2023 Archives - Page 4 of 59 - Version 2 Limited

NordPass Desktop App: Release Notes

NordPass 5.10 (latest)

We’ve waved bye-bye to some pesky bugs and have also spruced up the place a touch. Stay tuned for some big news that’s just around the corner!

NordPass 5.9

Hold on to your seat — we’ve got some very exciting news to announce:

Browser Extension: You now have the option to use a new standalone NordPass browser extension that doesn’t require our desktop app! That’s right, you can now enjoy a fast, fully browser-based NordPass experience on Chrome, Firefox, Safari and more.
Autofill: You asked, we’ve listened. You can now tweak your app settings to enjoy a better autofill experience on websites with a subdomain.
Password Health: When logging in to a website, you’ll now be prompted if your password is weak or reused so that you can quickly act to reduce the risk of your data falling into the wrong hands.

NordPass 5.8

Gather round, folks — we’ve got some exciting updates to share:

Data hosting: Organizations using NordPass Business or Enterprise can now choose to store company data in the European Union.
Autofill: You can now instantly search for a specific item to autofill on a webpage if it’s not automatically suggested for you.
Custom fields: You can now personalize your NordPass experience by adding custom fields to all item types. From passport numbers and bank details to dates of birth, you’re free to securely store exactly what you need.

NordPass 5.7

Here are just a couple of highlights from our latest release:

Autofill: As some websites (e.g. facebook.com and messenger.com) require you to use the same login credentials, you can now add multiple web addresses to a single NordPass password item for a smoother autofill experience. Faster account access and a tidier vault — sounds good to us.
Passkeys: Already using biometrics to unlock your NordPass vault? Good news — you can now also use your face or fingerprint to verify your identity when using a passkey.

NordPass 5.6

We’ve given our passkey prompts a fresh coat of paint and have also now built them directly into the web browser experience, meaning no more jumping back and forth between our desktop app. Enjoy!

NordPass 5.5

With NordPass Enterprise, you can now instantly share a shared folder with a group! That’s right, instead of having to add teammates one by one to a shared folder, you can now share the folder with a large group of people in one go. Happy updating!

NordPass 5.4

Here’s what’s new in the latest NordPass release:

NordPass Business: Users can now move items with two-factor codes to shared folders. If a member has set up NordPass as an authenticator, they will be able to access the item’s two-factor code immediately.
Bug fixes: We’ve also fixed a few bugs and improved our app’s performance.

NordPass 5.3

As some web services now require an additional identity check to use a passkey, we’ve added a new authentication step to our passkey creation and login flows so that you can continue using passkeys to securely access your accounts.

NordPass 5.2

You asked, we’ve listened – our latest release is inspired by your valuable feedback:

Passkeys: You can now better control how often you see certain NordPass passkey prompts on websites. We’ve also introduced a new button in a couple of our passkey flows so that you can more easily switch to using another passkey solution instead of NordPass.
Autofill: You now have the power to change the autofill behavior of website form fields so that you’re suggested exactly the right information you’re looking for. For example, if you’re suggested credit card details on a login page, you can adjust the autofill logic so that you’re correctly suggested a password item in future.
File attachments: You can now save time by viewing attached .jpg and .png image files directly in the app, meaning there’s no longer a need to first download them.

Thanks as always for sharing your thoughts with us. If anything else crosses your mind, you can always find us at support@nordpass.com.

NordPass 5.1

No major updates this time, just a new and improved app release with some under-the-hood performance upgrades – enjoy!

NordPass 5.0

Introducing… file attachments!

That’s right, with NordPass Premium you can now conveniently attach documents and images to any item so that you’ve got access to all-important info when you need it most. Contracts, copies of your IDs, cat photos – you name it, you can securely store it. We hope you enjoy this highly requested feature!

NordPass 4.38

Remember when we said we had some big news to announce soon? Well, here it is… say hello to a new item category: passkeys!

Passkeys are unique, end-to-end encrypted login credentials that are stronger and more convenient to use than passwords.

You can now use NordPass to create passkeys on supported websites. NordPass will also securely store your passkeys so you can use them to instantly log in to your accounts online.

Passwordless authentication: unlocked. Enjoy!

NordPass 4.37

We’ve waved bye-bye to some pesky bugs and have also spruced up the place a touch – enjoy!

NordPass 4.36

We’re starting off 2023 on the right foot with a release that’s faster and more reliable. Stay tuned for some bigger announcements!

NordPass 4.35

No major updates this time, just a new and improved app release with some under-the-hood performance upgrades – enjoy!

NordPass 4.34

We’re happy to present you with a new release. Here’s what we’ve got this time:

DESIGN CHANGES TO ITEMS. We updated how your item details are displayed. Hope you’ll like it.

NordPass 4.33

Building good things takes time. So since the last release, we have mainly focused on catching and eliminating pesky bugs.

NordPass 4.32

This time we’ve waved bye-bye to some pesky bugs and have also spruced up the place a touch – enjoy.

NordPass 4.31

We’re happy to present you with a new release. Here’s what we’ve got this time:

AUTOFILL DISABLEMENT ON WEBSITES. You can now disable autofill on any page that you don’t want to fill your details. It won’t reset when you refresh the page but you can turn it back on at any time.
BUG FIXES.

NordPass 4.30

Here’s what you’ll see in the new NordPass release:

ONBOARDING UPDATE. New users will be greeted by a refreshed onboarding experience that will help them familiarize themselves with NordPass.

NordPass 4.29

No major updates this time, just a new and improved app release with some under-the-hood performance upgrades – enjoy!

NordPass 4.28

Building good things takes time. So since the last release, we have mainly focused on catching and eliminating pesky bugs.

NordPass 4.27

This time we’ve waved bye-bye to some pesky bugs and have also spruced up the place a touch – enjoy!

NordPass 4.26

No big announcements from us this time. However, we hope you’ll still enjoy an updated NordPass version with fewer bugs and better autofill.

NordPass 4.25

Our bug busters have been working hard since the last time you heard from us. That’s why today we can proudly present another NordPass release with even fewer bugs. We hope you’ll like it.

NordPass 4.24

Building good things takes time. So since the last release, we have mainly focused on catching and eliminating pesky bugs.

NordPass 4.23

We’re happy to present you with a new NordPass release. Here’s what we’ve got this time:

UPDATED PASSWORD INFO. Now you’ll get more guidance on making your passwords more secure. Open any of your passwords, and you’ll see whether it’s been reused on other accounts or it’s too old and needs changing.
BUG FIXES. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Therefore, we continuously aim to catch pesky bugs and provide you with the best password management experience.

