.

With the increasing prevalence of unauthorized access attempts, data breaches, and disruptions, organizations need a reliable partner to help them respond effectively to these incidents. Virtual Guardian provides organizations with the peace of mind you need to focus on your core business activities. Trust us to be your partner in incident response, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your digital systems.

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Emergency Response

emergency response

Virtual Guardian’s emergency response services team (also known as Security Incident Response Team or SIRT) takes immediate action in the event of a cyber attack or breach with a focus on restoration of your environment and proper security moving forward. With the increasing number of cyber threats and attacks, organizations need to be prepared to respond swiftly and effectively to protect their systems and data.

Mitigate and recover from cyber incidents with our team of experts trained to handle various types of cyber threats, including malware infections, data breaches, and ransomware attacks.

Key Benefits of our cybersecurity emergency response services:

  • Rapid and effective response to cyber threats and attacks, including identification and containment of the threat, limiting exposure of sensitive information and preventing further damage. Quick response reduces downtime, saves money and reputation, and overall minimizes the impact of a cyber incident.
  • Our emergency response team has advanced threat intelligence capabilities at our fingertips which enable us to identify and analyze emerging threats in real-time. This proactive approach helps organizations stay one step ahead of cybercriminals.
  • Virtual Guardian’s experts gain deep understanding through digital forensics, a practice which involves thorough investigation to determine the cause, extent of the damage, and any potential vulnerabilities that need to be addressed as a result of a breach. This information is crucial for preventing future incidents and strengthening an organization’s overall security posture.
  • We offer round-the-clock monitoring and support through our 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC).
  • Optionally, our Incident Response Services will support you with planning, preparation and the proper process by which to address an incident, including ransomware demands. We work closely with our clients to develop customized incident response plans, ensuring that they are well-prepared to handle any cyber incident that may occur. This includes establishing communication channels, defining roles and responsibilities, and conducting regular training exercises.

Cybersecurity emergency response services are essential for organizations to effectively respond to cyber threats and protect systems and data. At Virtual Guardian, we help businesses minimize the impact of cyber incidents, prepare for future incidents, and strengthen overall security.

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Digital Forensics

digital forensics

A digital forensics investigation is an extremely useful tool when confronted with an IT security incident (an illegal, unacceptable or non-authorized action taking place in a system or a network). A proper forensic investigation can supply an organization with invaluable data.

Virtual Guardian’s trained forensic specialists, GIAC-CFA certified (Global Information Assurance Certification – Certified Forensics Analyst), can guide you through any such investigation. You can count on our specialists to deliver precise technical opinions all the while staying neutral and objective. In the end, they can help you obtain the critical data you need.

Digital forensics plays a crucial role in emergency response by providing valuable insights into the nature of an attack, identifying the source of the breach, and gathering evidence for potential legal action. The process of digital forensics involves the systematic collection, analysis, and preservation of digital evidence. This evidence can include data from compromised systems, network logs, and communication records. By carefully examining this evidence, our expert team can reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the breach, identify the vulnerabilities that were exploited, and determine the extent of the damage caused.

The longer it takes to identify and contain a breach, the greater the potential damage to an organization’s systems, data, and reputation. Digital forensics enables rapid response by quickly identifying the source of the attack and providing actionable intelligence to guide the emergency response team.

Following the attack, digital forensics also plays a strong supportive role in next steps. Some organizations may simply wish to recuperate important data and use the information from a digital forensics investigation to improve their cybersecurity posture to prevent future attacks. By analyzing the vulnerabilities that were exploited in the breach, organizations can identify weaknesses in their systems and take steps to address them with stronger security measures, software and hardware updates, or employee awareness training. Other organizations may need to go a step further, choosing to pursue legal action against perpetrators, especially when the attack originated from within. Digital forensics provides the necessary evidence to support legal arguments, including identifying the individuals responsible for the breach and documenting the extent of the damage caused. This evidence can be crucial in holding cyber criminals accountable and seeking compensation for any losses incurred.

Depending on the severity of an incident, digital forensics (such as a cyber forensic report or security audit) may also be beneficial to a cyber insurance claim following an event. This critical reporting helps the insurer to determine the extent of the damage and expedite the claims process.

