U.S. Cybersecurity Agency Publishes List of Free Security Tools and Services

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
on Friday published^[1]
a repository of free tools and services to enable organizations to
mitigate, detect, and respond effectively to malicious attacks and
further improve their security posture.

The “Free Cybersecurity Services and
Tools^[2]” resource hub comprises
a mix of services provided by CISA, open-source utilities, and
other implements offered by private and public sector organizations
across the cybersecurity community.

“Many organizations, both public and private, are target rich
and resource poor,” CISA Director, Jen Easterly, said in a
statement. “The resources on this list will help such organizations
improve their security posture, which is particularly critical in
the current heightened threat environment.”

The tools catalog is the latest in a string of initiatives
launched by CISA to combat cyber threats and help organizations
adopt foundational measures to maximize resilience by patching
security flaws in software, enforcing multi-factor authentication,
and halting bad practices.

To that end, the agency has launched dedicated portals
documenting Known Exploited Vulnerabilities^[3], “exceptionally risky” cybersecurity
procedures^[4], guidance for resisting
ransomware infections^[5]
as well as threats associated with nefarious information and
influence operations^[6].

Earlier this week, it also launched a “Shields Up^[7]” campaign notifying
organizations in the U.S. of potential risks arising from cyber
threats that can disrupt access to essential services and
potentially result in impacts to public safety.

The development also comes as the agency released an alert^[8]
detailing proactive steps that critical infrastructure entities can
take to assess and mitigate threats related to information
manipulation, while noting that the advancements in communications
and networked systems have created new vectors for
exploitation.

“Malicious actors may use tactics — such as misinformation,
disinformation, and malinformation — to shape public opinion,
undermine trust, and amplify division, which can lead to impacts to
critical functions and services across multiple sectors,” CISA
said.