NordPass 4.22

Here’s what you’ll see in the new NordPass release:

SWITCH ACCOUNT. A long-awaited feature is here! If you have a few NordPass accounts, like personal and business, switching between them will now be a breeze. Just click on your profile account and look for a “Switch Account” button.
LITHUANIAN LANGUAGE. For our Lithuanian friends out there, you can now use NordPass in your mother tongue. Simply head to Settings to change the language.
BUG FIXES.

NordPass 4.21

Our bug busters have been working hard since the last time you heard from us. That’s why today we can proudly present another NordPass release with even fewer bugs. We hope you’ll like it.

NordPass 4.20

We’re happy to present you with a new NordPass release. Here’s what we’ve got this week:

CARD PIN. From now on, you can also add your PIN when saving card details. Don’t worry; it won’t be autofilled. It’s for your reference only.
DELETE CLIPBOARD SETTING. When you copy your password or other item data, it’s normally saved in the clipboard. To avoid pasting it somewhere you didn’t intend; you can now choose the clipboard to clear after a set time.
BUG FIXES.

NordPass 4.19

It’s international women’s day! So we want to take this opportunity and say thank you to all the beautiful women who tirelessly work at NordPass. It wouldn’t be the same without you.

P.S. We mainly focused on fixing bugs this time, so we hope you like a better running app.

NordPass 4.18

Here’s what you’ll see in the new NordPass release:

SUBDOMAIN SORTING IMPROVEMENTS. From now on, if you have multiple items saved for one domain, the account with the matching subdomain will be shown first.
BUG FIXES.

NordPass 4.17

Did you know that January has a Blue Monday – the most depressing day of the year? The good news is it’s over. But if you’re still feeling a little bit blue, here’s a few things we’ve updated to hopefully cheer you up.

Safari import. You can now import passwords saved in Safari straight to NordPass.
Data Breach Report update. If your password appears in a Data Breach report and you update it on the website, select “Resolve” and the same details won’t appear next time you run the report.
Bug fixes. Caught many annoying bugs that hinder your experience.

Some write songs, some dedicate sonnets, some built monuments. We create release notes to honor each update of NordPass app for Windows, macOS and Linux. A single click of that magical “Update” button unlocks the newer, faster, better-performing world of stress-free password management.

NordPass 4.16

As Christmas is over, it’s time to make some New Year’s resolutions. But why wait? We want to become a better, smoother-running, and more user-friendly app now. We have strived for perfection since NordPass was launched, and this week is no exception. So we present you a new NordPass version with fewer bugs and more Autofill fixes.

NordPass 4.15

A good beginning makes a good ending, so why not start a week with a new NordPass release? Here’s what we’ve got this week:

BREACH SCANNER UPDATE. If your password was leaked in a data breach and you’ve reused it on other accounts, a new ‘Accounts at risk` tab will appear. There you’ll see a list of accounts that may be vulnerable. Don’t wait for a second and change their passwords to prevent cyber attacks.
AUTOFILL UPDATE. We’ve fixed a ton of autofill bugs so you’d have a smoother autofill experience on even more websites.

NordPass 4.14

We know that sometimes life throws challenges right at you. At those times, the last thing you want to think about is how and where to access your passwords.

That’s why from now on, you can give emergency access to your passwords and other items. Choose a person you really trust and invite them to be your emergency contact. Once they accept it, you can give them access immediately or wait for 7 days to be given automatically. Note: You can only give emergency access to another NordPass user with a Personal or Family plan.

NordPass 4.13

Trick or treat? Who are we kidding? It’s always just treated here at NordPass. So here’s our Halloween treat to you – a brand new NordPass release. Don’t worry, nothing to be scared of—just a smoother running version of your password manager.

NordPass 4.12

Tired of too many emails and banners? We get you, and we want to improve our communication with you. That’s why from now on, a lot of important information will appear as in-app notifications. So if you open the app and see a red dot next to a bell icon, just know that it’s something important from us to you.

P.S. We also solved a number of bugs.

NordPass 4.11

Getting your data stolen isn’t nice. But if that happens to you, it’s important to identify the stolen information and act quickly. That’s why with this release, Data Breach Scanner has gone even better. How?

If your data has ever appeared in any breach, you can now use the Breach Scanner to identify not just what type of data was leaked, but also see it in plain text. This includes passwords, your address, social security number, birth date, and other data types.

In addition to all this, we are continually working to improve one of our core features – Autofill. So expect to see more websites working flawlessly with NordPass.

NordPass 4.10

Can’t find tools to improve your password security? We got you. You’ll find security tools such as Password Generator, Data Breach Scanner, and Password Health in the sidebar from this release. More accessible to access and easier to use.

We also solved some pesky bugs to make your NordPass experience more enjoyable.

NordPass 4.9

What do you have in the box this time NordPass? Well, let me see…

Title and website address suggestion. That’s right, now when creating a new item, you only need to enter a few letters in the Title or Website address fields, and NordPass will suggest filling it with one of the thousand popular websites.
Spanish and Italian languages are now available on the NordPass extension.
Bug fixes, bug fixes, and more bug fixes.

NordPass 4.8

It’s August my friend. And you know what August is good for? Learning new languages.

Hablas español? Parli italiano? If you do, lucky you. Because you can now use NordPass in Spanish and Italian. Enjoy!

NordPass 4.7

Did you know that no one else has the same fingerprint as you? That’s why it’s the most unique password you can have. Dedicated Mac users, this release is for you. Yes, you can now sign in to your NordPass app with a fingerprint. Feeling like James Bond yet? We are!

P.S. We also solved a ton of pesky bugs to make your experience smoother than ever.

NordPass 4.6

Dear bugs, it’s time. Time to say goodbye. It won’t be the same without you. It will be better. The password managing experience will be much greater now.

NordPass 4.5

It’s officially summer, NordPass people! (Or winter, if you live in the southern hemisphere.) Wherever you are, we hope it’s sunny so that you can enjoy the brand new release. Here’s what we’ve got:

MULTIPLE ITEM SHARING. Sharing is caring, right? Well, now you can select multiple items and share them all at once. Easy peasy. Just always make sure you trust the people you share your credentials with.
PASSWORD GENERATOR HISTORY. You know that moment when you create a super-strong password with the NordPass Generator and forget to save it? Yeah, we’ve been there too. That’s why you’ll now see a little clock icon in your Generator where you can check your previously generated passwords.
BUG FIXES. And, of course, we won’t release a new NordPass version without getting rid of as many bugs as possible.

NordPass 4.4

“Speed” was the main keyword at NordPass this week. So what to expect in this release?

Updated designs so you could find your passwords or any other items at the speed of light.
Tons of bug fixes and maintenance work so that your app would work faster than ever and would be as pretty on the inside as it is on the outside.

