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This document is only available as a PDF.

This document is only available in PDF format.

This document is only available in PDF format.

Job Summary: The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks a qualified candidate to serve as Manager of Administration & Corporate Services for a one-year, renewable appointment in the Finance and Administration Division. The Manager of Administration & Corporate Services AFR is responsible for the overall coordination of administrative matters between IFPRI's headquarters in Washington DC and the IFPRI regional and country/project offices in Africa. The position provides management and operational support to IFPRI regional and country/project offices in Africa including related administrative aspects of current and new corporate partnerships in Africa. This position is based in Dakar, Senegal.  Essential Duties: Specific Duties include but are not limited to: Lead finance and administration functions of the Dakar office, providing operational support and oversight of day-to-day office activities.  Provide management support and oversight of the financial and administrative operations of IFPRI Regional and country/project offices in Africa, including functions such as budgeting, contracts and grants, human resources, facilities and IT management. Work closely with key administrative departments at IFPRI headquarters for accounting, human resources, computer services and facilities/office services, in the development of and roll-out of IFPRI-wide policy and procedure changes, providing guidance and training as needed to regional and country offices to ensure that the quality of operational support meets IFPRI operations standards. Regular analysis of operations capacity of IFPRI offices in Africa, identifying and making recommendations regarding opportunities for improvement in IFPRI’s administrative operations and processes, and undertaking new initiatives as agreed. Build strong relationships with Country Office Heads and Country Administrative and Finance Managers, providing advice, guidance, and support in all areas of operations and ensuring compliance with IFPRI policies and procedures. Financial reporting oversight for IFPRI regional and country offices in Africa, and supervision and management of the Hub Finance and Administration unit team, ensuring compliance with IFPRI and donor standards, policies and procedures and processes. Participation in the formulation of annual budgets and capital plans for IFPRI offices in Africa. Provide management oversight to ensure that proper financial controls are in place and processes are compliant with correct accounting procedures, providing strategic direction in developing options for addressing any weaknesses. Monitor projects in African locations on an as required basis. Facilitate decision-making on human resource (HR) matters relating to IFPRI offices in Africa (policies and procedures, labor law compliance, staffing, recruitment, conflict resolution, etc.) Work to build the capacity of finance, administrative staff members throughout IFPRI offices in Africa through regular training sessions and mentoring support. Contribute to the internal and external audit preparations for IFPRI offices in Africa and provide support on the implementation of audit recommendations and actions. Required Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree plus twelve years of relevant professional experience or Master’s degree plus ten years of relevant experience.  Minimum of four years management experience. Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal skills. Strong customer service skills. Ability to work effectively with all levels of organizations, including regional partners and donors. Ability to work autonomously, yet keep others informed. Ability to work in a multicultural setting. Excellent attention to details. Fluency in French is highly preferred.  ​Physical Demand & Work environment: Employee will sit in an upright position for a long period of time with little opportunity to move/stretch Employee will lift between 0-10 pounds Employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform activities such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing computer terminal; extensive reading. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is an equal employment opportunity employer - F/M/Disability/Vet/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity.

Job Summary The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks a qualified candidate to serve as a Research Analyst I/II in its Development Strategies and Governance Unit. This position is a one-year, renewable appointment, based at IFPRI’s office in New Delhi, India. The Successful candidate will have experience in using mixed methods for research and excellent writing skills. Interested applicants must have work authorization to work in India. The final grade level will be determined by level of education and years of relevant work experience. Essential Duties:  Specific duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: Assist with the analysis of climate-smart agricultural (CSA) technologies and interventions and their increasing significance as part of agricultural adaptation in the wake of climate change, particularly in the developing countries. Assist in conducting cost-benefit analysis, constraint analysis, and policy analysis to estimate the extent to of CSA adoption in the South Asia region.  Conduct data analysis (using primary and secondary), statistical and econometric analysis. Familiarity with trade-related data and data sources to assist with the analysis of trade barriers (tariff and non-tariff) associated with various CSA technologies. Preparation of analytical reports and peer-reviewed publishable papers using information from primary surveys and secondary data. Assist in the preparation of project reports, policy briefs and journal articles. Conduct literature reviews & synthesis. Verify or triangulate key data to ensure the robustness and relevance of it in developing indices. Regular travel and meetings with various stakeholders including government officials, extension agents, local service providers, and farmers to gather inputs for drafting reports. Assist in organizing high level policy forum, workshops and seminars. Required Qualifications:  At the Research Analyst I level, Bachelors’ degree plus two years of relevant experience, or Master’s degree in Economics, Rural Development, Public Policy, or a closely related field. At the Research Analyst II level, Master's degree in the above-mentioned fields plus three years of relevant post Master’s work experience. Demonstrated experience working with large quantitative data sets (data cleaning, management, analysis, etc.) Knowledge of standard econometric tools Excellent Stata, data visualization (Tableau/Power BI), MS Excel and ArcGIS skills (knowledge of ArcGIS and Tableau/Power BI is not compulsory)  Demonstrated strong writing skills. Fluency in written and spoken English and Hindi Ability to work independently, with initiative and minimal supervision. Preferred Qualifications:  Experience in fieldwork, using mixed methods for research. Experience in designing and conducting focused group discussions, semi-structured interviews, and analysis of policy documents.   Experience working in rural South Asia Experience in liaison and coordination with ministries and departments.  Physical Demands and Work Environment Employee will sit in an upright position for a long period of time. Employee will lift between 0-10 pounds. Employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform activities such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing computer terminal; extensive reading.  

Job Summary:  The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks an Accounting Manager for a two-year, renewable appointment to provide general accounting support in the Accounting Department. This position will report to the Controller and is based at IFPRI headquarters located in Washington, DC. Essential Duties: Specific duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: Manage the daily accounting activities required to maintain the general ledger in compliance with financial policies and procedures. Supervise, direct, and review the work of the General Ledger, Accounts Payable and Payroll accountants. Manage and oversee in-house payroll processing and federal, state, and local tax filings in a timely manner.   Maintain organized set of detailed records and files to document and support financial transactions. Routinely analyze general ledger accounts to ensure accuracy and appropriate summaries of accounts detail is maintained.  Prepare and/or review general ledger bank account reconciliations and ensure reconciling items are cleared in a timely manner. Respond to inquiries and assist staff to resolve issues in a timely manner. Inform Controller of relevant issues regarding financial controls, accounting, and reporting. Recommendations improvements to accounting processes and procedures and assist with implementation as needed. Assist with internal and external audits.   Ensure field office transactions are recorded timely and accurately.  Serve as the point of contact for accounting matters for IFPRI’s field offices. Perform other duties as assigned or required.   Qualifications:  B.S. Degree in Accounting plus ten years of relevant work experience, a Masters Degree in Accounting plus seven years of relevant work experience, or equivalent experience At least two years as management experience  Experience using Deltek Costpoint 8.1 or higher preferable Knowledge of GAAP and USAID regulations Experience with basic grant/contract administration Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and Word Strong supervisory experience Detail oriented – strong analytical skills Ability to work independently and multi-task under tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment Excellent interpersonal skills with demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment Excellent written and verbal English communications skills Strong organizational skills with ability to prioritize work Physical Demand & Work environment: Employee will sit in an upright position for a long period of time.  Employee will lift between 0-10 pounds.  Employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform activities such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing computer terminal; extensive reading. Salary Range: The expected salary range for this job requisition is between $85,600 - $104,900.  In determining your salary, we will consider your experience and other job-related factors.  Benefits IFPRI is committed to providing our staff members with valuable and competitive benefits, as it is a core part of providing a strong overall employee experience. This position is eligible for health insurance coverage and a  summary of our benefits can be found on our website . Please note that the listed benefits are generally available to active, non-temporary, full-time and part-time US based employees who work at least 25 hours per week.  The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is an equal employment opportunity employer - F/M/Disability/Vet/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity.

