A recent document released by the National Security Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency focuses on VPN security tips. It aims at improving and strengthening network protection provided by Virtual Private Network companies. Keeping in view the current hike in cybercrimes such as hacking, stealing, and reading confidential data, the government decided to tighten its reins on such attackers. To do this, the two federal agencies decided to work together and put out a document that walks organizations through the nitty-gritty of online security.
The above-mentioned organizations are bodies that already have a prevailing online security system. In the past, most cyberattacks by enemies of the American republic preyed upon the bugs in a VPN. Having figured out the root cause of the problem and the source of their vulnerability, the NSA and CISA now aim at reinforcing their online defense.
NSA & CISA
The National Security Agency plays a key role in ensuring the cybersecurity of the national bodies and eliminating threats to nationwide online security. It gives special attention to protecting the Defense Industrial Base of the country. In a cyberattack possibly led by Chinese-backed groups, the targets were various DIB networks. NSA also uses advanced intelligence to weed out malicious cyber threats before they make their move.
A relatively new federal body, the CISA was established in November 2018. The main role of the CISA is to improve cybersecurity across every level of the US government. With its umbrella cyber protection system, it has also become easier for the center and state governments to coordinate their online security plans. Also focusing on international cyberattacks on the nation-state, it was the CISA that revealed possible Russian intrusion into the US governmental cybersphere.
Cyberattackers Exploiting VPN Vulnerabilities
Many instances of state-backed cybercrime brought to light in the past aimed at extracting sensitive information, of national and international interest, from government bodies. These attacks used VPN bugs to infiltrate the government web. NSA & CISA along with other cybersecurity companies previously warned against threats from state-sponsored cyber threats- most likely from China and Russia. These cybercrime bodies abused bugs to penetrate into devices and networks hosted by VPN services like Fortinet and Pulse Secure.
Once the attacker gains access to a target network through the VPN, extracting personal information does not remain a challenge. To avoid this, the foremost defense mechanism is to fortify the VPN by removing all bugs and evading any possibility of bugs arising.
Security Tips by NSA & CISA
In their document, the National Security Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency shared some very basic yet mostly ignored tips. As a general rule, we should use virtual private network companies that have a history of performing well. This good performance does not only mean their ability to evade bugs or online attacks, it also includes their proactiveness when dealing with a new bug.
Choosing a VPN service that follows the best practices and lives up to the demands of their industry. Apart from this, it also helps that they have a robust verification infrastructure. These aspects act as an additional shield to the VPN when faced with online attacks. Virtual Private Network providers that have a good track record of securing any weak spot as it becomes known should be given priority when choosing a VPN.
The NSA and CISA also recommended setting up strong encryption and verification in their networks. As a well-known rule of online security, our privacy depends on user authentication. Spending some time and giving thought to encryption can go a long way in securing our networks.
When it comes to security, governmental bodies and other organizations are advised to use only features that are absolutely indispensable for their work. This reduces the risk of a user stumbling across a possible malicious software.
Regular monitoring of all VPN functions is also extremely important. When we monitor the web servers and the access to target sites, it becomes easier to recognize any possible threats.
These tips documented by the two bodies are relatively basic, yet when used proactively can make all the difference in online security.