To ensure your investigation is a success, Virtual Guardian sets several key objectives to benefit our clients:

  • Confirm if there really was an IT security incident
  • Establish controls and processes to locate and manipulate sensitive information
  • Protect rights to privacy as decreed by the law
  • Minimize business disruption during the investigation
  • Enable our client to pursue legal action against the perpetrator(s) if desired
  • Deliver precise and useful court-admissible reports
  • Protect our clients’ reputations
  • Transfer knowledge and educate our clients
  • Make recommendations and take steps to prevent future intrusions/incidents

Digital forensics provide invaluable insights into the nature of cyber attacks. It may only be a matter of time before your organization becomes the next target – when it happens, let Virtual Guardian be there to arm you with knowledge for today and the future.

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Resilience & Recovery

resilience and recovery

Virtual Guardian has the expertise and experience to help you design and implement your disaster recovery (DRP) and business continuity (BCP) plans so you and your organization can quickly recover and resume operations after a disruptive event. Our highly tailored plans provide a proactive approach to mitigate the impact of cyber-attacks, system failures, natural disasters, or other unforeseen events. By having Virtual Guardian assistance in deploying a well-designed DRP or BCP plan, your business will be positioned to minimize downtime, protect critical data and assets, maintain customer trust, and swiftly recover operations, ultimately ensuring the sustainability and resilience of your business.

Delivering resiliency in a hybrid environment, on-premise and multi-cloud, requires specialized skills, an integrated strategy, and advanced technologies, including orchestration for data protection and recovery.

Virtual Guardian serves as your company’s strategic IT advisor to assist in the planning, design, implementation, and optimization of your business-critical systems and provide strategic planning for the future. Our methodology is designed to meet all of the critical technology challenges that face businesses today. We’ll help you to evolve with emerging threats and involve regular updates and testing of the plan to identify gaps and vulnerabilities.

What is business continuity and disaster recovery?

The ability to remain operational after an incident relies on both DR plans and BC plans.

Business continuity is a proactive approach that lets your company understand potential threats and vulnerabilities and which outlines the processes and procedures your organization must implement to ensure keeping business operational during a disaster. Business Continuity includes policies and strategies, Risk Management, Validation and Testing, and a documented Business Continuity Plan.

A business continuity plan is a comprehensive strategy that outlines the steps and procedures a business will take to ensure its critical operations can continue in the event of a disruption or disaster. It includes measures to minimize downtime and ensure the organization can recover quickly. A business continuity plan helps a business to be more resilient by providing a roadmap for how to respond and recover from disruptions. It ensures that critical functions can continue, minimizes downtime, and reduces financial losses. It also helps to maintain customer trust and confidence in the business’s ability to deliver products and services.

Elements of a business continuity plan:

  • Clearly defined roles and responsibilities for key personnel during a security incident.
  • Include an analysis of possible threats and responses to be prepared for various scenarios from environmental disasters to targeted attacks.
  • Clear definition of all the necessary business functions that are required to keep the organization running.
  • Communication protocols and contact information for employees, stakeholders, and customers.
  • Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and risk analysis (RA) to establish recovery objectives and priorities.
  • Defined priorities and tolerance levels for outages, data loss, and downtime.
  • Alternative work arrangements and remote access capabilities to ensure business operations can continue.
  • Regular testing and updating of the plan to identify and address any vulnerabilities or gaps.

Disaster recovery focuses on actions taken to restore data after an incident.

A disaster recovery plan is a specific documented process that outlines the detailed steps and procedures to be followed in the event of an unplanned incident such as a natural disaster, temporary data loss, cyber-attacks, power outage and any other disruption. It includes communications protocols during a crisis as well as strategies for data backup, system recovery, and business continuity to minimize the impact of the disaster on an organization. A DRP helps an organization to be more resilient by minimizing downtime, ensuring data integrity, and enabling a quick recovery from any disruptive event.

The scope of your disaster recovery plan should cover:

  • The Recovery Process (people and operational procedures)
  • Secondary site/DR site
  • Backup and offsite replication
  • Servers, Storage, Network, Critical Applications

Basic elements of a disaster recovery plan:

  • Outlined major objectives of the DRP
  • Defined owners of the DRP
  • Communication plan
  • Business critical application mapping
  • Business services interdependencies
  • Level of availability required by business service and infrastructure.
  • Backup strategy that is required to ensure quick recovery.
  • Operational standards and support process, including regular DR tests procedures.
  • Detailed instructions to be followed during the incident and after

Don’t leave your essential plans to chance. Partner with a knowledgeable team dedicated to your readiness and resilience. If you’re looking for more than just support with implementing your DRP and BCP, see Managed Resilience for more about Virtual Guardian’s BackUp and Restore managed services and BackUps as a Service (BaaS).

vCISO

Organizations often face challenges when it comes to finding suitable leadership for their information security programs. This task can be particularly daunting due to the scarcity of qualified professionals in this field. However, a virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) can provide a valuable solution to this dilemma. By leveraging the expertise of a vCISO, organizations gain access to a seasoned information security professional who can effectively lead their security program. This virtual approach offers flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and a wealth of industry knowledge. With a vCISO, organizations can benefit from tailored security strategies, guidance on compliance, incident response planning, and ongoing risk management. Ultimately, a vCISO offers a valuable resource to organizations seeking strong information security program leadership, without the challenges associated with traditional hiring processes.