Job Summary   The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks a qualified candidate to serve as a Research Analyst I/II in its Development Strategies and Governance Unit. This position is a one-year, renewable appointment, based at IFPRI’s office in New Delhi, India. Successful candidate will engage in quantitative research to generate empirical evidence on efficiency in agricultural research & development, impact of agricultural technologies, farm credits & insurance, innovations in input delivery systems, linkages between agriculture and nutrition etc. Job duties will include support to quantitative data analysis, literature reviews including policy and program reviews and assistance in the preparation of reports and journal manuscripts. The RA is expected to support policy and stakeholder communications activities also. Interested applicants must have work authorization to work in India. The final grade level will be determined by level of education and years of relevant work experience. Essential Duties:  Specific duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: Assist in various tasks involving Data collection, compilation, cleaning, and analysis of primary and secondary data from various sources.          Coordinate and manage large field surveys. C onduct literature reviews and synthesize findings. Perform economic modeling and statistical analysis. Facilitate coordination between collaborators and stakeholders.                                             Assist in the drafting and editing of research papers, blogs, policy briefs, technical guidance, presentations, etc. Perform other duties as assigned. Required Qualifications:  Research Analyst I: Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Agricultural Economics, Statistics, Agricultural Statistics plus two years of professional experience or Master’s degree in closely related field. Research Analyst II: Master’s degree in one of the above fields plus minimum three years of post-master’s relevant experience. Skills in quantitative research methods and data analysis. Experience of using Stata software for data analysis. Fluency in written and spoken English. Excellent interpersonal skills along with the ability to work independently and with colleagues from diverse cultures. Ability to manage multiple tasks and produce completed products in time. Ability to work independently, with initiative and minimal supervision. Preferred Qualifications:  Experience in handling large agricultural and household survey data from developing countries. Demonstrated strong writing skills. Physical Demand & Work environment: Employee will sit in an upright position for a long period of time.  Employee will lift between 0-10 pounds.    Employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform activities such as: data preparation, web-scraping, preparing, and analyzing data and figures; dashboard; viewing computer terminal; extensive coding.  

Job Summary: The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks a qualified candidate to serve as a Research Assistants/ Research Analyst I in its Development Strategies and Governance Unit for the Sudan Strategy Support Program. This is a one-year, renewable appointment. The successful candidates will work with senior research staff in the analysis of agriculture, rural development, food and nutrition security and related policies and other research activities including research work related to the ensuing conflict in Sudan. The incumbent will work under the overall guidance of the IFPRI Sudan Program Leader but will be employed directly by IFPRl's organizational host, the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD) - employment policies, compensation, and benefits of AOAD will apply to this position. Interested applicants must have authorization to work in Sudan. The final grade level will be determined by level of education and years of relevant work experience. Essential Duties: Specific Duties include but are not limited to: Assist the collection of primary and secondary data, Asist build large dataset from multiple sources, Assist to analyze data using advance analytical methods, Assist in conducting literature reviews and synthesis, Assist in drafting and translating reports, research papers, and blog posts between English and Arabic languages, Assist in capacity building and support outreach activities, Assist to coordinate projects and conduct other duties as assigned. Required Qualifications:  Research Assistant: Bachelor's or its equivalent in Economics, Agricultural Economics, Statistics, or closely related fields, Research Analyst: Bachelor’s degree plus two years of relevant professional experience or Master’s degree in a relevant discipline, Excellent knowledge of macroeconomic and/or microeconomic theory, Excellent knowledge of and quantitative econometric methods and/or economic modeling, Excellent knowledge of Stata and/or GAMS, Excellent analytical mind and drafting skills, Demonstrated fluency in written and spoken English and Arabic , Excellent interpersonal skills and to work in a team-oriented multi-cultural environment, Demonstrated ability to multi-task, meet deadlines, and manage time, Demonstrated professional level of attention to detail and accuracy of work, Ability to work independently and take initiative, Willingness to travel. Preferred Qualifications: Previous experience conducting research on and collecting data in Sudan. Familiarity with the literature on economic and agriculture development, food security, poverty reduction and related fields. Previous experience related to policy analysis and impact evaluation. Experience with spatial analysis and ARC-GIS. Experience with policy communication activities and events organization. Experience with managing websites and updating their contents. Experience in academia, the private sector, a development-oriented organization, or comparable institution,   Physical Demand & Work environment Employee will sit in an upright position for a long period of time. Employee will lift between 0-10 pounds. Employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform activities such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing computer terminal; extensive reading.  

The Development Strategies and Governance (DSG) Unit within the Transformation Strategies Department of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks a Research Unit Contracts & Grants Manager I, who will be responsible for financial management which includes budgetary responsibilities, cost monitoring and control, and financial analysis and reporting, contracts administration which includes proposal preparation and submission and the administration of the Unit’s special projects. Other responsibilities include supervising Unit Admin Support staff, serving as liaison with finance and administration as well as the Director General’s office; drafting correspondence for the Unit director and communication with external contacts (donors, clients, collaborators, sub-contractors and auditors); and service as active member on various standing and ad-hoc committees, as well as work with Project Managers in management of budgets, contracts, deliverables, invoices and other payment documents. This position is a 2-year, renewable appointment based in Washington, DC.   Essential Duties: Specific duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: Providing technical support in proposal preparation, reviewing contracts to ensure they reflect the provisions negotiated, and monitoring performance of contracts and submission of specified deliverables.  Drafting, negotiating and monitoring consultant collaborative agreements, serve as liaison between program collaborators and finance/administrative issues, review monthly financial reports, and provide financial analysis reports on projects.  Preparing the divisional budgets and monitoring expense budgets Coordinating the drafting of project/program budgets; review of accounting transactions.  Developing spreadsheets & maintaining financial information for planning & reference. Drafting routine correspondence regarding contracts or project/program finances. Assisting in financial audits Coordinating financial and operational activities for field offices Ensuring the smooth operation of the program’s day-to-day activities; coordinate seminars and workshops, manage logistical arrangements on seminars/workshops. Liaising with IFPRI HR Services, Facilities and IT department for related issues and needs. Preparing administrative and operational procedures for the division and approves timesheets Maintaining division files Supervising administrative support staff Other tasks as assigned. Required Qualifications:  Bachelor’s degree plus ten years of relevant experience, or associate’s degree plus twelve years of relevant experience.   Two year of management experience Experience in developing, monitoring and managing budgets and contracts. Experience in coordinating budget processes, reviewing accounting transactions, developing financial projections and reports. Solid composition, grammar and proof-reading skills, with the ability to compose correspondence and reports; excellent written and oral English communications skills. Proficient in Microsoft Office; word processing & spreadsheet programs required. Ability to handle multiple tasks & prioritize tasks with minimal supervision in a fast-paced environment. Demonstrated experience and comfort working with multiple program managers simultaneously.  Ability to prioritize and coordinate tasks in such an environment. Demonstrated flexibility to adjust to multiple individual work styles.  Attention to detail and ability to work within a team in a multicultural environment.   Preferred Qualifications: Familiarity with IFPRI’s operational systems (finance, accounting, etc.) and the CGIAR system is highly desirable.  Proficiency in a second language of the U.N. system Demonstrated proficiency with MS Office, especially Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint required, and demonstrated proficiency with financial management and administrative software applications such as Costpoint, OnBase, Deltek, and/or other applications. Physical Demand & Work environment: Employee will sit in an upright position for a long period of time  Employee will lift between 0-10 pounds.  Employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform activities such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing computer terminal; extensive reading. Salary Range: The expected salary range for this job requisition is between $85,600- $104,900. In determining your salary, we will consider your experience and other job-related factors.  Benefits: IFPRI is committed to providing our staff members with valuable and competitive benefits, as it is a core part of providing a strong overall employee experience. This position is eligible for health insurance coverage and a summary of our benefits can be found on our website. Please note that the listed benefits are generally available to active, non-temporary, full-time and part-time US-based employees who work at least 25 hours per week. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is an equal employment opportunity employer - F/M/Disability/Vet/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity.

