August 2022 Summaries

Tines experienced an issue with their job scheduler, which impacted the execution of scheduled Actions for multiple customers, prompting a thorough investigation and subsequent system upgrade. The problem arose from a race condition during a rolling deployment, where a conflict between processes led to a gap in the scheduling of jobs. This was attributed to the use of the sidekiq-scheduler and its interaction with Redis, causing scheduled actions to be missed. In response, Tines developed a new scheduler by leveraging existing tools and patterns, focusing on simplicity, speed, and soundness. The new system relies on a database as the primary source of truth for schedules and employs a "fan out" job to ensure all scheduled Actions are processed reliably. This change has enhanced the reliability of dynamically scheduled jobs, eliminated missed runs, and has been successfully rolled out to all customers without further issues.

Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) are focused on scaling their businesses efficiently by reducing costs, improving onboarding processes, and leveraging next-generation technology to enhance their service offerings. With the increasing complexity of threats and technology stacks, MSSPs aim to deliver outcomes rather than just technology, particularly through the use of cloud-native services that accommodate the growing adoption of cloud solutions by customers. Automation plays a critical role, allowing Security Operations Centers to quickly address threats and maintain high-quality service delivery. Tines, a no-code automation platform, supports MSSPs by offering out-of-the-box solutions that require no coding skills, helping them focus on securing cloud infrastructure while ensuring compliance with data security regulations. The platform facilitates various automation tasks such as vulnerability management, alert triage, and security updates, ultimately improving operational efficiency, enhancing service quality, and reducing staff burnout.

Tines Bootcamp offers a series of live training sessions designed to help participants harness the full potential of Tines' no-code automation platform, focusing on best practices for automating workflows and minimizing risk exposure. These sessions, beginning with an interactive workshop on August 9, 2022, aim to guide attendees through the platform's fundamentals, enabling them to build automation workflows such as analyzing URLs. The bootcamp also provides ample time for questions and is complemented by a self-paced guide for those who prefer independent learning. As the security landscape evolves, Tines aims to equip users with the necessary skills to enhance their security posture, offering resources to learn both in live sessions and at one's own pace.

The Essential Guide to No-Code Automation for Security Teams, launched by Tines, serves as a comprehensive resource for security practitioners interested in leveraging no-code automation to enhance their operations. This free playbook provides insights into the significance of no-code automation, offering resources such as customer case studies, success stories, and best practices for implementation. It addresses the evolution of no-code automation and dispels common misconceptions, emphasizing its potential to save significant time by automating repetitive tasks, thereby allowing security teams to focus on high-impact projects. Tines' platform enables users, including Fortune 500 companies and startups, to transform their security operations by simplifying complex workflows through a drag-and-drop interface, thus making no-code automation accessible to businesses of all sizes.

In the 10th episode of the Future of Security Operations podcast, Thomas interviews Jay Thoden Van Velzen, a Multi-cloud Security Operations Advisor at SAP, discussing his experience in scaling SAP's Security Development Operations team and leading security improvement programs. The conversation covers the unique security challenges faced by large organizations like SAP, the current state of security operations, and strategies for overcoming common challenges, including the talent gap in cybersecurity. Jay provides insight into the definition and importance of SecDevOps, offering practical advice for leaders in security operations at rapidly growing companies. He emphasizes the need to reassess existing tools for compatibility with public cloud environments and explores future trends in security operations.