Breach Recovery: Strengthening Your Mainframe Against Threats

Why Breach Recovery Matters More Than Ever

In 2019, a staggering 7.3 billion records were exposed in data breaches—a record-breaking number. [ 1, 2 ] This unprecedented volume of breaches has led industry experts to advocate for an “assume breach” mindset. Operating under this mindset means preparing as though malicious actors have already infiltrated your systems.

But what happens if attackers tamper with critical system or application files? How would you detect these changes, and where would you begin the recovery process?

This is where File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) comes into play—an essential tool for identifying unauthorized modifications and restoring trust in your systems. Regulatory frameworks like PCI DSS and NIST highlight the importance of FIM in breach recovery strategies.

How FIM Enhances Breach Recovery

When a breach occurs, you face critical questions:

  • How far back has the tampering gone?
  • Can you restore without losing too much recent data?
  • How can you ensure the attacker is no longer in your system?

Traditional recovery strategies, such as restoring from backups, pose challenges:

  • Restoring too far back risks losing valuable, current data.
  • Restoring from recent backups might reintroduce malware or compromised files.

FIM simplifies breach recovery by identifying the last known good configuration of your system. It accomplishes this through:

  • File Metadata Comparison: Spotting unauthorized changes in file attributes.
  • Cryptographic Analysis: Verifying file integrity using hashes to detect tampering.

By providing this detailed insight, FIM not only speeds up recovery but also reduces the risk of further compromise.

Why Mainframes Need Specialized FIM

While FIM is widely adopted in distributed systems, mainframe environments have historically lagged behind in implementing this essential tool. However, this gap is closing.

In a recent article [3], MainTegrity’s FIM+ was highlighted as the only dedicated file integrity monitor for mainframes. Unlike generic solutions, FIM+ is purpose-built to address the unique needs of mainframe environments.

With the upcoming release of version 2, FIM+ introduces:

  • A Fully Functional GUI: Simplifying complex operations for administrators.
  • Enhanced Querying: Allowing integration with other software systems for deeper insights.
  • Auto-Discovery System: Automatically identifying and protecting critical assets.

These features position FIM+ as a cornerstone in mainframe security, from threat detection to post-breach recovery.

The Bottom Line

In today’s evolving threat landscape, breach recovery is no longer a reactive measure; it’s a proactive strategy. By integrating FIM+ into your mainframe environment, you can confidently address breaches, ensure system integrity, and meet compliance requirements.

Don’t wait until it’s too late — Contact us to learn how FIM+ can transform your security posture.

References

[1] https://www.itgovernance.co.uk/blog/list-of-data-breaches-and-cyber-attacks-in-may-2019-1-39-billion-records-leaked
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_data_breaches
[3] https://www.planetmainframe.com/2019/07/breach-recovery-the-fast-and-the-furious/

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