When it comes the hottest trends in technology right now, AI and the cloud are definitelty among the top 3 with security taking the final spot. According to MarketsAndMarkets, the cloud computing market size is estimated to reach a staggering $947 billion by 2026, while the AI market is expected to increase to a whopping $309 billion, as per the study. Instead of looking at the two concepts as competing entities, however, technology leaders should focus on how AI and Cloud can work together to foster even greater innovation. 

Zero Trust and SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) are two important concepts in modern cybersecurity that actually complement each other to create a robust and comprehensive security framework for organizations across all industries. Instead of being concepts that would compete with one another, they can work together to enhance an organization's overall security posture.

Privileged Access Management (PAM) and Identity Access Management (IAM) are two related but distinct concepts in the world of cybersecurity. While they both deal with regulating access to resources, they have inherently different objectives.

Let's look at both in more detail:

Identity Access Management (IAM): IAM follows the principle of least privilege allowing the management of staff identities so that only authorized personnel can access and update files that are meant for them based on their roles and responsibilities. This type of access control involves conditional access security at the system, user, and directory level with insights into access policies, centralized identities, and more. It deals with the entire lifecycle of user identities, including user provisioning, authentication, authorization, and user deprovisioning.

Last week, the annual Richmond Hill Board of Trade Business Achievement Awards Gala was held on May 4th, at the Sheraton Parkway Hotel in Richmond Hill.

The Richmond Hill Board of Trade (RHBOT) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to connecting, serving and empowering its members throughout the community and Sentia has been a proud member for the last several years.

The RHBOT Business Achievement Awards is an annual event that centers around recognizing the talent and hard work of entrepreneurs and business professionals who have excelled in their respective fields and made a positive impact within the community.  

Sentia was delighted to be a finalist this year in the category for Information Technology which recognizes local businesses for excellence in delivering innovative technology solutions and services.

We were proud to be chosen as a finalist in this category as it was indicative of our continued commitment and dedication to our customers. Please view our nomination video here.

Congratulations to all the finalists and winners!

Application vulnerability scanning is an essential aspect of any organization's cyber resiliency strategy as it takes a proactive approach to help identify security vulnerabilities in software applications before they can be exploited by attackers.

The importance of application vulnerability scanning can be summed up as follows:

1. Identify vulnerabilities: Scanning helps identify vulnerabilities that exist in an application that could be exploited by hackers to gain unauthorized access or compromise the application's integrity. This allows organizations to take proactive measures to fix the vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
    
2. Compliance: Organizations are often required to comply with industry-specific regulations and standards such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which require periodic vulnerability assessments to be conducted.
    
3. Cost savings: The cost of remediating a vulnerability after an attack is significantly higher than the cost of identifying and fixing it proactively. Thus, application vulnerability scanning can save an organization a significant amount of money by reducing the risk of successful attacks.
    
4. Reputation: A successful attack on an organization's application can cause significant damage to its reputation, leading to a sense of distrust, a loss of customers, revenue, and shareholder value. By proactively identifying and fixing vulnerabilities, and having a strong, overall cyber resiliency plan, organizations can demonstrate a commitment to security and protect their reputation at all costs.

Overall, application vulnerability scanning is a crucial aspect of any organization's security strategy, helping to reduce the risk of successful attacks, save costs, and protect the organization's reputation.

You've heard the term by now: ZTNA, or Zero Trust Network Architecture. If you're not entirely familiar with the concetpt, ZTNA is a security concept that centers around the principle of "never trust, always verify." In a Zero Trust model, implicit trust is not practiced, as is the case with traditional security methods. All users, devices, and applications are treated as potential threats, and access to resources is granted on a need-to-know basis.

As cybersecurity prevention tactics continue to evolve and adapt to current trends, we've seen new terms thrown into the mix in conversation such as Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and Extended Detection and Response (XDR). In IBM's 2022 Cost of a Data Breach Report, analysis on XDR trends were covered for the first time, highlighting the trend towards modernized cyber security solutions. It noted that out of all the organizations that were interviewed as part of the developmental phase of the report, 44% said they were actively using XDR technology and that they were able to contain a breach almost an entire month quicker than if they had not implemented XDR.

So, while we know that EDR and XDR are both methodologies that help combat cyber threats at an organizational level, there are some key differences between the two:

Digital services are as effective as the data that drives them in a constantly changing business environment. Data is increasing astonishingly, with experts estimating it will double between 2023 and 2026. However, the ability of organizations to process and analyze data to inform strategic business decisions depends on the deployed IT infrastructure and cybersecurity measures implemented to protect it from attacks.

In this regard, here are the top IT and cybersecurity trends companies should look out for in 2023.

IN MEMORIAM: Gary Millward, a cherished member of Sentia’s sales team for over a decade, sadly passed away recently after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Gary was passionate about IT and during his tenure at Sentia, he excelled in designing and delivering high value IT solutions and services to help clients address and solve complex business problems.

Outside of the office, he had a deep passion for boating and spending quality time with his family and beloved dog, Bentley.

He will be fondly remembered as an integral member of Sentia’s family. If desired, memorial donations to the Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids) can be made on behalf of his family.  

Cybersecurity experts predict that at least 33 billion records will be compromised by 2023. The number may increase as cybercriminals leverage advanced technologies to develop sophisticated malware and tools for scanning for vulnerabilities in a target network. While most organizations focus on reactive cybersecurity measures to stop an attack after it has started, they overlook that they can stop an attack right at the reconnaissance stage. Reconnaissance is one of the first phases of an attack. Attackers use various tools to understand the target’s networks and systems to determine the possible entry points and exploitable vulnerabilities.