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With the active digital transformation and cloud adoption by businesses, managing hybrid clouds has become a challenge that all types of enterprises must face. Simultaneously, the underlying cybersecurity issues are gaining significant attention. The independently developed MAVIS by Pentium Network is a rare tool that combines hybrid multi-cloud system management and privileged access management. It adopts a zero-trust architecture in line with international standards, catering to a wide range of needs from basic to complex for various enterprises and government agencies.
Since its establishment, Pentium Network has been committed to driving enterprise digital transformation. Through cybersecurity tools and expertise in information security protection technology, it assists diverse enterprises in achieving hybrid multi-cloud architectures to simplify operations, enhance operational efficiency, and improve infrastructure manageability. MAVIS, the hybrid multi-cloud privileged access management tool developed by Pentium Network, integrates four core functions: "Centralized Hybrid Multi-cloud/local Resources Management, Identity Access Monitoring and Management, Public Clouds
Console Management, and Comprehensive Record Keeping and Traceability" It meets the diverse requirements of different cybersecurity specifications for enterprises and addresses management issues arising from the complexity of hybrid clouds.
MAVIS's Privileged Access Management (PAM) function uses an Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) architecture with finely adjustable permissions. It aligns with the identity authentication functional items verification in the Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) promoted by the National Center for Cyber Security Technology (CyberSecurity Institute). This meets the basic requirements and specifications of the government's zero-trust architecture and is compatible and integrable with existing systems and infrastructures. MAVIS employs Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) in the login mechanism, allowing enterprises to choose collaborative or commonly used authenticators for one-time password (OTP) verification, preventing password exposure and unauthorized access. MAVIS also supports Single Sign-On (SSO), allowing users to log in with one set of credentials and can integrate with LDAP and Microsoft for connected logins.
Image: MAVIS provides SSO and MFA to enhance enterprise security and operational efficiency.
Implementing a zero-trust architecture has profound implications for enterprises.
The concept of a zero-trust architecture originated from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standard document SP 800-207, published in 2020. This framework has been actively adopted by the U.S. government and promoted in Taiwan by the CyberSecurity Institute since 2022, with A-level agencies prioritizing implementation. It also encourages domestic firms to develop the zero-trust architecture security industry chain.
After two years of promotion, the acceptance of the zero-trust architecture varies significantly across different industries in Taiwan. Government agencies exhibit a deeper understanding and more proactive adoption of zero-trust concepts and solutions. In contrast, customers in the financial industry are still in the stage of understanding and implementing, preparing for future regulatory requirements. Private enterprises, on the other hand, seem to have a relatively vague understanding of zero-trust, requiring more time to know available solutions and tools in the market.
In reality, the adoption of a zero-trust architecture has far-reaching implications for both government and enterprises. Through meticulous access control and rigorous authentication and authorization mechanisms, authorized users and devices can access sensitive data, reducing potential cybersecurity risks. However, many enterprise operating systems still rely on outdated software, with some only having external defenses, neglecting the importance of internal identity verification. This is one of the reasons Pentium Network has been dedicated to researching and developing PAM features that comply with various national requirements, aiming to create an easily adoptable and stress-free solution to enhance cybersecurity levels.
Providing comprehensive protection for cloud resources
The importance of a zero-trust architecture is most evident in digital transformation. With businesses accelerating their move to the cloud, traditional on-premises security systems are no longer sufficient. The previously effective security architecture based on network boundaries becomes weak, and establishing a higher-level network security architecture becomes a necessary step for businesses moving to the cloud. Even if companies implement cloud security defenses, there is often a disparity between the security products for on-premises and cloud, with different features, policy management, etc. This complexity leads to increased operational difficulties and renders security products unable to fulfill their original protective roles.
MAVIS is a privilege access management tool that can integrate and manage enterprise cloud and on-premises resources. It supports major public and private cloud platforms and can monitor devices or machines connected via SSH/VNC/RDP/SFTP, helping enterprises utilize resources in the most economical and flexible way to improve operational efficiency. MAVIS not only manages on-premises machines but also provides a multi-layered cloud resource management solution. It can manage these "cloud interfaces" where team members often need to use a single account to log in to interfaces such as AWS, GCP, Azure & Github, streamlining access. With MAVIS's web application management feature, not only does it completely solve the issue of program account sharing and responsibility division, but administrators can easily track each user's operations, recording even a single mouse click, facilitating quick issue clarification, and making problem resolution easier.
Image: MAVIS adopts a zero-trust architecture, providing users with a more advanced and robust security framework to address the current complex threat environment.
MAVIS's convenience is not only reflected in resource management but also in its intuitive operation. Information personnel can perform all operations on a single panel, reducing errors caused by system switching and further lowering cybersecurity risks caused by human factors.
Local research and development team providing comprehensive support for enterprises
In the CyberSecurity Institute's deployment method reference for the NIST zero-trust architecture resource portal, MAVIS by Pentium Network serves the role of "identity authentication." By introducing a zero-trust network identity authentication mechanism, government departments or corporate personnel can access internal systems and data through pre-assigned role settings and multi-factor identity authentication methods, whether on the internal or external network.
Image: MAVIS provides attribute-based access control, allowing rapid permission configuration based on user requirements.
As the government actively promotes cloud adoption, not only large enterprises but also small and medium-sized enterprises in Taiwan should actively embrace the introduction of a zero-trust architecture. Relying solely on the concept of segregating internal and external processes for security concerns or thinking that installing antivirus software is sufficient to enhance cybersecurity is risky.
Pentium Network's advantage lies in having a local research and development team dedicated to assisting various enterprises in complete digital transformation. The team has extensive experience in operation interfaces, resource management, cloud services, etc., enabling them to solve the challenges faced by enterprises and become the backbone of enterprise security, helping address cybersecurity issues.