NordPass 4.3

Don’t worry if you missed the chance to get NordPass Premium for less. The Summer Kick-Off Sale is here! Use this offer to get access to all the amazing Premium features.

Also, we have a little something for our Business users. From now on, all members who are added or removed from groups will be notified by email.

NordPass 4.2.18

Hello, world! We’ve prepared a nice little juicy pack of updates – just for you. Please give a warm welcome to:

Double EXTENSION-upgrade: from now on, not only it speaks German fluently but also is available in Dark Mode. Ready to give some rest for those sore eyes?
A new ge-ne-ra-tion for stronger passwords! Check out the PASSWORD GENERATOR to enjoy shiny new looks and (finally!) PASS-PHRASES for nice-and-strong-memorable-passwords.

NordPass 4.1

We are working hard on bringing Dark Mode to the NordPass extension. In the meantime, we are also doing some good old maintenance work. So expect to see some design changes in the browser extension and forget the existence of annoying bugs.

NordPass 4.0

Today is the day! You know what we are talking about. You asked for it; we delivered it. And oh boy, how good it looks! You’ll believe it once you see it.

OK, we recommend sitting down for this one. Then open your NordPass app, update it to the newest version and enjoy the shiny new DARK MODE.

Dark mode desktopDark mode desktop

And if that doesn’t impress you, well, then we have more news. You can now use NordPass in German. Whether it’s your mother tongue or just want to polish your German skills, you can now change your language preference in Settings.

NordPass 3.31

This time we’ve got many design changes to make your life easier. So let’s get to it. Here’s what you’ll see in this release.

TOAST MESSAGES UPDATE. Some of the success messages, such as when you import items or update your app, were outdated, so we made them easier to understand.
MULTISELECT REWORK. We noticed that the sorting option was missing when multiple items were selected. We introduced this option and changed long-winded buttons to visually pleasing icons.
BROWSER EXTENSION UPDATE. You can now access Tools from the NordPass extension, including the Password Health and the Data Breach Scanner.

NordPass 3.30

Are you ready to switch off the lights? Because Dark Mode is coming very very soon. We are working hard to make sure everything looks perfect for the release. A few more things, and we are done. Keep your eyes peeled.

In other news, we fixed some annoying bugs we found in Groups and took care of other bugs.

NordPass 3.29

Sometimes what we do is either too difficult to explain or too difficult to see. Yes, you guessed it. This week we put all our effort into finding and getting rid of bugs. We hope we’ll have something more exciting for you next week.

NordPass 2.34

NordPass has gone through some serious spring cleaning with this release. Why do we say so? Here’s what we did:

B2B GROUPS BUG FIXES. It’s new, fresh, and now with fewer bugs.
APP BUG FIXES. We’ll never give up on perfecting NordPass.
EXTENSION DESIGN REWORK. So much better looking now! You have to see it to believe it.

And something exciting is coming up very soon. So stay tuned. 😉

NordPass 2.33

This time, we’ve got good news for Business users. Let us introduce GROUPS. Admins and Owners can now assign members to groups and share passwords with a number of people instantly. Think, your finance department sharing login details every accountant needs to access.

Anything else? Of course, we got rid of more nasty bugs.

Dark mode landscapeDark mode landscape

NordPass 2.32

Happy April Fool’s! Stay vigilant, and don’t get tricked by any hackers. Keep your passwords safe with an updated NordPass app. Here’s what we’ve got this time:

CHANGES TO MASTER PASSWORD CREATION. Now it’s easier to understand what that mysterious Master Password is and how it is different from your Nord Account password. BUG FIXES as usual.

NordPass 2.31

It’s spring! Flowers are blooming, birds are chirping, and NordPass is releasing another update. In this release, you’ll find: KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS. You can now use CTRL + F to search your items and CTRL + L to lock your app instantly. BUG FIXES. No bugs allowed here.

NordPass 2.30

NordPass bug hunters strike again. Yes, you guessed it. We got rid of more pesky bugs so you could enjoy an even smoother experience with NordPass. That’s it for now!

NordPass 2.29

“Could NordPass be any better?” asks our team every single week. And the answer never changes. YES, it can!

But it’s not always about new features and crazy advancements. Sometimes it’s all about perfecting those nitty-gritty details. So this week, we say another goodbye to a bunch of bugs. Bye, we won’t miss you.

NordPass 2.28

Another week, another release of a better, faster, and more secure NordPass app. And for this we say a BIG thank you to our bug hunters (aka developers). You guys rock.

NordPass 2.27

If NordPass was a dog, what would he say to a flea?

Stop bugging me.

The good news NordPass doesn’t need to endure nasty bugs. Bye-bye, bugs. We don’t wanna see you no more.

Bug desktopBug desktop

NordPass 2.26

Ready, set, new release! What can you expect to see in the new and shiny NordPass 2.26?

EXTENSION REWORK. Updated, upgraded, and overall better-looking browser extension. But what did we actually do? Well, we just made it even more similar to your desktop app, meaning more functional and easier to use. Voila!

BUG FIXES. Can you tell we don’t like insects? No bugs are allowed in our app. Yuck.

CarCar

NordPass 2.25

It’s a very special day today. We thought about it over and over again. We were constantly considering, overthinking, and having sleepless nights about it. We even visited a fortune teller to ask if you’ll like it, or not. Yet still, our developers were nervously (but carefully!) coding that code.

And here it comes. A sincere love letter. In PDF format. Containing your Recovery Code. Save it, delete it, save it again, print it – do whatever you want, but please, keep it safe. And don’t show to anyone else! It was created from the bottom of our hearts to express how much we LOVE YOU.

Take care!

And don’t forget to update the app to get those extra bug fixes.

NordPass 2.24

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a password manager named NordPass lived. His goal was to become the best password manager that there ever was. And he did it one release at a time.

He proudly presents his latest achievements:

AUTOSAVE AND PASSWORD EDIT UPDATES. Now it will be easier to understand when NordPass is prompting to update an old password or when it is offering to save a new one automatically.
HELP SECTION ADDED TO SETTINGS. If you need help using NordPass, head to Settings to be directed to the Help Center.
COPY CHANGES. Salvador Dali might have said not to fear perfection as we’ll never reach it, but we’ll still give it a good go.
BUG FIXES. No need to call the pest control officer; we got it fixed.

NordPass 2.23

AbraCadabra boom! No, it’s not magic. It’s just your passwords and personal information filling in quicker and smoother than ever before. Bye-bye, annoying bugs who tried to stop you. What else can you expect in this release?

ONLINE/OFFLINE INDICATOR appears in the NordPass extension.
COPY CHANGES to make the app easier to navigate.
MORE BUG FIXES.

