What is Continuous Monitoring?

Continuous monitoring establishes a baseline for the system being monitored and then uses a combination of hash codes and signatures to identify changes. If not previously scheduled, it is returned to the previous state and alerted.

When employed on web-based assets such as WebApps, and APIs, it eliminates manual checking of server and firewall logs. Replacing it with on-demand automated analysis and reporting of changes by monitoring security and aiding compliance.

Without applying best practices, you risk:
Operational chaos: Without automated alerts and prioritization, your security team can be overwhelmed by a high volume of unprioritized alerts (known as False Positives or Noise). This, in turn, can lead to alert fatigue and missed threats. This lack of a unified approach can make it difficult to investigate and respond to cyberattacks rapidly.

Reduced dwell time: Without continuous monitoring of controls, an attacker can rapidly move laterally through your network, escalate privileges, and steal sensitive data in ever-decreasing dwell time. This increases the likelihood and impact of a breach, making remediation more complex and expensive.

Non-compliance and its consequences: An annual audit provides a snapshot in time. A single change in your environment or a new threat could put you out of compliance, leading to regulatory violations, possible legal action, and a damaged reputation. Without automated continuous compliance monitoring and reporting, you cannot prove your security posture to regulators, auditors, and insurance providers in a timely fashion.

Compliance framework models and insurance policy prerequisites now require continuous monitoring. The days of once-a-year point-in-time audits are long gone.

Read on to see what we can help you with, with only a 2-day implementation period.

Why is it better?

Your WebApps and APIs run on servers and are constantly connected to the Internet. The internet is a constantly changing mass of independently managed systems. New servers, upgraded connections, changing platforms – it never stops, and never will.

These changes enable your systems, apps, and services to communicate with each other, constantly adapting to the ever-changing environment around them.

Sometimes the changes are scheduled to;

• Improve performance
• Improve security
• Add new features,
• Add new locations.

Malicious actors ahead of a planned breach or ransom attack.

Regardless of the reason, all of them are out of your control, and you only know they have changed after the fact. Only continuous monitoring would detect this. Read on to see how we can automate this in just a few days.

How do you implement Continuous Monitoring?

Your business operates in real-time, so must your compliance. Regulatory expectations have shifted; compliance is no longer an annual event. Continuous Compliance Monitoring of web assets from Test or Staging through to Live usage is your way to stay ahead of it all. System vulnerabilities are caught in Test before being queued for go-live.

When new risks emerge, continuous monitoring systems adapt immediately rather than leaving your organization exposed.

Amongst the potential benefits of applying continuous compliance monitoring are the following:
Regulatory Mandate Compliance: EU GDPR, NIST frameworks, ISO standards, DORA The Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) is a regulatory framework instituted by the European Union aimed at improving the resilience of financial entities against digital and cyber threats. Originating from concerns over increasing digital dependencies and cyberattacks, DORA regulation mandates stringent digital risk management protocols., and other Industry bodies now require continuous monitoring rather than periodic assessments, making it legally mandatory for many industries.

Supply Chain Requirements: Major clients increasingly require proof of real-time compliance verification Supply chain verification auditing services are independent evaluations that verify the integrity, compliance, and ethical standards of a company's supply chain. These audits assess various aspects, including supplier practices, product authenticity, safety standards, and regulatory adherence. from vendors. Continuous monitoring allows you to demonstrate your security posture in real time.

Insurance Premium Reductions: Cyber insurance providers may offer significant discounts to companiesCyber insurance premiums are often reduced for companies that can demonstrate robust security postures and proactive risk management practices, including continuous monitoring. Insurers view continuous RMF compliance monitoring favorably because it signifies a lower risk profile and a greater ability to detect and respond to threats in real time that demonstrate continuous compliance monitoring and the effective application of controls.

Automated monitoring saves your business money by eliminating the need for costly manual detection systems and compliance processes.

Inception can provide all of this as a turnkey service. We automate the monitoring, reporting, and remediation guidance for your technical controls, so you can confidently demonstrate to regulators, insurers, and partners that compliance is under control without adding extra work to your team.

The payoff comes from reduced audit stress, faster customer onboarding, and stronger negotiating positions with insurers and suppliers. In other words, less wasted time and lower costs while protecting your business reputation.

With Inception, you get expert oversight that highlights risks and recommends cost-proportionate remedial actions while ensuring you remain aligned with your selected RMF standards.

And the real beauty if it is, we can enable the service and have reports in your hand within two working days, with no onsite hardware or intrusive activity.

Click here to connect with one of our GRC analysts to discuss how we can assist you in this time consuming but critical business activity.