The typical scope of the vCISO includes:

Domains of Expertise for our vCISOs typically include:

  • Security Architecture
  • Identify, Report and Control Incidents
  • Incident Management
  • Manage relevant communications and manage a regular security awareness program
  • Cyber Risk and Cyber security Intelligence
  • Governance Audits

Virtual Guardian’s vCISOs empower organizations, from strategic guidance in your boardroom to day-to-day management of your IT. Ask us how a vCISO will help you to focus more on your business, and we’ll customize a relationship that meets your cybersecurity leadership needs.

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Cyber Insurance

Cyber insurance has become a crucial component of any organization’s risk management strategy. It provides financial protection and support in the event of a cyber incident, such as a data breach or a ransomware attack. However, navigating the complex world of cyber insurance can be challenging, as requirements and coverage options constantly evolve.

Cyber insurance premiums vary depending on the industry, size and revenue of the organization, but security requirements remain relatively standard across providers and industries. These requirements have however evolved dramatically in the past years due to the rise in the number of breaches and the ever-evolving nature of cyber threats. Insurance providers have strengthened their requirements and will continue to do so to address emerging risks and ensure that businesses are adequately protected.

When it comes to coverage, cyber insurance typically include financial protection for various aspects of a cyber incident. This may include costs associated with data breach response, legal expenses, public relations efforts, and even potential regulatory fines.

Though ever-changing, many cyber insurance policies often cover the following:

  • Incident Response
  • Legal Services
  • Forensics
  • Notification
  • Credit Monitoring
  • Public Relations
  • First party damages, including extortion, business interruption, and data restoration .
  • Third party liability, including Privacy liability, Regulatory and Payment Card, network liability, and media liability.

Virtual Guardian goes beyond simply providing information about cyber insurance requirements. Our team of experts is dedicated to assisting businesses throughout the entire process, from application to policy renewal. We stay up-to-date with the changes, ensuring that our clients are aware of the latest requirements and can make informed decisions.

If you don’t qualify for cyber insurance due to a past breach, or if you do not meet the minimum security requirements, Virtual Guardian can help through the implementation of solutions such as Multi-factor authentication (MFA), Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR), or the creation, implementation and testing of your business continuity Plan (BCP) which are always found in the requirements. Through our GRC services to Security and Risk Management services, we can shore up your vulnerabilities to improve your insurability.

If and when the time comes to file a claim due to a significant cyber incident, our digital forensics services team can provide a detailed investigation report necessary to properly complete and expedite your claim.

Cyber insurance is a core weapon in your arsenal to defend against cyber threats. By partnering with Virtual Guardian, you have a trusted ally in your corner, protecting your interests and helping you to navigate the complex world of cyber insurance.

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Solutions Integration

Cybersecurity Solutions Integration services involve the seamless integration of various cybersecurity solutions into an organization’s existing infrastructure. This ensures that all security measures work together effectively to protect the organization’s sensitive data and systems from cyber threats.

Our services typically include the assessment of a client’s current cybersecurity posture, identification of vulnerabilities and gaps, and the design and implementation of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. Our recommendations may advise the integration of multiple security solutions such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, antivirus software, and encryption tools or include consulting or advisory services or managed services to close gaps in personnel or skillsets. The main goal of our cybersecurity Solutions Integration services is to create a unified and cohesive security framework that can effectively detect, prevent, and respond to cyber attacks, streamlining security operations, reducing complexity, and improving overall security effectiveness.

Virtual Guardian also specializes in Governance, Risk and Compliance (as well as advisory services to assist businesses in gaining ISO certification). Our Solutions integration services are greatly enhanced by these capabilities, as they ensure the integrated security solutions we recommend comply with industry regulations and standards, helping our clients to meet legal and compliance requirements, which is crucial in highly regulated industries such as finance, healthcare, and government.