NordPass 2.22

New Year, new NordPass release. Here’s what you’ll see in the latest version:

EASIER LOG IN WITH NORD ACCOUNT. We tweaked the steps you take logging in to NordPass for a smoother experience.
BUG FIXES, because no one likes bugs.
RECOVERY CODE PDF. You will now be able to download your Recovery Code in PDF. Keep it somewhere safe. 😉

NordPass 2.21

Yeah, Christmas will be different this year. But we’ve still got something to spread a little cheer.

In this release, you will see:

ICONLESS ITEMS STYLING. Your passwords that don’t have dedicated icons will light up in a variety of colors.
BUG FIXES. Well, it cannot be called a release without bug fixes, right?

NordPass 2.20

“You guys give up? Or are you thirsty for more?” – Kevin, Home Alone, 1990

That’s the NordPass spirit, Kevin! We’ve got more:

Design changes. Yes, the sky’s the limit for our designers, sorry.
Password Generator update. Did we mention that it’s important to have long and unique passwords?
Browser extension update. Easier to understand, prettier to look at.

NordPass 2.19

I don’t want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don’t care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree

Don’t want NordPass for my own
More than you could ever know
Making this wish come true
Giving a bug-free NordPass for you

P.S. Thanks Mariah Carey for inspiration.

NordPass 2.18

NordPass has turned 1 year old this week. Just on time for Thanksgiving, can you believe it? And we can honestly say this year we are the most grateful for YOU, our dear NordPass user. You, who believed in us and drove us to release one update after another.

So here’s one more. Full of even more design edits, bug fixes, and love:

LOGINS TURN TO PASSWORDS. Now all across the app, you’ll see the term “Password” instead of “Login” because it’s just easier to understand.
CHOOSE FOLDER WHEN AUTOSAVING to organize your passwords there and then.
RENEWED IMPORT. Importing passwords in bulk is now easier than ever.
MINOR DESIGN CHANGES because, let’s be honest, who doesn’t like a good-looking app.
NORD ACCOUNT DEEPLINK FIXES. No more accidental logouts when you use NordVPN and change your IP.

NordPass 2.17

Xmas is in less than 35 days. You’re welcome.

In other news, our designers, developers, and copywriters are presenting you with another brand new update. This time we fixed the annoying-forever-loading spinner, made minor changes to the way you see your items’ details, and updated the copy to make your app even more easier to navigate. Until next time 😉

NordPass 2.16

We know you have better things to do (like keep up with the news on the current presidential election. Yikes, so intense!). So we thought, ‘who are we to bombard you with more messages?’. Poof! Your login and logout messages are gone.

To make your day a little bit brighter, we also made some improvements to your items layout. And we can describe it with just one word – SLEEK. You’ll believe it when you see it 😉

And NordPass update wouldn’t be an update without bug fixes. We did the dirty work and crushed them once again.

NordPass 2.15

Trick or treat? Treat, always. We might be a few days late to any online Halloween party, but, to make up for it, we are bringing new treats to your desktop app:

ADD ITEM IN FOLDER. You can now add items straight from your folders. Easy, breazy, and all your items are organized.
ITEM DETAILS FIXES. “There is no limit to perfection!” screams the NordPass design team. Your items will now look more beautiful than ever.
OTHER LITTLE BUG FIXES. Little bugs and spiders might fit the Halloween theme, but they don’t look good in your NordPass app. We got rid of them to make your experience smoother and safer.

NordPass 2.14

Providing high-quality password-managing experience, routine maintenance and working under-the-hood is just as essential as releasing a new shiny feature. So nothing grand this time — just the usual bug-fixing and design-improving business. We’re packing and sending best wishes along with app improvements your way!

NordPass 2.13

BUG FIXES. Sometimes you couldn’t scroll down to the end of your passwords list. You simply couldn’t. The good news is that we did some magic tricks, so now you can.
BUG FIXES. We’ve also changed the font style, the button style, and the spacing style in the context menu of your passwords list (not exactly a bug, but we wanted to keep the release notes in style).
BUG FIXES for everyone.
BUG FIXES. Sometimes you couldn’t scroll down to the end of your passwords list. You simply couldn’t. The good news is that we did some magic tricks, so now you can.

NordPass 2.12

When life gives you Monday, we release the app update. Let’s see what we’ve got:

IN-APP NOTIFICATIONS sometimes were over-competitive and tried to overlap each other. Someone smart once said that the best way to kill competition is to partner it. So after some inspiring conversations about team spirit, the attitude was fixed – all notifications now act super friendly.
DESIGN BUG FIXES. Yes, sometimes bugs may look stylish. Even pretty. They are still bugs – and they are out now.
PASSWORD HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS. The development department was very excited about changing something with the algorithm. All I know is that the health of your passwords will be calculated even more accurately. I only write release notes – please don’t judge me. And have a nice day!

NordPass 2.11

Hey there! How are you? Ready for the update? Let’s go:

BREACH REPORT. This one feels like a lottery. By clicking a ‘Scan’ button, you can find out if any of your accounts were ever caught in data breaches. However, it probably is the first lottery where it’s better not to ‘win’ anything.
DESIGN IMPROVEMENTS. They see you scrollin’, they hatin’, – because scrolling with that new scroll bar has never felt so good. Just give it a go.

NordPass 2.1

Another week – another update. Let’s roll!

DESIGN IMPROVEMENTS. Yes, we did it again. We’ve played with UI, got lost in perfecting the details. Oh, baby baby. Yes, the item lists now look neat, the font is sent from above. It all looks perfect now!
PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENTS. Let’s be honest – after entering your Master Password to unlock the vault, the app window was getting overexcited and moved all over the place. Not that it was a bad thing – but those moves really weren’t good. So, we’ve sent the app to some dancing classes. The result – the app learned some solid, stylish but still moves – more like JLo style.

NordPass 2.9

Faster than light.
Supersonic.
Fleet-footed.
Pronto.
Winged.

We’ve spent hours trying to find the right word to describe the improved speed of opening your passwords (and other items) in the vault, but none of them was good enough. They say that action speaks a thousand words, so enjoy viewing your items at full speed.

NordPass 2.8

Passwords are more human-natured than you could possibly think. They need a safe and cozy place to stay. Most of them eat well (cheat days included 😉 ) and constantly work out to become faster and stronger. However, sometimes they also may feel weak and unwell, so regular health check-ups are crucial. Luckily, we’ve found an easy way to maintain their well-being – set up a password health checker in the app. Take a chance to make your precious passwords happier (and accounts safer) without leaving the house.

Stay safe, everyone!

NordPass 2.7

The idea of throwing this party came out of thin air. Why not, we thought – work hard, party harder, right?