Job Summary:  The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks a Staff Accountant II for a two-year, renewable appointment to provide general accounting support in the Finance Department. This position will report to the Accounting Manager and is based at IFPRI Headquarters located in Washington, DC.   Essential Duties: Specific duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: Assist in monthly and year end closing process. Prepare monthly journal entries and provide relevant supporting documentation. Prepare monthly account reconciliations as assigned and research and clear any transactional discrepancies.  Ensure field office expenditures are processed timely.  Review for compliance field office expenditure reports and documentation. Handle weekly cash deposit and process monthly deposit entry. Provide audit assistance in retrieving documents for auditors to review. Provide back up support when needed in processing accounts payable transactions, wire transfers, and payroll functions. Qualifications:  Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance or closely related field plus two years of relevant experience; or associate's degree plus five years of relevant experience. Strong attention to detail. Proficiency with Microsoft Excel. Strong analytical skills. Good oral and written communications skills. Demonstrated Ability to consistently process high volume of transactions. Preferred Qualification Deltek Costpoint Experience Physical Demand & Work environment: Employee will sit in an upright position for a long period of time.  Employee will lift between 0-10 pounds.  Employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform activities such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing computer terminal; extensive reading. Salary Range: The expected salary range for this job requisition is between $55,600 - $68,100. In determining your salary, we will consider your experience and other job-related factors. Benefits: IFPRI is committed to providing our staff members with valuable and competitive benefits, as it is a core part of providing a strong overall employee experience. This position is eligible for health insurance coverage and a summary of our benefits can be found on our website. Please note that the listed benefits are generally available to active, non-temporary, full-time and part-time US-based employees who work at least 25 hours per week. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is an equal employment opportunity employer - F/M/Disability/Vet/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity.

Job Summary: The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), an international non-profit, research organization with over 600+ employees worldwide, seeks a Director of Finance and Administration to oversee the institute’s annual budget of USD 100+ million and lead the finance and administration services across the institute including Finance, IT Services, Travel and Facilities. The Director of Finance and Administration is a member of the Senior Management Team and reports to the Director General. The ideal candidate should be an excellent leader, people person, strategic communicator and relationship builder who can thrive in a complex, fast-changing environment. This is a three-year, full-time, exempt, renewable appointment and involves international travel, particularly to developing countries. This position could be based at IFPRI’s headquarters located in Washington, DC (preferred), Nairobi, Kenya or New Delhi, India. Essential Duties: Specific duties include but are not limited to: Provides information and advice to the IFPRI’s Board and senior management to ensure that the financial and physical resources of the institute are managed optimally and sustainably. Ensures that an effective framework is in place for informed decision making including the appropriate financial and risk management strategies, internal and external audits, compliance policies, corporate financial planning and reporting. Oversees the preparation and timely distribution of the Institute’s annual budget, long-term forecasts, including base case and downside scenario planning, and regular financial and management reports in accordance with internal, external and statutory obligations Directly supervises the senior corporate services managers (Finance, IT Services, Facilities, and Travel). Leads, manages and supports all managers in carrying out their duties by providing them with information, advice, general support and capacity building as needed. Monitors budget and expense trends; recommends and implements corrective actions as required. Reviews financial policies, procedure and practices; recommends improvements to financial processes and controls. Develops and implements systems that ensure the smooth operations of central administration. Work closely with the CGIAR Corporate Service Heads and at the One CGIAR System Office. Oversees all space and lease functions. Primarily responsible for IFPRI’s risk management system including oversight of IFPRI’s operations in Africa and Asia. Ensures that Finance and Corporate Service units in all IFPRI locations are appropriately staffed, well led and managed for performance. Ensure continuous improvement in the service delivery from these units. Required Qualifications: CPA/MBA or equivalent; minimum of fifteen years of relevant experience at the senior management level. Demonstrated leadership, management, and supervisory skills including the ability to recommend or make decisions, including difficult ones, in a complex, changing environment. Excellent planning and organizational skills, as well as attention to detail. Broad knowledge of finance and corporate service functions. Senior level experience in contract administration. Managerial experience in a non-profit, research, and/or international organization. Excellent written and verbal English communication skills.  Demonstrated ability to work in multi-cultural settings and to build productive relationships with diverse internal and external stakeholders. Willingness and ability to travel internationally, particularly to developing countries (15-20%). Essential personal qualities: integrity, responsiveness and decisiveness. Preferred Qualifications: Knowledge of or experience with the CGIAR Understanding of US GAAP AND IFRS Experience in donor relations Proficiency in a second language of the U.N. system Physical Demand and Work Environment: Employee will sit in an upright position for a long period of time.  Employee will lift between 0-10 pounds.  Employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform activities such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing computer terminal; extensive reading. Salary Range: The expected salary ranges for this job requisition are between $ 188,900 - $231,400.  In determining your salary, we will consider your experience and other job-related factors. Benefits: IFPRI is committed to providing our staff members with valuable and competitive benefits, as it is a core part of providing a strong overall employee experience. This position is eligible for health insurance coverage and a summary of our benefits can be found on our website. Please note that the listed benefits are generally available to active, non-temporary, full-time and part-time US based employees who work at least 25 hours per week. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is an equal employment opportunity employer - F/M/Disability/Vet/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity.

Job Summary: The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks a Finance & Administrative Coordinator for its Development Strategies and Governance Unit (DSG). This is a one-year, renewable appointment and is located at IFPRI’s South Asia Office in India. This position will work within the DSG department in providing support with travel organization, contract drafting & monitoring, revision of deliverables, financial reports, and invoices; workshops, edit narratives; close contracts and projects. Interested applicants must have work authorization to work in India. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Project Logistical Coordination : Provide logistical coordination for project activities, to include drafting and monitoring of project subcontracts, for complex Divisional projects. Monitor deadlines and coordinate the receipt of collaborator deliverables and submission of donor deliverables as requested. Accounting Support : Prepare travel and field expense reports.  File & monitor project budgets, collaborator and donor-approved budget expenditures, and sub-contracts. Submit and monitor collaborator invoices upon submission/approval of deliverables. Monitor weekly unit payments and submit updates to vendors and/or PM/PL/ project coordinators. Follow-up and process invoices from centers that host Group staff.   Assist, as needed, on provision of monthly General Ledgers (GLs)/Project Summary Report (PSRs) to PM/PLs.  Submit/correct project-related expense adjustments (as needed) Contact Data Base Support:   Maintain various administrative/unit database including Collaborator & Project main list, staff contact/emergency file, and other master files. Monitor SAC calendar to identify: Project end-dates and eventual closeout. Provide project budget burn rates to projects leaders upon request. Electronic filing of documents. Closeout collaborator and sub-contractor contracts after detailed verification that all deliverables have been received and all funds have been disbursed, filling in the checklist, obtaining the Project Leader signature, and importing the Close Out Form onto D4D. Timely preparation of periodic financial reports and invoices for a range of donors. Monitor billed and unbilled receivables for delinquent payments and billable cost. Data Entry in Tally and Finalization of accounts books as per Indian Accounting standards. Review monthly project status reports. Address internal and external inquiries regarding project financial matters. Assist with annual statutory audit. Other duties as assigned. Required Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in accounting/finance plus two years of relevant experience or associate’s degree plus five years of relevant experience. Preference would be given to Intermediate/pursuing CA/CS/CWA. Knowledge of Tally is preferable. Demonstrated proficiency with computers: experience with MS Office, especially Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint required. Strong analytical skills. Demonstrated ability to work productively within a multi-cultural team environment. Excellent oral and written communications skills. Demonstrated ability to pay diligence and follow-through to closure. Demonstrated experience working in a fast-paced work environment. Physical Demand & Work environment: Employee will sit in an upright position for a long period of time. Employee will lift between 0-10 pounds. Employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; viewing computer terminal; extensive reading. 

