Tokenisation: The Leading Solution for Mitigating Critical CVEs

Tokenisation can play a crucial role in mitigating the impact of various critical vulnerabilities by reducing the attack surface and protecting sensitive data. Here’s how tokenisation could potentially address the specific CVEs mentioned earlier:

CVE-2024-21413 (Microsoft Outlook RCE)

Problem: This vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via malicious emails.

Tokenisation Solution: By tokenising sensitive data in emails (such as attachments and links), even if an attacker exploits this vulnerability, they will only gain access to tokens that are meaningless without the tokenisation system. This reduces the risk of data theft or further exploitation (Kaspersky) (FireCompass).

CVE-2024-21762 (Fortinet FortiOS SSL VPN)

Problem: Out-of-bounds write vulnerability allows remote code execution.

Tokenisation Solution: Tokenising sensitive user and configuration data in the FortiOS system can prevent attackers from obtaining valuable information even if they manage to exploit the vulnerability. This ensures that critical data remains protected and inaccessible to unauthorised parties (Tenable?) (FireCompass).

CVE-2024-30051 (Windows DWM Core Library EoP)

Problem: Elevation of privilege vulnerability allows attackers to gain SYSTEM privileges.

Tokenisation Solution: By tokenising sensitive system files and configurations, the potential damage from an attacker gaining elevated privileges can be minimised. The attacker would not be able to access or manipulate the actual sensitive data, thus reducing the impact of the exploitation (Tenable?).

CVE-2024-21364 (Microsoft Azure Site Recovery)

Problem: This vulnerability allows privilege escalation in Azure Site Recovery.

Tokenisation Solution: Tokenising sensitive data within Azure environments ensures that even if privileges are escalated, the attacker cannot access critical information. This adds an extra layer of security by ensuring that sensitive data is not directly accessible within the compromised system (FireCompass).

CVE-2024-21376 (Microsoft Azure Kubernetes Service)

Problem: Remote code execution vulnerability in AKS affecting Confidential Containers.

Tokenisation Solution: Tokenising data within AKS containers ensures that even if the containers are compromised, the attacker cannot access or misuse sensitive data. This approach helps in maintaining data security despite the vulnerability (FireCompass).

CVE-2024-20667 (Azure DevOps Server)

Problem: Remote code execution vulnerability allows attackers to control the server.

Tokenisation Solution: By tokenising sensitive information stored in Azure DevOps, organisations can prevent attackers from accessing critical data even if they exploit the vulnerability to gain control over the server (FireCompass).

Benefits of Tokenisation

Reduces Data Exposure: By replacing sensitive data with tokens, organisations can ensure that even if an attacker gains access, they cannot retrieve or misuse the original data.

Non-Mathematically Linked: Tokens are not mathematically linked to the original data, making it impossible to reverse-engineer the tokens.

Enhanced Compliance: Tokenisation helps organisations comply with data protection regulations by minimising the storage and transmission of sensitive data.

Conclusion

Tokenisation eliminates the risk posed by these vulnerabilities; it significantly reduces the potential impact by protecting sensitive data. Implementing tokenisation as part of a broader security strategy can help organisations mitigate the risks associated with critical CVEs and enhance their overall cybersecurity posture.