So we’ve ordered lots of food and drinks (everyone was curious seeing what new employees look like when they’re drunk), brought in a magical photo booth (making selfies was too mainstream), and prized trivia (to avoid awkward silences), and live music by our beloved DJ “Vibe Manager”.

Time flew, the party’s got in full swing (no one seemed to be running out of things to talk about – phew). Even NordVPN and NordLocker stopped by. After a not-work-related heated discussion about data privacy and online security, they promised to join our “Tools” department. Like, forever.

Autofill department surprised everyone with funky moves – those icons felt like dancin’ till the break of dawn. It was fun until the ‘fun’ went out of control – and out of login fields. Luckily, after taking a chill pill, everything’s got back in order.

By the way, some unwanted URL spaces were trying to crash both the party and the app. That’s kind of rude, so we’ve asked them to leave.

We’ve finished with a small team-building session with cleaning the office – it’s now nice and clean – and so is the app (we hope so).

That’s it – peace out!

NordPass 2.6

Our engineers are all about perfection. They literally were calculating coordinates for pixel-perfect autofill icons placement. However, some “wind of change” has happened, and those icons ended up finding their home OUTSIDE the login fields. Sorry for that – this unforgivable mistake was fixed.

Also, some sneaky, crawly, totally gross bugs were caught and removed. The app is much better without them – enjoy!

NordPass 2.5

This release contains some behind-the-scenes magic, usual tinkering-under-the-hood and minor design tweaks. By hitting the “Update” button, you will get one step closer to top-notch password-managing experience. Stay well!

NordPass 2.4

They say – small changes make a big difference. Behold – the update with a bunch of app upgrades is here. Let’s see what we’ve got here:

VISUAL IMPROVEMENTS. Mirror mirror on the wall, who is prettiest of them all? Well, our designer’s brush made some magic tweaks, so the answer is clear now – it’s those tiny cute little app icons. Lookin’ good!
APP LOADING FASTER. Need for speed? You’re welcome! Fasten your seatbelt and put the pedal to the metal – the project “Make the app faster” was completed successfully.
BUG FIXES. Dear sneaky bugs, thanks for visiting, farewell, let’s never meet again.

New to NordPass?

You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to start using NordPass on a desktop device. Just add the standalone extension and you’re all set — no need to download or install the app!

Check out our detailed support guide for getting started with NordPass quickly and easily.

Once you have the new extension running on your browser, you can start using NordPass to its fullest extent.

If you have any further questions regarding the changes or NordPass in general, do not hesitate to contact our tech-minded support team at support@nordpass.com — they’re ready to take care of any issues you might have. Also, if you have any suggestions or feedback, simply submit a request for our team — we’re all ears, all the time.

About Version 2 Limited
Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About NordPass
NordPass is developed by Nord Security, a company leading the global market of cybersecurity products.

The web has become a chaotic space where safety and trust have been compromised by cybercrime and data protection issues. Therefore, our team has a global mission to shape a more trusted and peaceful online future for people everywhere.

NordLayer’s 2023 wins: 7 prestigious awards and G2 recognition

In 2023, NordLayer earned seven major awards, showcasing its growth in cybersecurity and network solutions. The awards include honors from the American Business Stevie® Awards, Globee® Cybersecurity Awards, and Cyber Defense Magazine’s Top InfoSec Innovator Awards. These prizes demonstrate that NordLayer is truly stepping up its tech game. The company also received 25 G2 award badges in fall 2023, confirming its rising industry status.

US business recognition: the American Business Stevie® Awards

Known as “The Stevies,” the American Business Awards symbolize US business excellence. Since 2002, they have recognized achievements in various sectors like marketing, IT, and customer service. The awards welcome entries from all US organizations, regardless of their size or type.

The Stevies’ judging involves over 230 global professionals annually. Judges from various fields assess each entry for excellence. The awards feature Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels, reflecting different achievement tiers.

NordLayer’s win in the Stevie® Awards’ Best Business Technology Pivot category, showcases our innovation and adaptability. This achievement places us in a prominent spot within the US business sector. It also confirms our effective approach to business technology and cybersecurity.

Global recognition at the Globee® Cybersecurity Awards

The 19th annual Globee® Cybersecurity Awards are a key global platform for cybersecurity excellence. They cover numerous categories, highlighting important advancements in this area. Over 250 experts rigorously evaluate entries, underscoring the competitive aspect of cybersecurity innovations.

NordLayer’s NordLynx received recognition, demonstrating our impactful role in cybersecurity. This highlights NordLayer’s significant position in the field and our commitment in digital security.

Top InfoSec Innovator Awards by Cyber Defense Magazine

In its 11th year, the Top InfoSec Innovator Awards by Cyber Defense Magazine represent a key accolade in the cybersecurity field. These awards recognize notable advancements in information security, with categories that span threat detection, risk management, and cyber defense strategies. Established in 2012, Cyber Defense Magazine provides a platform for these awards.

NordLayer’s achievement as the Most Innovative Zero Trust highlights our role in developing crucial security measures like the Zero Trust approach.

The SaaS Awards: spotlight on software-as-a-service excellence

The SaaS Awards, established in 2015, have become a key global benchmark in the software industry. They focus on Software as a Service achievements, attracting a diverse range of global companies. The awards span numerous categories, reflecting the diversity and innovation within the SaaS sector.

An international panel of industry experts judges these awards, focusing on innovation, usability, and performance. This guarantees a thorough review of all entries. NordLayer’s finalist position in the Best Security Innovation in a SaaS Product category marks significant industry recognition and underscores the importance of a forward-thinking approach to security in SaaS solutions.

Technological advancement in security: the Computing Security Awards

The Computing Security Awards are a key event in the cybersecurity industry, recognizing excellence in network and information security. These awards attract entries from a wide range of global companies.

NordLayer’s 2023 finalist status for Network Security Solution of the Year highlights our cybersecurity effectiveness.

Effective remote working environments: the RemoteTech Breakthrough Awards

The RemoteTech Breakthrough Awards, part of Tech Breakthrough, honor excellence in remote work technologies. In the digital and remote work era, these awards have become increasingly relevant.

NordLayer’s win as the Best Overall Remote Work Security Solution of the Year in 2023 from over 1,250 nominees showcases our prowess in remote work cybersecurity. This award highlights our commitment to secure and efficient remote work solutions.

Merit Awards: recognizing technological innovation

Founded in 2022, the Merit Awards honor global industry achievements with a focus on technology. These awards recognize leaders in innovation and technological progress, assessing cutting-edge technology submissions. Marie Zander, the executive director, emphasizes that the 2023 Technology Award winners have set new standards in technology use.

