NextLabs Blog

Cybersecurity threats are on the rise, yet many organizations continue to focus primarily on external attacks such as viruses, malware, and ransomware. They overlooked the most significant source of data breach – insiders handling data as part of their daily work.

CISA’s ZTMM model provides a structured approach for federal agencies to transition to Zero Trust Architecture and adopt a data-centric security model.

Discover how NextLabs employs a data-centric approach that aligns with the requirements of a Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA).

Understand the key data security risks of Generative AI and how NextLabs enables safe, compliant, and trustworthy AI adoption across the enterprise.

Recent ITAR revisions reshape the U.S. Munitions List with new additions, removals, and clarifications—raising the compliance bar for defense and aerospace organizations. Discover why static checklists are no longer enough and how dynamic data access controls can help you adapt to regulatory change and avoid costly risks.

AI-driven phishing attacks have surged over 1,200% since 2022, showing how adversarial AI is reshaping the cybersecurity landscape. Luke Babarinde shares insights on evolving threats, automated SOC operations, and the changing role of humans in defense, highlighting why fundamentals, creativity, and adaptive strategies are essential to staying resilient in an AI-driven world.

Enterprise applications drive business, but decentralized environments create visibility gaps and delay breach detection. In this discussion, Christophe Foulon explores how SIEM, cloud logs, analytics, and automation enhance threat detection and enable proactive defense across enterprise and cloud environments.

As organizations adopt cloud, remote work, and Zero Trust, old ACLs/static roles can’t handle dynamic, device-agnostic access requests.

Ransomware accounted for nearly 70% of global cyberattacks in 2023, targeting industries like healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and government. Explore the impacts of these attacks, approaches to counter ransomware threats, and solutions organizations can implement to safeguard critical data and operations.

Safeguarding vital SAP systems amid complex cloud migration challenges is essential to prevent costly data breaches and compliance failures. With less than half adopting Zero Trust controls, critical gaps remain. Andreas Kirchebner shares expert insights on embedding security throughout SAP cloud migrations, from secure data transfers to access controls and compliance alignment.

As organizations grow more interconnected, supply chain attacks targeting vendors, cloud providers, and software suppliers pose increasing risks. Since security is only as strong as the weakest link, discover how these attacks happen and why they are a rising threat, with insights from IT professional Nazia Sharieff.

As more organizations embrace Zero Trust security models, the need for fine-grained, dynamic access control has never been greater. Traditional models like Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) struggle to keep pace with today’s complex, fast-changing IT environments. That’s where Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) comes in—a modern, flexible approach that enables real-time, context-aware access decisions.

As the Department of Defense (DoD) and other federal agencies move rapidly toward Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA), many organizations are reevaluating their security models to align with a data-centric, policy-driven approach. Aligning with the DoD Zero Trust Reference Architecture (ZTRA) Version 2.0 requires more than just technology updates—it calls for a fundamental shift in how access, identity, and data are managed across increasingly complex environments.

Nearshore and offshore models increase data security risks. Learn how Zero Trust Data Security protects sensitive data, and ensures compliance, without disrupting operations.

Data breaches pose a major threat, with an average cost of USD 4.45 million in 2023, according to IBM. Unauthorized access can result in data loss, especially in high-risk industries such as energy and manufacturing. To mitigate this, organizations must implement strong Data Loss Prevention (DLP) strategies, incorporating technologies like data classification and granular access control.

In today’s digital-first world, the old ways of defending enterprise systems—guarding the network perimeter and trusting everything inside it—just don’t cut it anymore. Cloud computing, remote work, IoT, and edge computing have shattered the traditional security perimeter, exposing more vulnerabilities than ever. So how do you protect your most critical asset in this new landscape? The answer: Zero Trust Data-Centric Security.

As cybersecurity threats escalate and compliance demands become more complex, protecting data is no longer just one aspect of enterprise security—it’s the foundation of it. A Zero Trust Data-Centric Security model shifts the focus from defending the perimeter to continuously verifying access and protecting sensitive information wherever it resides.