Job Summary The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks a qualified candidate to serve as a Research Analyst in its Development Strategies and Governance Unit (DSG). This is one-year, non-renewable appointment based in Yangon, Myanmar, and may include travel and extended stays in different parts of rural Myanmar. The successful candidate will work on several research projects, involving household survey data collection and analysis. Interested applicants must be authorized to work in Myanmar. Essential Duties: Specific Duties include but are not limited to: Collection, cleaning, and analysis of primary and secondary data Assist in handling household survey data (including survey design, sampling & questionnaire) Assist with development of research instruments and analytical tools Conduct data analysis, statistical analysis, econometric analysis Conduct literature reviews & synthesis Contribute to the writing of discussion papers, donor reports, and other scholarly publications. Coordinate field implementation of survey activities (scoping, pretesting, training survey enumerators, etc.) Prepare large datasets for public access Develop data documentation manuals or other learning materials, as needed Help develop & coordinate technical workshops Interact with collaborators and project partners. Other duties as assigned Required Qualifications: Bachelors degree in Economics, Agricultural Economics, International Development or related field plus two years of professional experience or a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline. Experienced in conducting literature reviews of academic publications, research reports, etc. Demonstrated experience in coordinating activities in the field. Demonstrated experience in effective interaction and coordination with collaborators and project partners. Demonstrated experience working with large quantitative data sets (data cleaning, management, analysis, etc.) Demonstrated ability to perform in-depth statistical analysis and report the results. Demonstrated fluency in written and spoken English and Myanmar language. Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) Excellent interpersonal skills and to work in a team-oriented multi-cultural environment. Demonstrated ability to multi-task as needed, consistently meet deadlines and manage time well Demonstrated professional level of attention to detail and accuracy of work. Ability to work independently, with initiative and minimal supervision. Ability to travel. Preferred Qualifications: Skilled in programming in Stata and in managing household databases. Excellent econometric skills on cross-section and panel data analysis. Experience with data entry and CAPI software packages. Proficiency in Shan, Karen, Kachin, Chin, and/or Mon language. Physical Demand & Work environment: Employee will seat in an upright position for a long period of time. Employee will lift between 0-10 pounds. Employee is required to have close visual acuity to perform activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing computer terminal; extensive reading.

Here is a Storify round up of the SpotOn London session: Enhanced eBooks & BookApps: The

Jenny Evans has created a Storify summary of her SpotOn London session: Collaborating and building your online

The place we’re in as a society is a crowded field of scattered tools and

Twenty five years after the launch of CVE, the Tenable Security Response Team has handpicked 25 vulnerabilities that stand out for their significance.

Background

In January 1999, David E. Mann and Steven M. Christey published the paper “Towards a Common Enumeration of Vulnerabilities” describing an effort to create interoperability between multiple vulnerability databases. To achieve a common taxonomy for vulnerabilities and exposures, they proposed Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE). In September 1999, the MITRE Corporation finalized the first CVE list, which included 321 records. CVE was revealed to the world the following month.

As of October 2024, there are over 240,000 CVEs. including many that have significantly impacted consumers, businesses and governments. The Tenable Security Response Team has chosen to highlight the following 25 significant vulnerabilities, followed by links to product coverage for Tenable customers to utilize.

25 Significant CVEs

CVE-1999-0211: SunOS Arbitrary Read/Write Vulnerability

CVE-2010-2568: Windows Shell Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CVE-2014-0160: OpenSSL Information Disclosure Vulnerability

CVE-2014-6271: GNU Bash Shellshock Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CVE-2015-5119: Adobe Flash Player Use After Free

CVE-2017-11882: Microsoft Office Equation Editor Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CVE-2017-0144: Windows SMB Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CVE-2017-5638: Apache Struts 2 Jakarta Multipart Parser Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CVE-2019-0708: Remote Desktop Services Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CVE-2020-0796: Windows SMBv3 Client/Server Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CVE-2019-19781: Citrix ADC and Gateway Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CVE-2019-10149: Exim Remote Command Execution Vulnerability

CVE-2020-1472: Netlogon Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability

CVE-2017-5753: CPU Speculative Execution Bounds Check Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2017-5754: CPU Speculative Execution Rogue Data Cache Load Vulnerability

CVE-2021-36942: Windows LSA Spoofing Vulnerability

CVE-2022-30190: Microsoft Windows Support Diagnostic Tool Remote Code Execution

CVE-2021-44228: Apache Log4j Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CVE-2021-26855: Microsoft Exchange Server Server-Side Request Forgery Vulnerability

CVE-2021-34527: Microsoft Windows Print Spooler Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CVE-2021-27101: Accellion File Transfer Appliance (FTA) SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2023-34362: Progress Software MOVEit Transfer SQL Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2023-4966: Citrix NetScaler and ADC Gateway Sensitive Information Disclosure Vulnerability

CVE-2023-2868: Barracuda Email Security Gateway (ESG) Remote Command Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2024-3094: XZ Utils Embedded Malicious Code Vulnerability

Identifying affected systems

A list of Tenable plugins for these vulnerabilities can be found on the individual CVE pages:

• CVE-1999-0211
• CVE-2010-2568
• CVE-2014-0160
• CVE-2014-6271
• CVE-2015-5119
• CVE-2017-11882
• CVE-2017-0144
• CVE-2017-5638
• CVE-2019-0708
• CVE-2020-0796
• CVE-2019-19781
• CVE-2019-10149
• CVE-2020-1472
• CVE-2017-5753
• CVE-2017-5754
• CVE-2021-36942
• CVE-2022-30190
• CVE-2021-44228
• CVE-2021-26855
• CVE-2021-34527
• CVE-2021-27101
• CVE-2023-34362
• CVE-2023-4966
• CVE-2023-2868
• CVE-2024-3094

Frequently asked questions about a zero-day vulnerability in Fortinet’s FortiManager that has reportedly been exploited in the wild.

Background

The Tenable Security Response Team (SRT) has compiled this blog to answer Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) regarding a zero-day vulnerability in Fortinet’s FortiManager.

FAQ

What is FortiJump?

FortiJump is a name given to a zero-day vulnerability in the FortiGate-FortiManager (FGFM) protocol in Fortinet’s FortiManager and FortiManager Cloud. It was named by security researcher Kevin Beaumont in a blog post on October 22. Beaumont also created a logo for FortiJump.

What are the vulnerabilities associated with FortiJump?

On October 23, Fortinet published an advisory (FG-IR-24-423) for FortiJump, assigning a CVE identifier for the flaw.

What is CVE-2024-47575?

CVE-2024-47575 is a missing authentication vulnerability in the FortiGate to FortiManager (FGFM) daemon (fgfmsd) in FortiManager and FortiManager Cloud.

How severe is CVE-2024-47575?

Exploitation of FortiJump could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker using a valid FortiGate certificate to register unauthorized devices in FortiManager. Successful exploitation would grant the attacker the ability to view and modify files, such as configuration files, to obtain sensitive information, as well as the ability to manage other devices.

Obtaining a certificate from a FortiGate device is relatively easy:

Comment
by from discussion
infortinet

According to results from Shodan, there are nearly 60,000 FortiManager devices that are internet-facing, including over 13,000 in the United States, over 5,800 in China, nearly 3,000 in Brazil and 2,300 in India:

When was FortiJump first disclosed?

There were reports on Reddit that Fortinet proactively notified customers using FortiManager about the flaw ahead of the release of patches, though some customers say they never received any notifications. Beaumont posted a warning to Mastodon on October 13:

Post by @GossiTheDog@cyberplace.social

View on Mastodon

Was this exploited as a zero-day?

Yes, according to both Beaumont and Fortinet, FortiJump has been exploited in the wild as a zero-day. Additionally, Google Mandiant published a blog post on October 23 highlighting its collaborative investigation with Fortinet into the “mass exploitation” of this zero-day vulnerability. According to Google Mandiant, they’ve discovered over 50 plus “potentially compromised FortiManager devices in various industries.”

Which threat actors are exploiting FortiJump?

Google Mandiant attributed exploitation activity to a new threat cluster called UNC5820, adding that the cluster has been observed exploiting the flaw since “as early as June 27, 2024.”