The selection process involves a diverse panel of industry experts and educators. Winners, categorized into gold, silver, and bronze levels, receive digital badges and promotional tools for recognition. NordLayer’s cybersecurity win at these awards highlights its significant role in driving technology innovation.

Users’ recognition: NordLayer’s achievement in G2 awards fall 2023

G2, a top software marketplace, is known for authentic user reviews on various products and services. With over 90 million users annually, including Fortune 500 employees, G2 is a key software resource. In fall 2023, NordLayer earned 25 G2 awards, showing its excellence in multiple software categories. This user-driven recognition makes NordLayer a top performer in the software landscape.

Business VPN Leader category

In the highly competitive BusinessVPN Leader category, NordLayer won nine awards, demonstrating its strong market position. These awards focus on partnership quality, multi-device usage, customer support, and protocol choices, key to user satisfaction. The range of awards includes:

Business VPN Momentum Leader
Business VPN Leader
Business VPN Leader: Americas
Business VPN Leader: Asia-Pacific
Business VPN Leader: Europe
Business VPN Mid-Market Leader
Business VPN Mid-Market Leader: Americas
Business VPN Small-Business Leader
Business VPN Small-Business Leader: Americas

Best Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) platforms

SASE platforms unify various security solutions into a cloud-native service for modern computing needs. These platforms, evolving from secure web gateways and cloud access security broker (CASB) software, include Zero-Trust networking and secure perimeters. NordLayer stands out on the following categories:

Cloud Security Leader
Cloud Security Leader: Americas
Cloud Security Small-Business Leader
Cloud Security Small-Business Leader: Americas

Network Access Control (NAC) leader category

In the Network Access Control (NAC) category, NordLayer’s awards demonstrate our prowess in policy control and data protection. G2 evaluates factors like partnership quality and security. So, G2’s recognition reinforces NordLayer’s position with titles like:

Network Access Control (NAC) Momentum Leader
Network Access Control (NAC) Leader: Americas

Significance of NordLayer’s diverse awards

NordLayer’s varied awards across different sectors highlight our dedication to solving cybersecurity challenges. These recognitions affirm the effectiveness of our approach, in line with our mission to simplify cybersecurity for organizations. With user appreciation as a key indicator of success, each award marks NordLayer’s progress in the cybersecurity field.

Organizations seeking to strengthen their cybersecurity can rely on NordLayer’s recognized solutions. For more information or assistance, please contact our sales team.

Genetic data leak, 23andMe point to credential stuffing

Hackers are selling genetic data stolen from users of the company 23andMe. The company itself says they weren’t breached, although their users’ data was used by what seems to be a single threat actor stealing personal details and genetic data. This data was then published or advertised online. 23andMe suggested that the threat actor(s) gained unauthorized access with “recycled login credentials”, a technique known as credential stuffing.

The logic is simple: Keep trying stolen username/password combinations, and eventually, they’ll work on another site. An easy solution to credential stuffing attacks? You guessed it: Multi-factor authentication (MFA). While 23andMe has offered an MFA feature since 2019, it was not made mandatory for users. With genetic and personal data at stake and up to 7 million users affected by these recent breaches, it might be time for a change in policy.

The Bleach Breach: Clorox revenue and supply chain hit

Clorox, the household cleaning giant, predicts a more than 20% drop in quarterly sales due to a cyberattack (thought to be ransomware) that caused product shortages and operational disruptions. Manufacturing, often kept running by legacy systems and sprawling workforces, suffers more cyberattacks than any other industry.

The Clorox incident is being linked to the same group responsible for the MGM and Caesars Palace hacks, discussed in our previous episode, which occurred around the same time in August 2023. “Scattered Spider” is notorious for using social engineering methods to gain access to internal systems. The Clorox Company’s share price has dropped by over 7 percent in the last month.

Tech companies are rushing to secure the lead in wearable AI products. Meta has collaborated with Ray-Ban on a pair of high-tech glasses, enabling wearers to live stream directly from the glasses to Facebook or Instagram and voice activate Meta AI, “an advanced conversational assistant”. Jony Ive, Apple’s legendary former design lead, and OpenAI are reportedly teaming up to design the “iPhone of AI”.

Rewind.ai unveiled a neck-worn pendant that records conversations to your smartphone and creates a searchable database of life moments. Humane, imagining “a world where you can take AI everywhere”, have developed a smart device that resembles a badge or lapel pin.

The common goal here seems to be for technology to rely less on screens, to fade from view, and become all but invisible.

Stay tuned for the next episode of Cyberview.

About Version 2 Limited
Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About Nord Security
The web has become a chaotic space where safety and trust have been compromised by cybercrime and data protection issues. Therefore, our team has a global mission to shape a more trusted and peaceful online future for people everywhere.

About NordLayer
NordLayer is an adaptive network access security solution for modern businesses – from the world’s most trusted cybersecurity brand, Nord Security.

The web has become a chaotic space where safety and trust have been compromised by cybercrime and data protection issues. Therefore, our team has a global mission to shape a more trusted and peaceful online future for people everywhere.

Nord Security 2023 NordLayer

When an employee’s social mindset becomes a threat to business

In today’s business environment, where innocent GIFs and shared documents can be weaponized, protecting cloud-based collaboration from the spread of malware should be a priority.

As our lives settle ever deeper into online environments and digital behaviors, cybercriminals are leveraging new vectors that allow for phishing, data theft, and spreading malware. Recent incidents show that mixing people’s professional and personal minds (an ever-present human factor) can create new weaknesses in a business’s cybersecurity.

Imagine your employees browsing their favorite social media platform on their personal time; they might find an interesting picture or emoji and its embedded link, which they then share — no one would mind such a distraction. Now, imagine your employees checking their various professional chats and threads; something between their personal and professional interests sparks their minds. Hence, they react by sharing an article, an interesting picture, or an emoji and its embedded link. This time, they share with their colleagues on a cloud-based platform such as Microsoft Teams . . . just for fun or even for professional inspiration.

A pretty common thing in an office, right? Well, bad actors can abuse even these everyday activities. Putting it simply, behaviors common to navigating and enjoying social media platforms can raise risks for business platforms, which have now become ubiquitous for small and medium businesses (SMBs) and enterprises alike.
Fortunately, multilayered ESET cybersecurity technology has an answer for such incidents with ESET Cloud Office Security (ECOS), which is now expanding beyond Microsoft 365 applications to include the Google Workspace.

Image 1. ECOS Dashboard with an overview of protected apps

Sharing reports, jokes, and malware

Let’s start with weaponized pictures, GIFs, and emojis. The technique of concealing a file, message, image, or video within another file, message, image, or video is called digital steganography, and it is nothing new in cybersecurity.

