TL; DR: Cybercrime can affect anyone, whether a small business, a startup, or an enterprise. So businesses shouldn’t delay implementing strong cybersecurity strategies and solutions. But knowing where to start can be difficult. Here is where Fortra comes in. Fortra provides a rich portfolio of security solutions to meet various needs and empower companies to build secure infrastructure foundations. We spoke with Rohit Dhamankar, Associate VP of Product Strategy at Fortra, about the provider’s versatile solution set and steps businesses can take to develop a long-term cybersecurity strategy.
One of the main constants in the cybersecurity world is the evolution of threats — a statement that seems paradoxical but is nonetheless true.
Though their motivation hasn’t budged — primarily driven by financial gain — hackers are constantly changing their game and enlisting new technologies to infiltrate systems and access sensitive information, leaving companies caught in an ever-present battle for their security.
Bad actors may find new ways to invade and terrorize, but many businesses have made their jobs easier by neglecting cybersecurity. Without proper defenses or offensive strategies, businesses will remain exposed and vulnerable.
Unfortunately, a singular defensive mindset won’t help in today’s climate. But having an agile cybersecurity strategy can give businesses an edge. Rohit Dhamankar, Associate VP of Product Strategy at Fortra, has worked in cybersecurity for more than 15 years and has witnessed its changes firsthand.
“I have always considered cybersecurity as a cat-and-mouse game, a game that continues between the good and the bad. Businesses put up more defenses and then new ways emerge to get into the environment again. So you constantly are in this battle,” said Rohit.
Hackers also have more real estate to infiltrate. They can attack web applications, cloud systems, email accounts, etc. This is where having a comprehensive cybersecurity and monitoring solution can transform a business’s outlook.
Fortra provides cybersecurity and automation software solutions to businesses looking to protect their data and infrastructure from new-age cybersecurity threats. With Fortra, companies can create straightforward cybersecurity strategies backed by its comprehensive portfolio of versatile tools. Below, we’ll dive deeper into Forta’s security suite and defenses.
Fortra: A Rich Portfolio of Security Solutions
Fortra presents a rich, straightforward portfolio of security solutions to help teams implement cybersecurity strategies and practices that will stand the test of time. The Fortra team’s focus is to create a stronger, simpler future for cybersecurity. And that journey starts with the right tools.
Fortra’s vast array of solutions enables organizations to increase security maturity while decreasing operational burden. With its comprehensive setup, users can leverage Fortra as a go-to singular resource for all their cybersecurity needs, streamlining their processes.
Its products cover critical areas, including data protection, email, and infrastructure security, to ensure companies protect their most valuable assets. Integrating automation has also allowed Fortra to help businesses automate standard workloads and security processes.
“We have also offensive security solutions, so you can do your own pentesting, for example, and find out problems before the attackers do,” said Rohit.
Companies can find essential solutions to modernize and bolster their cybersecurity efforts. Fortra empowers users to stay agile and identify and prioritize vulnerabilities within their systems so they can mitigate them when they come.
Understanding which tools to use to get the best results can be challenging. So Fortra labels and bundles its solutions into groups for specific use cases. For example, it has an offensive security bundle and another one for zero trust file transfers.
Rohit also highlighted how Fortra gives users visibility. Fortra uses the kill chain concept to trace cyberattacks and help users understand and combat breaches.
“If you do get attacked, we have solutions to look at endpoints, logs, cloud service, etc., and give you comprehensive visibility of finding any attack inside your environment. Same thing with data leak prevention, ensuring that none of your secret data is exposed after an attack,” said Rohit.
How Improper Security Practices Impacts Businesses
Faulty cybersecurity practices can often have long-standing, irreversible consequences. Take, for example, the headline news of CrowdStrike’s faulty update, which led to a global outage of the world’s most essential services. It can take one mistake to damage a reputation that took years to build.
Rohit said businesses tend to let technology trump cybersecurity in their operations. They may run to adopt a new, convenient solution, such as AI, but overlook setting up the right parameters to secure that integration within their systems.
“Nobody wants to be left behind when it comes to having GenAI-powered solutions. But people are putting their precious data in these GenAI tools and don’t know how it is being utilized,” said Rohit.
Rohit said the same could be said for cloud hosting. The cloud has helped solve various inefficiencies and given users more control, flexibility, and scalability. But it can also pose a danger if users don’t have the right security practices in place.
We have seen how technologies can harm businesses. But a lack of human training and awareness can also cause damage. Stanford Research found that human error causes 88% of data breaches. This is why Fortra offers a training and response bundle for teams and prioritizes email security to help fight phishing and other social engineering attacks.
Implementing cybersecurity practices can take a lot of effort and expertise. But Fortra’s managed services can provide a major boost for those who need assistance. Companies can partner with Fortra to reduce vulnerabilities, avoid damaging attacks, and build a secure infrastructure. And the Fortra team does all the managing.
“So we have managed XDR, data leak prevention, pentesting services, web application firewalls, etc. This is where the expertise is helping the business build a secure foundation, which is a requirement in today’s climate,” said Rohit.
Establish a Long-term View of Your Cybersecurity Strategy
Cybersecurity is always changing, which is why the Fortra team believes no one should ever get too comfortable. Its team of experts constantly researches threats and adapts its solutions to fit the current landscape. And it wants its customers to stay ahead of these threats as well.
Rohit recommends that businesses develop long-term cybersecurity strategies. “You want to have a long-term view of how you’re going to potentially evolve your business. And your security maturity needs to evolve with that,” said Rohit.
Rohit offered some key questions business teams should consider:
- What is my key data? What are my main data sources?
- What does my environment look like?
- Where are compromises potentially possible?
- Where and how can I reduce risk?
Answering these questions is a primary stepping stone to creating a solid cybersecurity plan. Rohit said focusing on a few critical areas first can help teams jump-start their journeys quicker. Also, if you need help finding answers, Fortra’s deep bench of cybersecurity experts is always willing to help.
The Fortra team understands that companies are juggling more resources than ever, with the rise of SaaS tools and cloud computing. Visualizing a business environment can be challenging as a result. This is why leveraging a comprehensive and integrated portfolio like Fortra can help teams gain visibility, identify risks, and secure all their data points without onboarding tons of different vendors and point solutions.
Unifying Solutions for Better Results and Cohesiveness
Rohit told us that Fortra will soon unify its portfolio to create one cohesive platform solution.
“We announced at RSA a few months back our Fortra platform, which is a grand unification of all our various products together into one cohesive framework so you can have one place to go. All the products will work interactively to reduce the overall risk in your environment,” said Rohit.
This platform will combine Fortra’s solutions to improve security outcomes and create operational efficiencies. It will also further solve a problem Forta already tackles: excessive point solutions. Having several point solutions from various vendors can spark trouble for teams, and the model has caused challenges for the industry.
“That model has not succeeded in our world. Companies should choose more solutions from a single vendor if available because you’re guaranteed interoperability of those solutions from an outcomes perspective,” said Rohit.
In April, Fortra also released a new XDR (Extended Detection and Response) solution that unites multiple Fortra technologies. Combining those solutions allowed Fortra to give users more observability across different spheres of potential attack surfaces.
In other news, Rohit told us that PCI DSS requirements have recently changed, and companies can use Fortra’s managed web application firewall to fulfill those new requirements.
“A lot of businesses do have payments online. One of the things we are excited about is the Fortra managed WAF satisfying those new requirements. It’s a managed solution, so it’s nice to have that control for those slightly complex requirements,” said Rohit.
