Safeguarding Service: Blind spot to fortified asset

Service accounts. Hardly the rockstars of your IT environment, but these silent, behind-the-scenes operators that keep businesses running are rapidly becoming one of the most exploited digital security gaps. With elevated privileges and virtually no visibility, these machine-to-machine accounts are prime targets for cyber criminals. More than 80% of ransomware attacks now involve lateral movement, and service accounts are the perfect tool for hackers to spread deeper within compromised environments. Proactively securing these often-overlooked accounts is now a critical step in preventing lateral movement and safeguarding organisations from potentially devastating breaches.

But why are service accounts so vulnerable?

A lack of visibility, high access privileges and exclusion from key security protocols like privileged access management (PAM) and multifactor authentication (MFA) leave them wide open to exploitation.

Traditional identity security measures are just not equipped to secure these accounts, as they are not designed for human authentication systems. Adding to this, their high access levels make them a lucrative entry point for attackers to move laterally across a network. Research from Silverfort shows that while security leaders attempt to mitigate this huge risk, only one-third of organisations believe they have enough visibility into service accounts in their environment today. This gap underscores the urgency of addressing NHI security in today’s evolving threat landscape.

Patrick Assheton-Smith, CEO of Symbiosys IT, comments: “Organisations are facing increasing threats from identity-based attacks. Service accounts, often hidden from view, are being exploited as they are left unmonitored by security protocols. This lack of protection exposes businesses to significant risks, especially as ransomware tactics continue to evolve.”

To help protect clients from such exposure, Assheton-Smith prefers to combat the problem via a unified identity protection. This innovative approach, provided by Silverfort, offers businesses an automated method of discovering, monitoring and securing these accounts in real-time.

Even if attackers manage to compromise a service account, the platform prevents them from using it for malicious purposes.

Employing a unified security platform provides a proactive solution to the security challenges posed by service accounts. By integrating with identity providers like Active Directory, Silverfort gains visibility into incoming authentication requests, making it possible to protect the most vulnerable points in an organisation’s infrastructure.

Assheton-Smith added: “As cyber threats evolve, organisations must take a proactive approach to securing their IT environments, and knowing your service accounts are safe is a big weight off the shoulders. Silverfort gives businesses the visibility and control they need to stay ahead of cyber criminals.”

For more information on Silverfort’s Unified Security Platform and how it can safeguard your organisation’s service accounts, visit www.symbiosys.it or reach out to solutions@symbiosys.it.