The first documented case of its use in a cyberattack dates back to 2011, when the Duqu malware was discovered. This malware gathers data about the infected device and transmits them back to the command-and-control (C&C) server hidden in a JPEG file meant to look like an innocent picture.

Since then, ESET researchers have analyzed numerous similar attacks.

In 2022, BleepingComputer reported about a new attack technique called GIFShell that allows threat actors to abuse Microsoft Teams for phishing attacks and executing commands to steal data using GIFs.

Using numerous Teams vulnerabilities, GIFShell allows an attacker to create a reverse shell. This technique tricks users into installing malware that connects the victim’s device to the attacker’s command-and-control server. After the connection is established, the command-and-control server delivers malicious commands via weaponized GIFs in Teams. These commands can, for example, scan the device for sensitive data and then exfiltrate the output, again, through GIFs retrieved by Microsoft’s own infrastructure.

Large cloud-based platforms like Microsoft 365 with its Teams app saw rapid growth during the pandemic and, by Q1 2023, had approximately 280 million users. With such growth and new online behaviors, the scope for abuse on large platforms has only grown.

However, increasing attention has been shown to these threat vectors by researchers. In June 2023, UK-based security services provider Jumpsec’s Red Team discovered an easy way to deliver malware using Microsoft Teams via an account outside the target organization. Even though Microsoft Teams has client-side protection preventing file delivery from external sources, Red Team’s members bypassed it by changing the internal and external recipient ID in the POST request of a message.

That way, researchers were able to fool the system into thinking that an external user was, in fact, an internal account. Specifically, they successfully delivered a command-and-control payload into a target organization’s inbox. If this attack had happened in a real-life environment, bad actors could have taken over the control of a business’s devices.

Users shielded via multilayered protection

To deal with threats coming from increasingly popular cloud-based applications, ESET created its Cloud Office Security (ECOS) solution. It is a powerful combination of spam filtering, anti‑malware scanning, anti‑phishing, and advanced threat defense capabilities able to mitigate even never-before-seen threat types.

With this multitenant and scalable product, businesses can protect their entire Office 365 suite, including Exchange Online, MS Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint Online. For example, one of the things that ECOS does is that it scans all files transmitted through MS Teams and those uploaded or downloaded to SharePoint Online, scanning it regardless of who the author of the content is.

ECOS effectivity in numbers:

In the first ten months of 2023, ECOS detected and blocked over 1 million email threats, over 500,000 phishing emails, and over 30 million spam emails.
Thousands of never-before-seen detections were made by the cloud analysis component of ESET LiveGuard Advanced.
ECOS detected and stopped tens of thousands of threats in cloud storage and collaboration tools like OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint.

In its latest offering, ESET goes even further, integrating ECOS with Google Workspace to protect users from the aforementioned threat types. This means that ESET now protects the major cloud email providers.

Adding more protection

The many functions outlined here are critical for security in large part because they scale easily and provide concrete improvements for businesses. However, ESET has sought to do even more for SMBs. In October 2022, ESET endpoint security solutions integrated with Intel® Threat Detection Technology (Intel® TDT), which went live for select vPro 9th Gen (and higher) powered laptops, with integrated functionalities providing improved hardware-based ransomware detection.

This year has seen further improvements to the integration with the higher performance of the newly launched 13th Gen Intel® Core™ processors, which further enable unique ransomware detections shared between ESET endpoint security and its layers, and Intel’s performance monitoring unit (PMU) sitting beneath applications, the operating system, and virtualization layers gathering CPU telemetry as threats attempt to execute.

This solution is especially advantageous for SMBs because it further expands the comprehensive nature of our multilayered solution without the need for any direct management.

Preparing for attacks doesn’t have to be complicated

Techniques that allow the breach of a business’s security through its employees and their (in-app) behaviors demonstrate that cybercriminals use every possibility to circumvent standard cyber defenses.

Via an ECOS’s easy-to-use dashboard, its Cloud Management Console, businesses can not only manage their security but also rapidly detect, assess, and respond to cyber incidents, making it a perfect solution for businesses of any size.

About Version 2 Limited
Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About ESET
For 30 years, ESET® has been developing industry-leading IT security software and services for businesses and consumers worldwide. With solutions ranging from endpoint security to encryption and two-factor authentication, ESET’s high-performing, easy-to-use products give individuals and businesses the peace of mind to enjoy the full potential of their technology. ESET unobtrusively protects and monitors 24/7, updating defenses in real time to keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. Evolving threats require an evolving IT security company. Backed by R&D facilities worldwide, ESET became the first IT security company to earn 100 Virus Bulletin VB100 awards, identifying every single “in-the-wild” malware without interruption since 2003.

ESET 2023

23.11.2 ‘Saturn’ released

Changes compared to 23.11.1

Bug Fixes

Fixed an issue with remote registration failing to authenticate users when being used by a tenant admin

About Version 2 Limited
Version 2 Digital is one of the most dynamic IT companies in Asia. The company distributes a wide range of IT products across various areas including cyber security, cloud, data protection, end points, infrastructures, system monitoring, storage, networking, business productivity and communication products.

Through an extensive network of channels, point of sales, resellers, and partnership companies, Version 2 offers quality products and services which are highly acclaimed in the market. Its customers cover a wide spectrum which include Global 1000 enterprises, regional listed companies, different vertical industries, public utilities, Government, a vast number of successful SMEs, and consumers in various Asian cities.

About Comet
We are a team of dedicated professionals committed to developing reliable and secure backup solutions for MSP’s, Businesses and IT professionals. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, we understand the importance of having a reliable backup solution in place to protect your valuable data. That’s why we’ve developed a comprehensive suite of backup solutions that are easy to use, scalable and highly secure.

2023 Comet

Understanding defense in depth: A comprehensive guide

Navigating digital security threats can sometimes feel like crossing a minefield. With new dangers arising, it’s not enough to rely on a single tool to keep all sensitive data in an organization secure. That’s where defense in depth comes in – an approach that combines physical and digital security measures for an all-encompassing protection strategy.

However, this approach doesn’t mean using random tools – there’s a system to how each defense layer is implemented. Let’s see how setting up a defense in depth strategy benefits organizations.

What is defense in depth?

Defense in depth (DiD) is the strategy of layering different physical and digital resources to reinforce the security measures in an organization. It’s a preventative approach aiming to decrease the odds that sensitive data will be breached or stolen.

Defense in depth shares its name with a Roman military strategy. This tactic saw the Roman military taking a defensive approach rather than going after targets themselves. If the enemies reached the Roman Empire’s borders, the Romans would allow them to cross. Once on their native soil, the Roman military would attack the enemy from within the border provinces. This made it more difficult for enemy forces to reach cities and cause significant damage to land.