Clients partner with Virtual Guardian because of our deep expertise, comprehensive understanding of how people, technology and processes join to establish and enact agile solutions, and our commitment to excellence, enabling clients to focus on their core business priorities. We’re dedicated to your long-term success and protection of your business as you move through your unique digital transformation journey. Let our Solutions Integration services play a vital role in enhancing your organization’s cybersecurity posture.

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Security Architecture

Virtual Guardian’s Security Architecture Services experts are dedicated to strengthening your IT foundations with a strong security architecture designed to protect sensitive data and systems from potential threats. A well-designed architecture ensures that security measures are integrated into every aspect of the system, making it more resilient to attacks, and helps in identifying vulnerabilities and implementing appropriate controls to mitigate risks. It also enables organizations to comply with industry regulations and standards, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data.

By investing in a robust security architecture from the beginning, businesses can save time and resources in the long run by preventing security breaches and minimizing the impact of any potential incidents. Virtual Guardian’s Security Architecture Services encompass a wide range of areas to meet these needs, including network security, application security, and data protection:

  • Network security services include firewall configuration, intrusion detection systems, and secure remote access solutions. We ensure that your network is protected from unauthorized access and potential threats.
  • In terms of application security, we offer secure coding practices, vulnerability assessments, and pen tests. We work closely with your development team to ensure that your applications are selected with security in mind.
  • Data protection, an equally critical aspect of our holistic security architecture approach, includes implementation of encryption, access controls, and data loss prevention measures to safeguard your sensitive information.

At Virtual Guardian, we also believe in proactive security measures to test and bolster the strength of your security architecture:

  • We offer managed services to continuously monitor your systems for any suspicious activities through our 24/7 SOC and provide timely incident response to mitigate any potential risks through our Emergency Response services.
  • We offer other proactive security services like Offensive Security Services and Red Team.
  • We also offer Security Policy services. We’ll work together on a comprehensive security policy that outlines rules and objectives for managing the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of your assets. Adopting a clear and structured IT security policy leads to a higher ROI on IT investments and stronger defense against threats.

Let Virtual Guardian conduct a thorough assessment of your existing infrastructure to identify any vulnerabilities or weaknesses and trust us to design and implement a tailored security architecture that aligns with your specific needs and industry best practices. Contact us to learn more about how we can help secure your business from the ground up.

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Cloud Security Assessment

Could there be overlooked vulnerabilities in your cloud setup? With a Virtual Guardian Cloud Security Assessment, you’ll gain invaluable, detailed insight into your current security in the cloud, including an examination of configurations, security postures, and resource utilization, so you can maximize the potential and advantages of cloud computing while ensuring a strong and secure environment.

Minimize risk and maximize your ability to make informed decisions regarding your strategic cloud management with Virtual Guardian’s Cloud Security Assessment. We’ll assist you in prioritizing security measures, allocating resources effectively, and implementing necessary improvements for the highest level of protection in your environment. Our tailored recommendations and actionable insights enhance your cloud security and demonstrate compliance with industry standards.

Virtual Guardian excels in addressing these cloud journey challenges:

Visibility and Control:

  • Maintaining visibility across multi-cloud environments.
  • Managing configurations, network connections, and resource allocation.

Security Risks:

  • Reducing your attack surface.
  • Protecting sensitive data and ensuring data privacy in cloud environments.

Compliance Requirements:

  • Ensuring adherence to industry-specific regulations and compliance standards.
  • Managing compliance across different cloud platforms and regions.

If your cloud security assessment reveals opportunities to better protect your cloud native applications or if cloud app security is on your mind, Virtual Guardian also offers a Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) that provides comprehensive protection, real-time threat detection and response capabilities, and centralized management and visibility across all cloud-native applications. With a cloud security assessment and CNAPP from Virtual Guardian, you can strengthen your organization’s cloud infrastructure and unleash its full potential.

Ready to Elevate Your Cloud Security? Contact Virtual Guardian today to schedule your Cloud Security Assessment and learn more about our CNAPP offerings. Let us help you build a stronger, more resilient cloud environment.

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Governance

Security and Risk Management programs are becoming increasingly complicated to manage and provide reporting for each level of the organization. With the constant expansion of footprints and the ever-evolving challenges of data security across multiple platforms and delivery methods, it is getting tougher to monitor the lifecycle and current state of everything we do. This is where the importance of security governance comes into play.

Security governance refers to the strategy, framework, policies, and processes that guide an organization’s approach to managing and mitigating security risks. It involves establishing clear roles and responsibilities, defining security objectives, and implementing controls to ensure compliance with industry regulations and best practices.

