August 13, 2024The Hacker NewsCyber ​​defense / compliance

Traditionally, the focus has been on defending against digital threats such as malware, ransomware and phishing attacks by detecting and responding to them. However, as cyber threats become more sophisticated, the importance of measures that stop new attacks before they are recognised is increasingly recognised. With valuable assets, it is not enough to have the protection, it is essential to have some assurance that the protection is effective. With software, that assurance is hard work and this has led to a complementary approach called hardsec.

What is Hardsec?

Abbreviation for “Hardware security.” Hardsec is about using hardware logic and electronics to implement a security defense, rather than just through software – providing a higher level of security assurance and resilience against both external and internal threats, making it an essential component of comprehensive cybersecurity strategies.

The Rise of Sophisticated Attacks

When the impact of an attack on a system is so great that it cannot be tolerated, a robust defense is needed to protect it. However, defenses implemented only in software can be vulnerable to attacks on their own. This is because a software-only defense is inevitably complex and requires constant patching and updating. If a single line of defense using software mechanisms is attacked and disabled, the protected system is left wide open.

The recent increase in advanced attacks against common software security devices is a worrying trend with no clear way to reverse it. But by using hardware logic in combination with software. It is possible to build a simple defense that does not require complex supporting infrastructure, meaning it is practical to ensure it is free of flaws and thus provides a robust defense against new advanced attacks.

This is the hardsec approach.

The shift to hardsec

For organizations operating in highly regulated industries such as government, defense, and finance, compliance with industry standards and regulations is paramount. Many national cyber organizations and government agencies recommend implementing hardsec as a critical component of a defense-in-depth strategy to protect against cyber threats. This can be as simple as implementing a one-way hardware diode to more complex hardware-based data filtering and validation.

The United States Department of Defense (DoD) sets mandates requiring the use of hardsec with the Raise the Bar initiative to be used in conjunction with software-based Cross Domain Security appliances connected from classified networks to high-risk networks, such as the Internet.

The American National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) The Cybersecurity Framework emphasizes the importance of incorporating hardware-based security measures into comprehensive cybersecurity strategies.

The UK National Cyber ​​Security Centre (NCSC) promotes the use of hardsec, making it mandatory for high-risk connections.

Read more about the brochure ‘Implementing the UK NCSC Principles for Cross-Domain Solutions’.

The importance of hardsec cannot be overstated. By preventing supply chain attacks, reducing complexity and meeting regulatory compliance requirements, hardsec plays a vital role in protecting critical systems and data.

As governments and organizations increasingly face evolving cyber threats, investing in hardware-based security as a defense-in-depth measure to complement software security is essential to maintaining a strong and resilient security posture.

Remark: This article was written and contributed by Daniel Feaver. Dan has worked with the UK Government and Defence Forces to design critical systems and innovate and improve the systems delivered. Dan has assisted in the design and delivery of Cross-Domain systems to the UK Central Government and Defence Forces. Dan’s current role as Sales Engineer Architect at Efrefox allows him to provide input into the systems design and development of the solutions delivered. Dan specialises in cross-domain solutions to connect unconnected networks.