As the Department of Defense (DoD) and other federal agencies move rapidly toward Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA), many organizations are reevaluating their security models to align with a data-centric, policy-driven approach. Aligning with the DoD Zero Trust Reference Architecture (ZTRA) Version 2.0 requires more than just technology updates—it calls for a fundamental shift in how access, identity, and data are managed across increasingly complex environments.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), recognizing the growing risks in the digital battlefield, has implemented the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program. This initiative marks a significant shift in the DoD’s approach to securing the defense industrial base (DIB).

As cyber threats evolve, traditional perimeter-based security methods are no longer sufficient. With the rise of cloud computing, remote work, IoT devices, and multi-cloud environments, enterprises need a more adaptable and scalable security model: Zero Trust Data-Centric Security.

In the dynamic world of pharmaceuticals and life sciences, managing a deluge of sensitive data, spanning from patient records to groundbreaking research, is a daunting yet crucial task. This sector, at its core, intertwines with intricate data privacy and confidentiality obligations, not just as a compliance necessity but as a cornerstone of patient trust and corporate integrity.

Pivotal legislations such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) have set formidable benchmarks in personal information protection. It is incumbent upon organizations to navigate these regulations diligently to maintain consumer trust and eschew severe fiscal penalties. This discourse aims to unravel the intricacies of GDPR and CCPA and delineate the role of NextLabs in bolstering organizations’ adherence to these stringent consumer data protection mandates.

In the dynamic and often perilous landscape of cybersecurity, safeguarding sensitive government data is not just a priority but a necessity. The implementation of the Zero Trust Executive Order 14028 alongside the Federal Government Mandate M-22-09 marks a critical pivot towards fortifying the cybersecurity frameworks of federal entities. This article delves into the heart of these groundbreaking initiatives, examining their synergies and explicating the integral role of NextLabs in enabling organizations to meet and surpass these stringent standards.

Artificial Intelligence helps prevent insider threats by detecting risky behaviors before they escalate. By analyzing employee sentiment, monitoring digital behavior changes, and identifying potential negligence, organizations can proactively mitigate threats and strengthen overall security posture.

Profiles are a specialized application of the NIST CSF, developed to address the unique cybersecurity requirements of specific communities. Unlike Organizational Profiles that focus on individual entities, Community Profiles are designed for broader groups.

Integrating AI with ZTA involves planning, selecting the right tools, and implementing strategies to enhance security frameworks. This discussion also looks ahead to future AI-driven cybersecurity developments, providing organizations with actionable guidance to stay ahead of emerging threats.

Integrating AI with ZTA enables automatic anomaly detection, massive data analysis in seconds, real-time response to dynamic risks, and minimization of potential security gaps. Discover the comprehensive guide on how to integrate AI with the ZTA framework to revolutionize enterprises' cybersecurity strategy.

Uncover the top five security challenges CISOs must tackle as AI revolutionizes industries, revealing the critical areas that demand immediate attention.

Zero Trust Policy Management (ZTPM) applies Zero Trust principles for effective policy management. It is crucial to take a data-centric approach to achieve ZTPM.

Find out about Zero Trust Authorization and Zero Trust Data Security and how you can implement it for your organization.

Find out about Zero Trust Data Protection and Zero Trust Data Security and how you can implement it for your organization.

Microservices, otherwise known as microservices architecture, refers to an architectural approach that is composed of many small services which are loosely coupled and independently deployed.

Narendra Sahoo covers the common challenges faced in achieving and maintaining privacy data regulatory compliance and shares some recommendations on how to ensure compliance with a variety of privacy data regulations.

“Technical data” refers to a critical component of information that accompanies physical items or technology. It encompasses a wide range of data, including blueprints, diagrams, schematics, formulae, engineering designs, plans, photographs, manuals, and documentation.

XACML stands for “eXtensible Access Control Markup Language”. It is an XML-based markup language designed specifically for Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC). The standard defines a declarative fine-grained, attribute-based access control policy language, an architecture, and a processing model describing how to evaluate access requests according to the rules defined in policies.