Is there a proof-of-concept (PoC) available for this vulnerability/these vulnerabilities?

As of October 23, there are no public proof-of-concept exploits available for FortiJump.

Are patches or mitigations available for FortiJump?

The following table contains a list of affected products, versions and fixed versions.

Fortinet’s advisory provides workarounds for specific impacted versions if patching is not feasible. These include blocking unknown devices from attempting to register to FortiManager, creating IP allow lists of approved FortiGate devices that can connect to FortiManager and the creation of custom certificates. Generally speaking, it is advised to ensure FGFM is not internet-facing.

Has Tenable released any product coverage for these vulnerabilities?

A list of Tenable plugins for this vulnerability can be found on the individual CVE page for CVE-2024-47575 as they’re released. This link will display all available plugins for this vulnerability, including upcoming plugins in our Plugins Pipeline.

Get more information

• Burning Zero Days: FortiJump FortiManager vulnerability used by nation state in espionage via MSPs
• FortiGuard Labs PSIRT FG-IR-24-423 Advisory

Join Tenable's Security Response Team on the Tenable Community.
Learn more about Tenable One, the Exposure Management Platform for the modern attack surface.

As organizations create and store more data in the cloud, security teams must ensure the data is protected from cyberthreats. Learn more about what causes data breaches and about the best practices you can adopt to secure data stored in the cloud.

With the explosion of data being generated and stored in the cloud, hackers are creating new and innovative attack techniques to gain access to cloud environments and steal data. A review of recent major data breaches shows us that data thieves are using social engineering, hunting for exposed credentials, looking for unpatched vulnerabilities and misconfigurations and employing other sophisticated techniques to breach cloud environments.

A look at recent cloud data-breach trends

Here are some takeaways from major data breaches that have occurred this year:

• Managing the risk from your third-parties – partners, service providers, vendors – has always been critical. It’s even more so when these trusted organizations have access to your cloud environment and cloud data. You must make sure that your third-parties are using proper cloud-security protections to safeguard their access to your cloud data and to your cloud environment.
• Secure your identities. We’ve seen major data breaches this year tracked down to simple missteps like failing to protect highly-privileged admin accounts and services with multi-factor authentication (MFA). 
• Adopt best practices to prevent ransomware attacks, and to mitigate them if you get hit by one. Ransomware gangs know that a surefire way to pressure victims into paying ransoms is to hijack their systems and threaten to expose their sensitive data. 

So, how can you strengthen your data security posture against these types of attacks?

1. Implement a "zero trust" security framework that requires all users, whether inside or outside the organization, to be authenticated, authorized and continuously validated before being granted or maintaining access to data. This framework should allow only time-limited access and be based on the principle of least privilege, which limits access and usage to the minimum amount of data required to perform the job.
2. Use a cloud data security posture management (DSPM) solution to enforce the security framework through continuous monitoring, automation, prioritization and visibility. DSPM solutions can help organizations identify and prioritize data security risks based on their severity, allowing them to focus their resources on the most critical issues.
3. Regularly conduct risk assessments to detect and remediate security risks before they can be exploited by hackers. This can help prevent data breaches and minimize the impact of any security incidents that do occur.
4. Train employees on security best practices, including how to create strong passwords, how to identify risks and how to report suspicious activity.

By following these recommendations, organizations can significantly reduce their risk of a data breach and improve handling sensitive data belonging to their organization. As more and more data moves to the cloud and hackers become more sophisticated, it's essential to prioritize security and take proactive measures to protect against data risks. 

Learn more

• Webinar: Know Your Exposure: Is Your Cloud Data Secure in the Age of AI?
• Data Sheet: Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) Integrated into Tenable Cloud Security
• Data Sheet: Securing AI Resources and Data in the Cloud with Tenable Cloud Security
• Infographic: When CNAPP Met DSPM
• Video: Demo Video: Data Security Posture Management and AI Security Posture Management

Looking for help with shadow AI? Want to boost your software updates’ safety? New publications offer valuable tips. Plus, learn why GenAI and data security have become top drivers of cyber strategies. And get the latest on the top “no-nos” for software security; the EU’s new cyber law; and CISOs’ communications with boards.

Dive into six things that are top of mind for the week ending Oct. 25.

1 - CSA: How to prevent “shadow AI” 

As organizations scale up their AI adoption, they must closely track their AI assets to secure them and mitigate their cyber risk. This includes monitoring the usage of unapproved AI tools by employees — an issue known as “shadow AI.”

So how do you identify, manage and prevent shadow AI? You may find useful ideas in the Cloud Security Alliance’s new “AI Organizational Responsibilities: Governance, Risk Management, Compliance and Cultural Aspects” white paper.

The white paper covers shadow AI topics including:

• Creating a comprehensive inventory of AI systems
• Conducting gap analyses to spot discrepancies between approved and actual AI usage
• Implementing ways to detect unauthorized AI wares
• Establishing effective access controls
• Deploying monitoring techniques

“By focusing on these key areas, organizations can significantly reduce the risks associated with shadow AI, ensuring that all AI systems align with organizational policies, security standards, and regulatory requirements,” the white paper reads.

For example, to create an inventory that offers the required visibility into AI assets, the document explains different elements each record should have, such as:

• The asset’s description
• Information about its AI models
• Information about its data sets and data sources
• Information about the tools used for its development and deployment
• Detailed documentation about its lifecycle, regulatory compliance, ethical considerations and adherence to industry standards
• Records of its access control mechanisms

Shadow AI is one of four topics covered in the publication, which also unpacks risk management; governance and compliance; and safety culture and training.

To get more details, read:

• The full “AI Organizational Responsibilities: Governance, Risk Management, Compliance and Cultural Aspects” white paper
• A complementary slide presentation
• The CSA blog “Shadow AI Prevention: Safeguarding Your Organization’s AI Landscape”

For more information about AI security issues, including shadow AI, check out these Tenable blogs:

• “Do You Think You Have No AI Exposures? Think Again”
• “Securing the AI Attack Surface: Separating the Unknown from the Well Understood”
• “Never Trust User Inputs -- And AI Isn't an Exception: A Security-First Approach”
• “6 Best Practices for Implementing AI Securely and Ethically”
• “Compromising Microsoft's AI Healthcare Chatbot Service”

2 - Best practices for secure software updates

The security and reliability of software updates took center stage in July when an errant update caused massive and unprecedented tech outages globally.

To help prevent such episodes, U.S. and Australian cyber agencies have published “Safe Software Deployment: How Software Manufacturers Can Ensure Reliability for Customers.”

“It is critical for all software manufacturers to implement a safe software deployment program supported by verified processes, including robust testing and measurements,” reads the 12-page document.

Although the guide is aimed primarily at commercial software vendors, its recommendations can be useful for any organization with software development teams that deploy updates internally.

The guide outlines key steps for a secure software development process, including planning; development and testing; internal rollout; and controlled rollout. It also addresses errors and emergency protocols.

“A safe software deployment process should be integrated with the organization’s SDLC, quality program, risk tolerance, and understanding of the customer’s environment and operations,” reads the guide, authored by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the FBI and the Australian Cyber Security Centre.

To get more details, read:

• The “Safe Software Deployment: How Software Manufacturers Can Ensure Reliability for Customers” guide
• The CISA alert “CISA, US, and International Partners Release Joint Guidance to Assist Software Manufacturers with Safe Software Deployment Processes”

For more information about secure software updates:

• “Tenable’s Software Update Process Protects Customers’ Business Continuity with a Safe, Do-No-Harm Design” (Tenable)
• “The critical importance of robust release processes” (Cloud Native Computing Foundation)
• “Software Deployment Security: Risks and Best Practices” (DevOps.com)
• “Software Updates, A Double-Edged Sword for Cybersecurity Professionals” (Infosecurity)
• “DevOps Best Practices for Faster and More Reliable Software Delivery” (DevOps.com)

3 - Report: GenAI, attack variety, data security drive cyber strategies

What issues act as catalysts for organizations’ cybersecurity actions today? Hint: They’re fairly recent concerns. The promise and peril of generative AI ranks first. It’s closely followed by the ever growing variety of cyberattacks; and by the intensifying urgency to protect data.

