Today’s Topics:
- DoD’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Takes Effect Today
- Citrix Alerts Organizations to Password Spraying Attacks on NetScaler Appliances
- How can Netizen help?
DoD’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Takes Effect Today
Today, December 16, 2024, marks a significant turning point for the defense contracting industry as the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) officially goes into effect. After years of development, planning, and industry anticipation, this landmark program is now a binding requirement, reshaping how contractors and subcontractors protect sensitive federal data.
As of today, compliance with CMMC standards is no longer optional—it’s mandatory. This effective date signifies the formal start of the DoD’s enforcement of the CMMC framework, with contractors now required to demonstrate their cybersecurity maturity level to secure or maintain defense contracts.
- Immediate Compliance Requirements: Any contractor working with Federal Contract Information (FCI) or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) must have the necessary certifications for their assigned CMMC level, starting now.
- Heightened Cybersecurity Standards: Today ushers in stricter oversight, requiring contractors to adopt proven security practices to safeguard against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
The transition from planning to enforcement has immediate implications:
- Contracts Are at Stake: Contractors without the appropriate CMMC certification risk losing eligibility for new or ongoing contracts, making compliance a business-critical priority starting today.
- Accountability Across the Supply Chain: The rule ensures that not just primary contractors but their entire supply chains are held to the same rigorous cybersecurity standards, starting now.
- A New Baseline for Defense Security: Today’s enforcement underscores the DoD’s commitment to protecting sensitive data by requiring verified and ongoing adherence to cybersecurity best practices.
For defense contractors, the message is clear: the era of CMMC compliance is here. Starting today, organizations must:
- Undergo Assessments: Secure an official CMMC assessment to verify compliance with one of the model’s five maturity levels.
- Implement Long-Term Monitoring: Ensure continuous compliance through regular monitoring and reporting to maintain certification throughout contract terms.
- Collaborate with Experts: Partner with cybersecurity professionals to address any gaps and streamline the certification process.
The December 16th implementation of the CMMC program is a call to action for defense contractors. With the program now fully operational, defense contractors are entering a new era where verified cybersecurity readiness is not just an expectation but a requirement. Starting today, the strength of a contractor’s security practices directly impacts their ability to support the nation’s defense mission.
Citrix Alerts Organizations to Password Spraying Attacks on NetScaler Appliances
Citrix has issued a critical warning to organizations worldwide regarding an ongoing wave of password spraying attacks targeting its NetScaler and NetScaler Gateway appliances. These attacks, part of a broader campaign observed throughout 2024, aim to exploit authentication vulnerabilities, leading to potential service disruptions and increased security risks.
Unlike traditional brute-force attacks that attempt multiple passwords on a single account, password spraying involves using a small set of commonly used passwords against a wide array of accounts. This method helps attackers evade detection mechanisms that typically flag repeated failed attempts on the same account.
These attacks are part of a campaign first observed in April 2024, targeting VPN and SSH services from major vendors like Cisco, Fortinet, and SonicWall. Microsoft also warned in October of similar password spraying activities against routers from various manufacturers.
Citrix’s advisory highlights that these attacks are causing significant operational challenges for organizations relying on NetScaler appliances, including:
- Denial-of-Service (DoS) Risks: The surge in login attempts can overwhelm authentication systems, causing disruptions or downtime.
- Resource Strain: Appliances configured to handle typical authentication volumes are struggling under the load, resulting in performance degradation or service failures.
- Attack Vectors Across Deployment Types: Both on-premises and cloud-based NetScaler deployments have been targeted, making the threat universally relevant.
To address these threats, Citrix advises organizations to:
- Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): MFA helps prevent unauthorized access, even if credentials are compromised during the attacks.
- Monitor Authentication Traffic: Organizations should closely observe authentication attempts and failures, particularly for surges originating from dynamic IP addresses.
- Implement Rate-Limiting Measures: Limiting the number of login attempts can reduce the impact of password spraying.
- Patch and Update Systems: Ensuring appliances are up-to-date with the latest security patches helps reduce vulnerability exposure.
How Can Netizen Help?
Netizen ensures that security gets built-in and not bolted-on. Providing advanced solutions to protect critical IT infrastructure such as the popular “CISO-as-a-Service” wherein companies can leverage the expertise of executive-level cybersecurity professionals without having to bear the cost of employing them full time.
We also offer compliance support, vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and more security-related services for businesses of any size and type.
Additionally, Netizen offers an automated and affordable assessment tool that continuously scans systems, websites, applications, and networks to uncover issues. Vulnerability data is then securely analyzed and presented through an easy-to-interpret dashboard to yield actionable risk and compliance information for audiences ranging from IT professionals to executive managers.
Netizen is a CMMI V2.0 Level 3, ISO 9001:2015, and ISO 27001:2013 (Information Security Management) certified company. We are a proud Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor for hiring and retention of military veterans.
