December 2023 Summaries

Over the past year, Evervault has introduced numerous enhancements and new features to its platform, focusing on security, flexibility, and compliance. Key updates include a redesign of their website and documentation, enhancements to their Inputs product for more flexible card collection, and a significant migration to improve encryption throughput. They open-sourced their Cages product, allowing developers to verify the integrity of processes running within enclaves, and launched Evervault Guides to provide coding instructions for common use cases. Other notable developments include the introduction of a Decrypt API for one-time data decryption, a podcast discussing data security trends, and an updated PCI Compliance solution to streamline compliance processes. They also launched Data Policies for fine-grained access control over encrypted data, ensuring data is used only for its intended purpose. Throughout the year, customer feedback has been integral in shaping their product roadmap, and Evervault looks forward to further innovations in the coming year.

Security teams in 2023 face the challenge of selecting effective strategies from a multitude of security techniques to protect systems and data from breaches. The ATAF (Access To, Access From) framework is recommended as a comprehensive approach to security, which involves categorizing tactics into pre-attack and post-attack protection. ATAF defines "Access To" as access to valuable resources, while "Access From" refers to the access those resources have to other resources, emphasizing containment if an exploit occurs. This approach acknowledges that while airtight security is unrealistic, minimizing damage is crucial. Four strategies under ATAF include the principle of least privilege, just-in-time access, secrets managers, and encryption by relay, each designed to limit the impact of a breach by restricting access and protecting sensitive data. ATAF can be applied beyond credential-based access to network resources and external applications, encouraging a holistic view of security that prioritizes making breaches more difficult and less damaging.