That’s according to CompTIA’s “State of Cybersecurity 2025” report, based on a survey of almost 1,200 business and IT pros in North America and in parts of Europe and Asia. 

These three key factors, along with others like the scale of attacks, play a critical role in how organizations currently outline their cybersecurity game plans.

“Understanding these drivers is essential for organizations to develop proactive and adaptive cybersecurity strategies that address the evolving threat landscape and safeguard their digital assets,” reads a CompTIA blog about the report.

Organizations are eagerly trying to understand both how generative AI can help their cybersecurity programs and how this technology is being used by malicious actors to make cyberattacks harder to detect and prevent.

Meanwhile, concern about data protection has ballooned in the past couple of years. “As organizations become more data-driven, the need to protect sensitive information has never been more crucial,” reads the blog.

Not only are organizations focused on securing data at rest, in transit and in use, but they’re also creating foundational data-management practices, according to the report.

“The rise of AI has accelerated the need for robust data practices in order to properly train AI algorithms, and the demand for data science continues to be strong as businesses seek competitive differentiation,” the report reads.

To get more details, read:

• The report’s announcement “Cybersecurity success hinges on full organizational support, new CompTIA report asserts”
• CompTIA’s blogs “Today’s top drivers for cybersecurity strategy” and “Cybersecurity’s maturity: CompTIA’s State of Cybersecurity 2025 report”
• The full “State of Cybersecurity 2025” report

For more information about data security posture management (DSPM) and preventing AI-powered attacks, check out these Tenable resources:

• “Harden Your Cloud Security Posture by Protecting Your Cloud Data and AI Resources” (blog)
• “Know Your Exposure: Is Your Cloud Data Secure in the Age of AI?” (on-demand webinar)
• “The Data-Factor: Why Integrating DSPM Is Key to Your CNAPP Strategy” (blog)
• “Mitigating AI-Related Security Risks” (on-demand webinar)
• “Securing the AI Attack Surface: Separating the Unknown from the Well Understood” (blog)

4 - CISA lists software dev practices most harmful for security

Recommended best practices abound in the cybersecurity world. However, CISA and the FBI are taking the opposite tack in their quest to improve the security of software products: They just released a list of the worst security practices that software manufacturers ought to avoid.

Titled “Product Security Bad Practices,” the document groups the “no-nos” into three main categories: product properties; security features; and organizational processes and policies.

“It’s 2024, and basic, preventable software defects continue to enable crippling attacks against hospitals, schools, and other critical infrastructure. This has to stop,” CISA Director Jen Easterly said in a statement.

“These product security bad practices pose unacceptable risks in this day and age, and yet are all too common,” she added.

Here are some of the worst practices detailed in the document, which is part of CISA’s “Secure by Design” effort:

• Using programming languages considered “memory unsafe”
• Including user-provided input in SQL query strings
• Releasing a product with default passwords
• Releasing a product with known and exploited vulnerabilities
• Not using multi-factor authentication
• Failing to disclose vulnerabilities in a timely manner

Although the guidance is aimed primarily at software makers whose products are used by critical infrastructure organizations, the recommendations apply to all software manufacturers.

If you’re interested in sharing your feedback with CISA and the FBI, you can submit comments about the document until December 16, 2024 on the Federal Register.

To get more details, check out:

• CISA’s announcement “CISA and FBI Release Product Security Bad Practices for Public Comment”
• The full document “Product Security Bad Practices”

For more information about how to develop secure software:

• “Tenable Partners with CISA to Enhance Secure By Design Practices” (Tenable)
• “Ensuring Application Security from Design to Operation with DevSecOps” (DevOps.com)
• “What is application security?” (TechTarget)
• “Guidelines for Software Development (Australian Cyber Security Centre)

5 - New EU law focuses on cybersecurity of connected digital products

Makers of digital products — both software and hardware — that directly or indirectly connect to networks and to other devices will have to comply with specific cybersecurity safeguards in the European Union.

A newly adopted law known as the “Cyber Resilience Act” outlines cybersecurity requirements for the design, development, production and lifecycle maintenance of these types of products, including IoT wares such as connected cars.

For example, it specifies a number of “essential cybersecurity requirements” for these products, including that they:

• Aren’t shipped with known exploitable vulnerabilities
• Feature a “secure by default” configuration
• Can fix their vulnerabilities via automatic software updates
• Offer access protection via control mechanisms, such as authentication and identity management
• Protect the data they store, transmit and process using, for example, at-rest and in-transit encryption

“The new regulation aims to fill the gaps, clarify the links, and make the existing cybersecurity legislative framework more coherent, ensuring that products with digital components (...) are made secure throughout the supply chain and throughout their lifecycle,” reads a statement from the EU’s European Council.

The law will “enter into force” after its publication in the EU’s official journal and will apply and be enforceable 36 months later, so most likely in October 2027 or November 2027. However, some of its provisions will be enforceable a year prior.

For more information and analysis about the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act:

• “Cyber Resilience Act Requirements Standards Mapping” (ENISA)
• “The Cyber Resilience Act, an Accidental European Alien Torts Statute?” (Lawfare)
• “EU Cybersecurity Regulation Adopted, Impacts Connected Products” (National Law Review)
• “Open source foundations unite on common standards for EU’s Cyber Resilience Act” (TechCrunch)
• “The Cyber Resilience Act: A New Era for Mobile App Developers” (DevOps.com)

VIDEO

The EU Cyber Resilience Act: A New Era for Business Engagement in Open Source Software (Linux Foundation) 

6 - UK cyber agency: CISOs must communicate better with boards

CISOs and boards of directors are struggling to understand each other, and this is increasing their organizations’ cyber risk, new research from the U.K.’s cyber agency has found.

For example, in one alarming finding, 80% of respondents, which included board members, CISOs and other cyber leaders in medium and large enterprises, confessed to being unsure of who is ultimately accountable for cybersecurity in their organizations.

“We found that in many organisations, the CISO (or equivalent role) thought that the Board was accountable, whilst the Board thought it was the CISO,” reads a blog about the research titled “How to talk to board members about cyber.”

As a result, the U.K. National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has released new guidance aimed at helping CISOs better communicate with their organizations’ boards titled “Engaging with Boards to improve the management of cyber security risk.”

“Cyber security is a strategic issue, which means you must engage with Boards on their terms and in their language to ensure the cyber risk is understood, managed and mitigated,” the document reads.

Here’s a small sampling of the advice:

• Understand your audience, including who are the board’s members and their areas of expertise; and how the board works, such as its meeting formats and its committees.
• Talk about cybersecurity in terms of risks, and outline these risks concretely and precisely, presenting them in a matter-of-fact way.
• Don’t limit your communication with board members to formal board meetings. Look for opportunities to talk to them individually or in small groups outside of these board meetings.
• Elevate the discussions so that you link cybersecurity with your organization’s business challenges, goals and context.
• Aim to provide a holistic view, and avoid using technical jargon.
• Aim to advise instead of to educate.

The CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog and enhanced logging guidelines are among the new measurement tools added for the 2024 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program.

Last month, the Department of Homeland Security announced the availability of $279.9 million in grant funding for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP). Now in its third year, the four-year, $1 billion program provides funding for State, Local and Territorial (SLT) governments to implement cybersecurity solutions that address the growing threats and risks to their information systems. Applications must be submitted by December 3, 2024.

While there are no significant modifications to the program for FY 2024, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which administers SLCGP in coordination with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), identified key changes, some of which we highlight below:

The FY 2024 NOFO adds CISA’s KEV catalog as a new performance measure and recommended resource

The FY 2024 notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) adds the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog as a recommended resource to encourage governments to regularly view information related to cybersecurity vulnerabilities confirmed by CISA, prioritizing those exploited in the wild. In addition, CISA has added “Addressing CISA-identified cybersecurity vulnerabilities” to the list of performance measures it will collect through the duration of the program.