At Virtual Guardian, we understand the significance of security governance in today’s complex business landscape. That’s why we have become the trusted choice of healthcare, financial, insurance, retail, and manufacturing industries. Our expertise lies in identifying gaps, evaluating risks, and locating areas of opportunity within operational processes.

By partnering with us, you can benefit from our comprehensive understanding of security governance. We can assist you in developing a robust Security Architecture that aligns with your organization’s goals and objectives. Additionally, our team can provide expert guidance in program documentation, ensuring that your security initiatives are well-documented and easily accessible.

If you’re unsure where to start with your security program, we encourage you to reach out to us for a current security posture evaluation. Our experienced professionals will assess your existing security measures and provide a road map based on recommendations tailored to your specific needs. With our help, you can enhance your organization’s security posture and ensure effective governance of your security program.

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Compliance

Non-compliance puts you and your customers at risk. Why gamble with your bottom line and reputation when there’s an easy solution to fit your unique needs?

If you’re looking to efficiently and effectively manage your compliance programs, you’ve come to the right place. We understand the importance of compliance and the challenges that come with it. That’s why Virtual Guardian offers solutions that put you in control and bring all your teams together.

With our reporting capabilities, you’ll have all the information you need at your fingertips. Our reports leave little to question, providing you with clear and concise data. Whether you need to comply with SOC-2, PCI, Law 25, or any other requirements, we can help. We’ll harmonize controls, improve monitoring and reporting, and provide gap analysis to ensure you meet all necessary standards.

But that’s not all. Our cloud-based, co-managed GRCx platform is designed to streamline your business processes, reduce staff effort, and save you money. It features pre-built solution templates that can be easily configured to meet your specific governance, risk, and compliance processes. This means you don’t have to start from scratch – we’ve already done the groundwork for you. Compliance Management with GRCx gives you the oversight you need to meet your compliance goals without recreating your processes. Now you can reduce the risk of regulatory fines, eliminate time-consuming manual tracking tasks, and always be confident you’re audit ready.

Our smart reports and dashboards promote collaboration and provide valuable insights for informed decision-making. We understand that time is precious, so we eliminate noise and free up your time by delivering only the most relevant information.

Ever-increasing regulations. Elevated scrutiny on safeguarding consumer information. There has never been a better time to be confident in your compliance management program. Virtual Guardian is committed to helping you navigate the complex world of compliance. Let us be your trusted partner.

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Security & Risk Management

Identifying risk is the first step of our VG360 methodology. The outcome is a stronger cybersecurity posture built following NIST best practices.

Steps to Reduce Risk

  • Preventing disruption to your business can be done using proven technologies and processes, either on-site or through our managed SOC.
  • Implement controls to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data.
  • Manage protective technologies to ensure the security and resilience of systems and assets.
  • Empower and enable staff through awareness and training activities.
  • Ensure only authorized access to your systems through effective identity management and tokenization.

Steps to Respond to Risk

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Employee Awareness & Training

Through interactive and engaging content, Employee Awareness Programs educate and empower your employees to identify and respond to potential threats, reducing the chances of exposure of your sensitive information due to simple mistakes by an inattentive or untrained employee.

Employee Awareness Training programs include cybersecurity best practices, data protection, and social engineering awareness and may be tailored to meet the specific needs of your industry. We partner with best-in-class cybersecurity educators who create training programs that can be accessed anytime, anywhere through a user-friendly online platform.

Key Employee Awareness Training programs include:

  • Cyber Security Training – These programs send a clear message that your organization priorities cybersecurity. Aimed at preventing data breaches and the resulting downtime or financial losses, they strengthen cyber-attack defenses, instill confidence in your employees, customers and partners, and give time back to your IT team.
  • Phishing Simulations – Simulations allow you to replicate real-world scams to test and evaluate your employees’ online behavior and knowledge levels when it comes to threats like phishing attacks, social engineering and ransomware. These simulations are designed to replicate the cyber threats your workforce faces every day, in or outside of work, to empower them around the clock.
  • Cyber Games – Cyber Game modules allow you to gamify the learning experience. These programs are engaging and interactive eLearning modules that reinforce essential cyber security best practices. Let your employees challenge themselves by earning points for correct responses and practicing crucial cyber security decision-making in real-world scenarios.

Contact Virtual Guardian to learn more about Employee Awareness Training programs for your organization. It’s time to invest in your employees’ knowledge and strengthen your organization’s defense against cyber threats.