Centuries later, this layered strategy has become what we now know as defense in depth cybersecurity. The principle is simple — an organization sets up a range of digital and physical protective barriers that discourage attackers from striking in the first place. Even if a hacker manages to crack one of the layers, they still have to face the rest of the defensive system. With enough varied layers, an organization may establish an impenetrable line of defense.

You might be eager to cut into this defensive cake and see each of its layers. So let’s take a closer look at how this approach works in practice.

Defense in depth architecture

To visualize the concept of defense in depth, you can think of concentric castles – medieval structures that were fortified with multiple inner and outer walls. Each wall added challenge to attacking forces and helped fend off threats longer. At its core, defense in depth works the same – each layer makes it more difficult to breach the system.

Defense in depth mechanisms are generally grouped into three categories:

Administrative controls
Physical controls
Technical controls

Each of the categories consists of different tools and strategies. The range of tools used in defense in depth varies based on the needs and resources available to an organization. Typically, technical controls make up half the architecture, with physical and administrative controls accounting for the rest.

Administrative controls concern the procedures and policies that your company employs. This encompasses processes in practically all areas of the organizational structure. The processes of hiring and how much information is revealed to a candidate, onboarding and offboarding, and data processing regulations all contribute to administrative controls. You can also think of company-wide initiatives such as safety training or protocols that are set in place in case of a data-related incident.

Physical controls refer to a hands-on approach to security. The security guards patrolling the building, cameras installed on the premises, and the locks protecting the entrances and exits all count as physical security measures in a defense in depth infrastructure. Remember that while many attacks occur exclusively online, it doesn’t mean that someone won’t try to break in or snoop around the headquarters. Protecting your physical data storage is as crucial as the digital side.

Finally, technical controls encompass a broad range of digital tools that help ensure the protection of your sensitive information. When we talk about technical controls, we typically discuss software, although hardware storage can also be used for data storage and protection. Antivirus and anti-spyware tools, cloud storage, virtual private networks, password managers – anything that can act as an extra layer of security works.

Essential principles of the defense in depth security strategy

There’s a philosophy behind every strategy. At their core, the defense in depth principles are simple – layering different security measures to optimize the protection of a database. The more layers a system encompasses, the more discouraged malicious attackers are from striking it. If they manage to rip off one security layer, they encounter a new one deeper down.

The goal of defense in depth is to account for potential failures in all areas and minimize loss if a successful breach were to occur. While software breaches and corrupt hardware can be the culprits of a vulnerable system, the weakest link is often the employees themselves.

Negligent behavior, such as insecure file sharing, use of weak passwords, and reuse of the same login credentials for different accounts, can lead to easy targeting and subsequent damage. As such, combining the three types of defense in depth controls aims to protect the company from attackers as much as from human error.

The power of layered security in cyber defense

Despite an overlap and the tendency to use both terms interchangeably, defense in depth and layered security aren’t the same. While defense in depth is an all-encompassing structure that aims to protect the security of all crucial data in your organization, layered security is focused on using different measures to withhold a particular threat or protect one area of the organizational structure.

As you can imagine, setting up layered security or defense in depth layers is an intricate process. After all, you’re essentially building defensive walls to protect sensitive data at your company’s core. It’s about finding the right people and tools for your company, dedicating your resources to keeping things running smoothly, and blocking attackers before they even strike.

Defense in depth – in practice

Hypothetically, here’s what defense in depth cybersecurity infrastructure can look like in an organization:

The physical headquarters of a company are patrolled by on-site security 24/7.
Each employee is issued a unique keycard to access the premises.
All employee accounts are protected by login credentials.
All passwords are changed at regular intervals according to company policy.
All employees must use a password manager and enable two-factor authentication.
Remote employees connect to the company’s virtual private network to avoid using insecure public Wi-Fi.
All computers are equipped with antivirus software.
All operating systems and software must be kept up to date.
All employees should complete digital safety training.
The company should undergo regular auditing to ensure all security measures are in place.
All sensitive company and client data must be stored in secure servers.
A dedicated team should have an established action plan in case of a data breach.
A support team should be on call in case of an emergency.

Notice which of these measures fall under technical, administrative, and physical controls. As you implement your own strategy, you’ll see that, in some instances, the strategies and tools overlap and support each other, reinforcing the effectiveness of your layered defense mechanism.

Best practices of defense in depth implementation

The key tip for maintaining a successful defense in depth approach is keeping everything up to date. After all, cyber crooks are working on new strategies and tools to get past your defenses, and you want to ensure you stay ahead of the threats.

Ensure that all software you’re using is regularly updated. Outdated software often contains security gaps that hackers can exploit, so make sure the patches are installed. This also goes for online platforms – if services you rely on are breached or become obsolete, you need to relocate your data securely.

Don’t forget hardware – have an action plan if your devices are damaged or stolen. The same goes for in-house security and measures like setting up protocols in case an employee’s or guest’s entrance card is stolen or lost.

Of course, updating your own knowledge is essential. Hold regular training sessions, follow the latest data breach news, keep yourself informed about lurking threats, and learn the strategies that you can implement to fend off the attacks.

How NordPass can help

As we’ve seen, the technical layer holds the most weight in a successfully resilient defense in depth structure. That means amping up your technical toolkit is priority number one for your organization. Improving the company’s password protection is not something to overlook.

Human error is among the leading causes of data breaches. Whether it’s negligence, bad password management, or malicious intent, humans are usually at fault. As such, organizations need to work on policies and tools to reduce the risk of incidents caused by employees. Despite the growing popularity of passkeys, passwords are still the most common security tool that each member of the organization relies on, making them equally vulnerable and valuable.

Here’s where NordPass comes in. As a business-optimized password manager, it helps you keep all of your organization’s sensitive information secure, whether it’s login credentials, company bank accounts, or client information. With NordPass, you can create, store, and manage strong passwords that are difficult to crack. Two-factor authentication ensures that you’re the only one who can access your password vault.

Secure password sharing can often be a point of contention because people use the easy yet insecure option to pass along login credentials via email, non-encrypted messages, or Post-It notes. NordPass eliminates this risk, allowing you to share your saved items with your colleagues in-app securely. Additionally, administrators can set up company-wide password policies that require all employees to update their passwords at regular intervals, bringing the best practices of technical and administrative controls into one.

Bottom line

Setting up defense in depth for your organization might take some time, but the rewards are long term – you can rest assured that your sensitive data is under lock and key and incredibly difficult for unwanted actors to access.

If you’re unsure where to start, setting up NordPass for your organization is the perfect first step. Have your team follow secure password practices and keep their credentials updated. You won’t have to worry about coming up with new, unique ideas for each reset – simply use our Password Generator and autofill the details whenever you log in to an account. There’s no easier way to start building the defense walls around your data.