Tenable offers fastest, broadest coverage of CISA’s KEV catalog

At Tenable, our goal is to help organizations identify their cyber exposure gaps as accurately and quickly as possible. To achieve this goal, we have research teams around the globe working to provide precise and prompt coverage for new threats as they are discovered. Tenable monitors and tracks additions to the CISA KEV catalog on a daily basis and prioritizes developing new detections where they do not already exist.

Tenable updates the KEV coverage of its vulnerability management products — Tenable Nessus, Tenable Security Center and Tenable Vulnerability Management — allowing organizations to use KEV catalog data as an additional prioritization metric when figuring out what to fix first. The ready availability of this data in Tenable products can help agencies meet the SLCGP performance measures. This blog offers additional information on Tenable’s coverage of CISA’s KEV catalog.

FY 2024 NOFO adds “Adopting Enhanced Logging” as a new performance measure

The FY 2024 NOFO also adds “Adopting Enhanced Logging” to the list of performance measures CISA will collect throughout the program duration.

How Tenable’s library of compliance audits can help with Enhanced Logging

Tenable's library of Compliance Audits, including Center for Internet Security (CIS) and Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), allows organizations to assess systems for compliance, including ensuring Enhanced Logging is enabled. Tenable's vulnerability management tools enable customers to easily schedule compliance scans. Users can choose from a continuously updated library of built-in audits or upload custom audits. By conducting these scans regularly, organizations can ensure their systems are secure and maintain compliance with required frameworks.

FY 2024 NOFO continues to require applicants to address program objectives in their applications

As with previous years, the FY 2024 NOFO sets four program objectives. Applicants must address at least one of the following in their applications:

• Objective 1: Develop and establish appropriate governance structures, including by developing, implementing, or revising Cybersecurity Plans, to improve capabilities to respond to cybersecurity incidents, and ensure operations.
• Objective 2: Understand their current cybersecurity posture and areas for improvement based on continuous testing, evaluation, and structured assessments.
• Objective 3: Implement security protections commensurate with risk.
• Objective 4: Ensure organization personnel are appropriately trained in cybersecurity, commensurate with responsibility.

How Tenable can help agencies meet Objective 2 of the program

Tenable is uniquely positioned to help SLTs meet Objective 2 through the Tenable One Exposure Management Platform. In addition to analyzing traditional IT environments, Tenable One analyzes cloud instances, web applications, critical infrastructure environments, identity access and privilege solutions such as Active Directory and more — including highly dynamic assets like mobile devices, virtual machines and containers. Once the complete attack surface is understood, the Tenable One platform applies a proactive risk-based approach to managing exposure, allowing SLT agencies to successfully meet each of the sub-objectives outlined in Objective 2 (see table below).

Source: Tenable, October 2024

Tenable One deployment options offer flexibility for SLT agencies

Tenable offers SLT agencies flexibility in their implementation models to help them best meet the requirements and objectives outlined as part of the SLCGP. Deployment models include:

• Centralized risk-based vulnerability program managed by a state Department of Information Technology (DoIT)
• Multi-entity projects
• Decentralized deployments of Tenable One managed by individual municipalities,
• Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) models that allow agencies to rapidly adopt solutions by utilizing Tenable’s Technology Partner network.

Whole-of-state approach enables state-wide collaboration and cooperation

A “whole-of-state” approach — which enables state-wide collaboration to improve the cybersecurity posture of all stakeholders — allows state governments to share resources to support cybersecurity programs for local government entities, educational institutions and other organizations. Shared resources increase the level of defense for SLTs both individually and as a community and reduce duplication of work and effort. States get real-time visibility into all threats and deploy a standard strategy and toolset to improve cyber hygiene, accelerate incident response and reduce statewide risk. For more information, read Protecting Local Government Agencies with a Whole-of-State Cybersecurity Approach.

FY 2024 NOFO advises SLT agencies to adopt key cybersecurity best practices

As in previous years, the FY 2024 NOFO again recommends SLT agencies adopt key cybersecurity best practices. To do this, they are required to consult the CISA Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals (CPGs) throughout their development of plans and projects within the program. This is also a statutory requirement for receiving grant funding.

How Tenable One can help agencies meet the CISA CPGs

The CISA CPGs are a prioritized subset of cybersecurity practices aimed at meaningfully reducing risk to critical infrastructure operations and the American people. They provide a common set of IT and operational technology (OT) fundamental cybersecurity best practices to help SLT agencies address some of the most common and impactful cyber risks. Learn more about how Tenable One can help agencies meet the CISA CPGs here.

Learn more

• $1 Billion State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program Now Open for Applicants
• Protecting Local Government Agencies with a Whole-of-State Cybersecurity Approach
• How to Meet FY 2023 U.S. State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program Objectives
• New U.S. SLCGP Cybersecurity Plan Requirement: Adopt Cybersecurity Best Practices Using CISA's CPGs
• Study: Tenable Offers Fastest, Broadest Coverage of CISA's KEV Catalog

Preventing data loss, complying with regulations, automating workflows and managing access are four key challenges facing financial institutions. Learn how Tenable can help.

Imagine a bustling bank, made not of bricks and mortar, but of a swirling mass of data in the cloud. Account numbers, transaction histories and personally identifiable information (PII) zip across servers, powering the financial world. Holding all this sensitive data requires tremendous care. Therefore, securing this sensitive information is paramount.

This is where Tenable Cloud Security steps in, offering a data security shield specifically designed for the unique needs of financial institutions.

The challenge: A data deluge demands vigilance

Financial institutions generate massive volumes of data daily. While the public cloud offers unparalleled capacity to store such data, along with agility and scalability, the cloud also expands the attack surface. Legacy cybersecurity solutions are often unable to manage — let alone secure — the sheer volume of data and the variety of ways it is accessed, leaving organizations exposed to malicious actors. At the same time, financial institutions must keep up with new and evolving compliance standards and regulations set forth by governing bodies. Financial institutions need a security platform that helps them protect their data and maintain compliance.

Tenable Cloud Security’s advantage: Seeing beyond the walls

Tenable Cloud Security actively scrutinizes every corner of the cloud data vault, continuously and automatically.

"Without [Tenable Cloud Security], we would've been virtually blind to risks and threats impacting our sensitive data. [Tenable Cloud Security] allows us to preempt any issues and meet the requirements we're receiving from our business partners, with minimal effort.

— VP Security at a leading Fintech platform

Here's how Tenable empowers financial institutions:

• Protecting sensitive data: Tenable doesn't just guard the door; it knows what's inside and how to best protect it. It identifies and labels all data, like financial records and social security numbers, understanding its sensitivity and prioritizing its protection.
• Continuous monitoring: Imagine guards constantly scanning every inch of the vault. Tenable does the same digitally, using advanced technology to constantly search for suspicious activity and potential breaches. Any unusual movement of the data, either exfiltration or copying to a different and inaccessible location, triggers an alarm, allowing for immediate intervention.
• Policy enforcement: Just like a vault needs clear access protocols, so does your data. Tenable automates setting and enforcing cybersecurity policies across the entire cloud, ensuring everyone plays by the book and no unauthorized hands touch the valuables.
• Following mandated regulations: Financial institutions juggle a complex set of regulations and industry standards like the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS). Tenable simplifies compliance with a host of international regulations by providing timely reports and audit trails.

Beyond traditional security: More than just a lock

Modern technology stacks for data storage require a modern cybersecurity stack. Traditional security solutions are unable to address the unique risks associated with storing data in cloud technologies. Financial organizations that leverage Tenable’s data security platform are able to meet existing and future challenges, including:

• Preventing data loss: Early detection and prevention of unauthorized data access can help organizations minimize financial losses and reputational damage, keeping valuable assets safe from even the most cunning thieves.
• Complying with regulations: Automated reports and adherence to the most stringent regulations and industry standards ensure compliance, saving time and resources.
• Automating workflows: Tenable automates tasks and provides deeper insights into how data behaves, enabling organizations to free up their valuable resources for other endeavors and make their security teams more efficient.
• Managing access: Just like knowing who has access to the vault is crucial. Tenable tracks who and what has access to data, ensuring only authorized parties can handle the data.