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Automate your GRC

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, organizations face numerous challenges when it comes to managing governance, risk, and compliance (GRC). To address these challenges, Virtual Guardian offers a cloud-based, co-managed GRCx platform powered by Onspring that automates the collection of information, optimizing GRC processes and enabling organizations to handle core GRC functions and other related business processes.

  • Optimizing GRC with the GRCx Platform: GRCx is designed to cater to organizations at various stages of their risk management journey. Whether you are just starting and need a unifying system for each risk management team or you are already advanced and require data integration from other systems, GRCx is the ideal solution.
  • Risk & Security Management: With the GRCx platform, organizations can streamline their risk and security management processes. The platform automates the calculation and presentation of risk posture and action items, enabling organizations to proactively identify and mitigate potential risks. By centralizing risk management activities, GRCx ensures that all stakeholders have access to real-time risk information, facilitating informed decision-making.
  • Compliance Management: Compliance with regulatory requirements is a critical aspect of any organization’s operations. GRCx simplifies compliance management by automating compliance workflows, tracking regulatory changes, and providing a centralized repository for compliance documentation. This ensures that organizations can efficiently manage compliance obligations, reducing the risk of non-compliance and associated penalties.
  • Audit Management: Efficient audit management is essential for organizations to assess their internal controls and identify areas for improvement. GRCx streamlines the audit process by automating audit planning, scheduling, and execution. The platform also provides comprehensive audit trails and documentation, facilitating collaboration between auditors and internal stakeholders.
  • Business Resiliency/Continuity, and DR Management: In today’s unpredictable business environment, organizations must be prepared for disruptions and ensure business continuity. GRCx enables organizations to develop and implement robust business resiliency and disaster recovery plans. The platform automates the creation and maintenance of these plans, ensuring that organizations can quickly respond to and recover from disruptions.
  • Program Reporting: Effective program reporting is crucial for organizations to monitor and communicate their GRC efforts. GRCx provides customizable reporting capabilities, allowing organizations to generate comprehensive reports tailored to their specific requirements. These reports provide valuable insights into the organization’s risk posture, compliance status, and overall GRC performance.
  • Metrics and API Integrations: GRCx offers seamless integration with various metrics and API sources, enabling organizations to leverage existing data sources and systems. This integration enhances the accuracy and efficiency of risk calculations, streamlines data collection, and eliminates manual data entry errors.
  • Custom Business Process Automation: Every organization has unique business processes that require automation. GRCx allows organizations to customize and automate their specific business processes, further enhancing operational efficiency and reducing manual effort.

Virtual Guardian’s GRCx platform empowers organizations to optimize their governance, risk, and compliance processes. By automating information collection, streamlining risk management, simplifying compliance, and enhancing audit and business resiliency capabilities, GRCx enables organizations to proactively manage risks, ensure regulatory compliance, and drive overall GRC effectiveness.

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TPRM

Third-party risk management is increasingly crucial in the cybersecurity landscape due to the expanding reliance on external vendors and service providers, amplifying the potential for data loss and security vulnerabilities. With organizations outsourcing various functions to third parties, the attack surface widens, exposing them to diverse risks.

The protection of sensitive data and business continuity are prime concerns, as third parties often handle or have access to valuable information or critical processes. Moreover, regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Payment Card Industry Dat a Security Standard (PCI DSS), among others, heighten the stakes for organizations. Non-compliance with these regulations not only incurs legal repercussions but also jeopardizes the trust and privacy of stakeholders.

As the number of providers grows, so does the complexity of managing these relationships, making it challenging to ensure uniform security standards across the supply chain. The Virtual Guardian TPRM assessment service provides a tailored offering to your organization’s vendor risk management needs. Our data-driven approach helps you identify and manage third-party risks efficiently, ensuring compliance with industry standards and regulations. We understand the importance of freeing up your employees’ time. We will handle the busy work of the assessment process, allowing your team to focus on core tasks. Along with our custom questionnaire made to condense the industry standards like ISO, NIST, and CIS we leverage tools like SecurityScorecard to cross-reference data, enhancing the depth and accuracy of our risk assessments. Our goal is to become your trusted partner in managing risks, ensuring confidence and strengthening your organization’s security.

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Security Audit

Ensure compliance, mitigate risks, and build your cybersecurity strategy with Virtual Guardian’s Security Audit services. Our experts will assess the maturity of your governance framework and security controls with evaluations specifically tailored to market standards such as NIST, ISO 27001, COBIT, and CIS.