In the attribute-based access control (ABAC) architecture, the policy information points (PIP) are the system entity that act as a source of attribute values.

Authorization as a Service (AaaS) refers to using third-party service technology to manage authorization in all of your applications. Instead of manually changing individual authorization policies when there are changes in the company, AaaS technology allows you to centrally manage authorization across your applications.

Cloud native refers to the process of developing and deploying applications that make use of the distributed computing capabilities provided by the cloud delivery model. With the aid of this technology, businesses can develop and operate scalable applications in modern, dynamic environments including public, private, and hybrid clouds.

Row-Level Security, or RLS, refers to the practice of controlling access to data in a database by row, so that users are only able to access the data they are authorized for.

A Trade Management System (TMS) serves as a centralized hub for crucial information related to export control compliance.

Centralized policy management is the practice of managing access policies from a single, centralized location. It typically provides a web-based interface for administrators to create, modify, and distribute policies across the organization.

As organizations generate vast amounts of valuable data, protecting it from unauthorized access is critical. Data-centric security offers a solution, especially as businesses share information with external partners. However, more sharing means greater risk. To mitigate this, organizations must rethink how they secure data as it moves beyond the corporate network and onto external or mobile devices.

­­Data classification is an essential concept in the realm of cyber security. It refers to the process of organizing data into specific categories and assigning appropriate security measures to each category. This practice helps to safeguard sensitive data and prevent unauthorized access. In this blog, we will discuss the importance of how data classification can aid in achieving ABAC (Attribute-Based Access Control) and Zero Trust Security. We will look at the fundamental concepts of data classification, its techniques and tools, its application in access control and authorization, and the benefits of using data classification for ABAC and Zero Trust Security.

In today’s collaborative business world, file security is crucial for protecting sensitive data. Tools like Digital Rights Management (DRM) ensure critical files remain secure from unauthorized access. As zero-trust evolves, organizations must extend this protection to the file level, treating every file as a potential risk to strengthen overall security.

As enterprises embrace various cloud applications, new challenges arise for digital rights management in terms of balancing information sharing and security which can lead to vulnerabilities such as cyber-attacks and data breaches. File-sharing services have some level of native security built into them, but it’s not enough to fully protect your data once it’s been shared.

A Policy Administration Point (PAP) is a component of a policy engine. PAP's are often used by enterprise administrators to define fine-grained access entitlements for enterprise users who need access to managed software components and provides centralized policy administration, management, and monitoring of access policies through the PAP administration control center.

Many businesses operate in a data access mode known as “default to know,” particularly when they are in hyper-growth mode. The result is that there can be an uncontrolled and overly permissive approach to data access which can lead to hidden costs in terms of security and compliance. Now, it is possible to transition from “default to know” to “need to know” without stifling innovation by using DataSecOps.

A Policy Enforcement Point (PEP) protects an enterprise’s data by enforcing access control as a vital component of the XACML architecture. A PEP works with a Policy Decision Point (PDP) to interpret policies to control the behavior of the network devices in order to satisfy both the users and administrators of network resources.

A Policy Decision Point (PDP) is a mechanism that evaluates access requests to resources against the authorization policies that apply to all requests for accessing that resource to determine whether specific access should be granted to the particular user who issued the request. Part of the PDP’s responsibility is to find a policy that applies to a given request.

If you’re unfamiliar with dynamic authorization, it could very well be the biggest little secret you’ll hear regarding data security. Dynamic authorization brings a wide range of benefits to the table. From protecting sensitive data, to keeping compliance officers happy, to simplifying IT administration, dynamic authorization best positions companies to succeed in an increasingly globalized and collaborative business environment.

While you may recognize that Enterprise Digital Rights Management (EDRM) is what your enterprise needs to keep your data safe, you may be looking for feedback from others in the industry who has implemented it. To ensure your EDRM implementation goes well, we want to highlight a few key points to keep in mind at different stages of your implementation process.