Tenable Selected by Keio University to Gain Visibility into its Blindspots

 Tenable®, Inc. the Exposure Management company, today announced that Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC), has chosen Tenable Attack Surface Management to identify and assess previously unknown internet-facing assets.

Located in Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, Keio SFC is renowned as one of Japan’s top private universities, focusing on teaching and research excellence. Keio SFC operates its own Information Technology Center (ITC), responsible for managing and maintaining the IT infrastructure, including PCs, servers, and network systems, while also offering support for various services and terminals. The ITC also oversees the creation and management of service accounts required for user access.

Being a research-oriented campus, Keio SFC encourages students and faculty members to utilize the ITC infrastructure for various purposes, such as creating websites, testing new technologies, and publishing research findings. This also meant that the deployment of IT assets, cloud services, and apps created blindspots that security teams were unaware of. 

“The campus administration is committed to fostering an environment that encourages flexibility in usage while ensuring robust security measures,” said Kentaro Hiyama, Shonan Fujisawa Information Technology Centre. We actively monitor communications and identify any suspicious interactions with unauthorized sites to safeguard our digital assets.”

Acknowledging the evolving threat landscape and the importance of protecting sensitive information, Keio SFC recognized the need for deeper insights into their complete attack surface and the vulnerabilities present in the software they were utilizing. Building on their existing use of Tenable Vulnerability Management, Keio SFC opted to complement it with Tenable Attack Surface Management to achieve comprehensive visibility into their digital footprint within the ITC.

“With this solution, we can extract more in-depth information based on host names, which allows us to prioritize vulnerabilities effectively. The user-friendly language used to describe the impact of each vulnerability makes it easier for us to take prompt action and reduce risks,” said Korry Luke, Assistant Professor, Keio University Information Technology Centre Headquarters.

During the initial phase, approximately 200 sites were assessed, revealing vulnerabilities in around 20 of them, such as outdated versions of WordPress. Upon discovering these issues, the ITC promptly notified the responsible faculty members, who were appreciative of the specific and actionable information provided, enabling them to promptly address the identified risks.

“Through the integration of Tenable Attack Surface Management into Tenable Vulnerability Management, we have the ability to unearth novel assets and domains effortlessly. Swift assessment for vulnerabilities can be done in a matter of a few clicks, presenting a significant boon in terms of time and resource efficiency,” said Mr. Hiyama, Shonan Fujisawa ITC, Keio SFC. “We’re able to offer targeted information to our users, such as notifying them that their software version is outdated and poses risks, along with actionable steps to address the issue. This approach proves more effective than general warnings, allowing users to make informed decisions and respond promptly. The main job of teachers and students is teaching and research, not server operation. Consequently, our streamlined communication with users has led to a reduction in response costs.”

Furthermore, Tenable Attack Surface Management’s openness and compatibility proved valuable, enabling scan results to be generated in open formats like CSV, facilitating integration with other systems and streamlined processing using scripts. The solution’s ability to handle exceptions and exclude specific elements from scanning further contributed to its appeal.

“As organizations’ digital assets become more exposed to the internet, security teams often lack full visibility of their attack surface,” said Naoya Kishima, Country Manager at Tenable Japan. “Keio SFC’s proactive approach to gaining comprehensive visibility of their external attack surface sets a commendable example, and we are honored to be part of their security journey.”

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About Tenable

Tenable® is the Exposure Management company. Approximately, 43,000 organizations around the globe rely on Tenable to understand and reduce cyber risk. As the creator of Nessus®, Tenable extended its expertise in vulnerabilities to deliver the world’s first platform to see and secure any digital asset on any computing platform. Tenable customers include approximately 60 percent of the Fortune 500, approximately 40 percent of the Global 2000, and large government agencies. Learn more at tenable.com.

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