When it comes to the governance framework, Security Audit Services experts will thoroughly analyze your organization’s policies, procedures, and practices to ensure they align with industry best practices. We will assess the effectiveness of the governance structure, including the roles and responsibilities of key personnel, as well as the overall accountability and decision-making processes. A strong governance framework will reduce risk of security breaches, regulatory non-compliance, financial loss (or reputational damage), and will increase the efficiency of operations.

In terms of security controls, the Security Audit Services team will conduct a comprehensive review of your organization’s technical and administrative safeguards. This includes evaluating the implementation and effectiveness of access controls, encryption mechanisms, incident response procedures, and vulnerability management processes. Our goal is to identify any gaps or weaknesses in the security controls and provide actionable recommendations for improvement.

Our security audit services go beyond just identifying vulnerabilities. We also focus on assessing the maturity of an organization’s security program. This involves evaluating security awareness training, risk management practices, and ongoing monitoring and reporting mechanisms.

Experience and deep knowledge of governance and security are essential to a proper audit that you can trust. Our experts have certifications such as Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), demonstrating expertise in auditing, managing, and assessing information systems and security controls. Additionally, Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP) and Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP),certifications are equally beneficial to our experts in evaluating the privacy and overall security posture of an organization.

At Virtual Guardian, we believe that a thorough security audit performed by professionals is essential for organizations to proactively identify and address potential security risks. Our team of certified professionals will work closely with your organization to provide a detailed assessment of your governance framework and security controls, helping you enhance your overall security posture.

Contact us to learn more about how a security audit will benefit your organization.

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Data Security

Securing sensitive data, particularly personally identifiable information (PII), is paramount due to growing compliance requirements. As data breaches and cyberattacks continue to escalate in both frequency and sophistication, entities are now legally obligated to adhere to strict regulations and standards aimed at safeguarding PII. Compliance frameworks such as GDPR, CCPA and Law 25 impose significant obligations on organizations to ensure the secure handling of PII, with severe penalties for non-compliance.

A proactive approach to data security and compliance is not only crucial for strengthening consumer trust but also for upholding the integrity of sensitive data in an increasingly interconnected world. To assist organizations in embracing this approach, Virtual Guardian has partnered with Qohash, a leader in data security software development which offers a comprehensive data security posture management platform. By taking a holistic view of an organization’s data security posture, the platform enables entities to better understand their overall risk profile and protect their regulated sensitive data effectively, offering the following features and benefits:

  • Data discovery and classification: Automatic identification, categorization, and inventory of sensitive data across all repositories, including endpoints. You will gain valuable context around sensitive data and supports custom queries to detect and identify potential data security risks unique to your specific organization and environment.
  • Compliance requirements: Evidence is provided to auditors of steps taken to secure confidentiality of customer information and protect it against threats and unauthorized access. By shifting into proactive threat detection and monitoring, your organization is assured of ongoing compliance with regulatory requirements.
  • Incident response: In the event of an incident, this solution offers comprehensive incident response capabilities. With a complete inventory of sensitive, unstructured data at rest, you can utilize features such as labelling, classification, custom RegEx, keyword searches, and contextualized risk analysis to precisely pinpoint the location of proprietary data, enabling your organization to take swift and effective response measures.

Get complete visibility and control over your regulated sensitive data. By leveraging advanced technology, you can enhance your data security posture, achieve compliance with regulatory requirements, and effectively protect sensitive data, thereby mitigating the risks associated with data breaches and cyberattacks.

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Pen Test

Identify vulnerabilities before malicious actors do

pen test

Regular pen tests conducted by Virtual Guardian can help you to stay one step ahead of potential attackers and minimize the likelihood of successful breaches from external or internal threats.

Penetration tests, also known as pen tests, are a crucial aspect of ensuring the security of your systems and networks. The primary goal of pen tests is to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in your infrastructure before malicious actors can exploit them. By simulating real-world attacks, pen tests help you understand the potential risks your organization faces and take proactive measures to mitigate them.

The value of pen tests lies in their ability to provide a comprehensive assessment of your security posture. They go beyond automated vulnerability scans by employing skilled ethical hackers who use different methodologies, such as PTES and OSSTMM for example, as well as a combination of manual techniques and automated tools to identify vulnerabilities that may be missed by traditional security measures.

Benefits of Virtual Guardian’s Pen Tests include:

  • Insights into the effectiveness of your security controls and identification of opportunities to compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of your system and its data.
  • Understanding of vulnerabilities associated with the access levels of company employees.
  • Prioritized list of vulnerabilities for quick action to close gaps in your security.
  • Informed decision-making about allocating resources to address identified vulnerabilities.
  • Comprehensive report with recommendations and optional VIP report for board evaluation.
  • Proof of your commitment to maintaining a secure environment, helping to meet regulatory compliance requirements and qualify for cyber insurance.
  • Increased customer trust and loyalty by assuring them that you’ve taken preventative measures to protect their data.