The future of financial security is data-centric

Tenable Cloud Security's data-centric approach positions it as a valuable partner, not just for guarding the perimeter but for understanding the inner workings of the vault and the most sensitive data within it. By leveraging Tenable’s capabilities, financial institutions can confidently embrace the cloud while ensuring the highest level of security for their most valuable assets — their data.

To learn more about how you can secure your data

• Webinar: Know Your Exposure: Is Your Cloud Data Secure in the Age of AI?
• Data Sheet: Data Security in a Unified Cloud Security Solution
• Infographic: When CNAPP met DSPM
• Demo Video

Vulnerability management remains a cornerstone of preventive cybersecurity, but organizations still struggle with vulnerability overload and sophisticated threats. Tenable’s new Exposure Signals gives security teams comprehensive context, so they can shift from vulnerability management to exposure management and effectively prioritize high-risk exposures across their complex attack surface.

A critical vulnerability has been disclosed and attackers worldwide are actively exploiting it in the wild. Your vulnerability management team jumps into action and determines that the vulnerability is present in hundreds of your organization’s assets. Which ones do you patch first? How do you prioritize your remediation efforts? What criteria do you use? The clock is ticking. Hackers are on the prowl.

Historically, your vulnerability management team would rely on severity scores like Vulnerability Priority Rating (VPR). This is a great start, but only gives you one indicator of risk. To prioritize remediation precisely and effectively, you need to consider a variety of other criteria, such as a vulnerable asset’s type, owner, and function; the access-level and privileges on the asset; and critical attack paths into your environment.

This type of comprehensive, holistic context will let you prioritize correctly, but it can only be achieved with a different approach that goes beyond traditional vulnerability management. That approach is exposure management. 

With exposure management, your vulnerability management team would be able to pinpoint the subset of assets affected by our hypothetical vulnerability that, for example, are externally accessible, possess domain-level privileges and are part of a critical attack path. That way they would know where the greatest risk is and what they need to remediate first. Having this deep insight, context and visibility transforms the risk assessment equation, and allows your vulnerability management team to move decisively, quickly and strategically.

In this blog, we’ll outline why it’s imperative for your vulnerability management teams to shift to an exposure management mindset, and we’ll explain how Tenable can help them do it.

To pinpoint riskiest vulns, vulnerability management needs broader exposure context 

In today's evolving cybersecurity landscape, vulnerability management remains one of the foundational pieces of an organization's proactive defense strategy. However, these teams still have difficulty in addressing the increased level of risks posed by the continuous surge of Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) and other flaws.

Many security teams are frequently overwhelmed by the sheer volume of vulnerabilities with limited resources to manage them effectively. The sophistication and speed of threat actors has escalated, with attackers having more entry points and using new tactics, techniques and procedures to access other critical areas of the business - demonstrating that attacks are no longer linear but multifaceted.

It’s common for security teams to struggle with:

• Vulnerability overload - This long-standing problem keeps getting worse. Security teams are finding it more difficult than ever to sift through the avalanche of CVEs and identify the areas of the business that have the most risk.
   
•  Lack of exposure context for prioritization - Your teams are making decisions while missing layers of context. Threat intelligence and vulnerability severity are a great start, but limiting yourself to them doesn’t give you the full context you need to prioritize properly. 
   
• Slow remediation response - Both proactive and reactive security teams devote massive amounts of time to responding to critical vulnerabilities. Resources are spread thin, making it more important than ever for teams to confidently identify the most high risk exposures when recommending remediation efforts.

Need to shift from a vulnerability to an exposure mindset

Knowing the struggles that you are dealing with today can help illuminate the benefits of exposure management. The missing links between a vulnerability and an exposure are the additional layers of context. Having multidimensional context enables you to understand not just the vulnerabilities themselves but their potential impact within the broader attack surface. This approach provides a more comprehensive view of an organization's security posture by considering factors such as threat intelligence, asset criticality, identities and access, as well as other pieces of context. With this additional information, you spend significantly less time sorting through stacks of similar vulnerabilities and you can be more focused on identifying key issues that pose risk - exposures.

For those who have never heard of exposure management or are just getting started, there are many benefits to this discipline. When it comes to Tenable’s approach, we adopt that same mentality with our exposure management platform. The goal is simple: exposure management empowers organizations to prioritize remediation efforts more effectively. It surfaces information that helps develop strategies to address not only the vulnerabilities themselves but the emergence of exposures that could lead to significant breaches.

The jump from vulnerability to exposure

Bridging the gap from vulnerability management to exposure management requires connecting context across the entire attack surface. Vulnerability management provides context that predicts the likelihood of an attack and displays key drivers, age of vulnerability and threat sources. These attributes are helpful, but we can go much further to improve our prioritization effectiveness. This requires having broader visibility and deeper insights across the attack surface to understand the bigger picture of exposures.

Specifically, security teams need additional context around:

• Asset context - There are many levels to an asset that can help drive prioritization decisions. It’s key to understand the criticality of an asset related to its type, function, owner name and its relationships to other assets. Even knowing if the asset is accessible from the internet or not will shape how its remediation is prioritized.
   
• Identities - Identities serve as the cornerstone for successful attacks, so it’s key to contextualize them for exposure management. Understanding user-privilege levels, entitlements and user information can help prevent attackers from gaining privilege escalation and moving laterally. Focusing prioritization efforts on vulnerable assets with domain and admin-level privileges is a critical best practice in order to reduce the likelihood of a breach.
   
• Threat context - Having various levels of threat context is also important to prioritize exposures. We know that threats change over time, so leveraging dynamic scoring like VPR or Asset Exposure Score (AES) can show indicators of risk. We can also bring in context from attack path modeling to influence remediation decisions based on the attacker’s perspective by understanding the number of critical attack paths or choke points in your environment.

When security analysts have this additional information, they can now truly understand the breadth and depth of the exposure. This is how prioritization is done in this new world of exposure management.

Introducing Exposure Signals

To help make it easier for you to shift to this exposure management mindset, we have developed a new prioritization capability called Exposure Signals. Available in Tenable One, Tenable’s exposure management platform, Exposure Signals allows security teams to have more comprehensive context in a centralized place for a focused view of risk. 

There are two ways to use these new Exposure Signals. The first is to access a comprehensive library of high-risk, prebuilt signals. Easy to refer to, they signal potential risk in your environment and create a great starting point for you to get your exposure management juices flowing. For example, you can easily see and refer to: 

• Domain admin group on internet-exposed hosts with critical vulnerabilities
• Devices exposed to the internet via RDP with an associated identity account with a compromised password
• Cloud assets with critical severity findings and asset exposure score above 700

Exposure Signals allow you to track the number of violations that signal high-risk scenarios in your environment. View this list on a regular basis to see how it changes over time with its unique trendline. Take exploration into your own hands by viewing the impacted asset and its contextual intelligence in our Inventory Module. 

The second way to use Exposure Signals is by creating your own signals using a query builder or natural language processing (NLP) search powered by ExposureAI. That way, you can go as broad or as precise as needed. For example, let’s say there is a new zero day vulnerability that sweeps the industry, similar to Log4Shell. You can easily create a signal to target which assets have the vulnerability, are internet facing and have domain admin-level privileges. We are stringing these components together so that you can understand your true risk and better direct your prioritization efforts.

To learn more about Tenable One and Exposure Signals, check out our interactive demo:

To tie in with this month’s SoNYC birthday celebrations, we are hosting a collection of case

To tie in with this month’s SoNYC birthday celebrations, we are hosting a collection of case

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TORONTO – The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) today published

TORONTO – The Ontario Securities Commission has today published its

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Dr Anne Osterrieder is a Research and Science Communication Fellow in Plant Cell Biology at the Department of