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

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on Friday published 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" 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, "exceptionally risky" cybersecurity procedures, guidance for resisting ransomware infections as well as threats associated with nefarious information and influence operations.

Earlier this week, it also launched a "Shields Up" 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 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.

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