Optionally, Virtual Guardian will conduct an API Security Assessment, a comprehensive process that evaluates the security of APIs by analyzing the API’s design, implementation, and configuration to identify potential vulnerabilities and weaknesses. The assessment includes testing for common security issues like authentication flaws, authorization bypasses, and data exposure. (Learn more about our API/APIM solutions.) API security assessments serve as a guide for good penetration testing by providing a systematic approach to evaluating the security of an API, allowing for targeted testing and remediation.

A Web Application Security Assessment is also essential to a thorough examination of the security measures with a goal of identifying vulnerabilities and weaknesses in web applications, which include online banking systems, social media platforms, and e-commerce websites. Our Web Application Security Assessment involves analyzing the application’s code, configuration, and infrastructure to identify potential security risks as well as vulnerability scanning and pen tests to simulate attacks, ensuring that the web application is protected against potential threats and provides a secure user experience.

Frameworks like OWASP and OWASP API are typically used in these assessments.

Virtual Guardian respects the industry’s best practices for pen tests, and combined with thorough security assessments, we’re staying on the cutting edge of exploit, virus, and malware detection. Discover your critical vulnerabilities with Virtual Guardian’s external and internal Pen Test services, the proactive approach to identifying and addressing weaknesses before they are exploited.

On a tight budget? Instead of a pen test, ask your Virtual Guardian Account Manager about an external/internal vulnerability scan instead!

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Red Team

red team

Virtual Guardian offers a comprehensive Red Team service that sets us apart from the rest, designed to proactively identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses within your organization’s security infrastructure to help you anticipate potential threats.

Our expert team of ethical hackers and security professionals will simulate real-world cyberattacks to thoroughly assess your defenses. By emulating the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by malicious actors, we’ll identify weaknesses in your systems, applications, networks, or processes that could be exploited by hackers.

Beyond standard pen tests, we employ advanced techniques to uncover vulnerabilities that may go detected by traditional security measures and assess your organization’s ability to detect, respond, and recover from a cyberattack, providing you with valuable insights and actionable recommendations to strengthen your security posture.

Typical Red Team activities include:

  1. Social Engineering: Red team members attempt to manipulate employees through phishing emails, phone calls, or physical visits to test their awareness and adherence to security protocols. This helps identify potential vulnerabilities in human behavior and raises awareness about the importance of cybersecurity.
  2. Physical Security Assessments: Red team members can assess the physical security measures of an organization by attempting to gain unauthorized access to restricted areas, such as server rooms or executive offices. This helps identify weaknesses in physical security controls and highlights the need for improvements.
  3. Application Security Testing: Red team members can perform in-depth assessments of applications, including web and mobile applications, to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses that could be exploited by attackers. This helps organizations identify and fix potential security flaws before they can be exploited by malicious actors.
  4. Network Security Assessments: Red team members can conduct comprehensive assessments of an organization’s network infrastructure, including firewalls, routers, and switches, to identify potential vulnerabilities and misconfigurations. This helps organizations strengthen their network security defenses and prevent unauthorized access.
  5. Incident Response Testing: Red team members can simulate real-world cyberattacks to test an organization’s incident response capabilities. This includes testing the effectiveness of incident detection, response, and recovery processes. By identifying gaps and weaknesses in the incident response plan, organizations can improve their ability to handle and mitigate cyber threats.

Virtual Guardian’s Red Team service is essential for maintaining a strong cybersecurity posture. You’ll receive a detailed report of our findings, including a prioritized list of vulnerabilities and recommended remediation steps. We believe in not only identifying the weaknesses but also working closely with you to implement effective security measures to mitigate future risks. Contact us today to fortify your defenses with our Red Team service.

Be proactive and protect your systems, assets, data, and capabilities.

Zero Trust

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Virtual Guardian helps your organization prioritize and adapt its security model with Zero Trust to prevent and contain attacks, minimizing damage.

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Cloud Security

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With the increasing reliance on cloud services, organizations face the risk of data breaches, unauthorized access, and compliance issues. Address these challenges with Virtual Guardian Cloud Security solutions.

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Endpoint
Protection

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Our endpoint protection platform goes beyond traditional approaches by incorporating cutting-edge technology like Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and Extended Detection and Response (XDR).

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