The CheckMates Blog

Welcome to "This Week in CheckMates," your weekly highlight reel for all things CheckMates!
Past and future posts will be available here: The CheckMates Blog
To have these updates show up in your preferred RSS reader add the following URL: The CheckMates Blog RSS Feed
See also our social media accounts and our podcast (RSS Feed)

CheckMates GO S02E31: Meme Warfare

PhoneBoy talks with  @Tim_Otis from the Check Point Incident Response Team about Meme Warfare and Logo-ed Vulnerabilities.

Subscribe to CheckMates Go on your favorite podcast app, write a rating/review, and share with a friend/colleague! 

Community Highlights

Here's the threads to watch from the last week:

Product/Service Updates

• R81 is Now Available
• R80.40 JHF GA Take 83
• R80.30 JHF Ongoing Take 221
• R80.30 SmartConsole (Build 94)

Other Topics

• How effective is Threat Prevention Without HTTPS Inspection
• No Accelerated Packets
• Integrating SandBlast Mobile with Google Cloud
• Access Roles and Machine Names

Upcoming Events

We have a number of events planned for the next several weeks:

TechTalks: R81 is Here!

We have two TechTalks planned around the R81 release:

• Delivering Security Consolidation Across the Enterprise with R81 on 28 October
• R81 Security Management on 2 December

TechTalk: Network Detection and Response with SandBlast/CloudGuard Now

In this TechTalk on 11 November, we will talk about the Check Point Now DEPLOY – HUNT – PREVENT paradigm for Network Detection and Response (NDR). Specifically, we'll cover:

• Sensor deployment – on premises and in the cloud
• Threat hunting using the Cyber Defence Center with the latest AI engines and advanced Now Analytics
• Threat-based defence using the Smart Intel platform

Register now!

Virtual User Group Events

Given the current and evolving situation with Coronavirus, we are planning virtual events for the time being.
While anyone is welcome to register for CheckMates Live Virtual Edition events, they are generally for a limited number of people with priority given to people in the specified geographic area.
If you don't see your area listed, please contact us and we'll be happy to arrange a session for your area!

Bookmark the CheckMates Calendar to have an up-to-date list of events at your fingertips!
If you attend CheckMates Live events, you can get CPE credit! 

• 27 October 2020:
  • Taiwan: Identity Awareness and Hyperscale Platform and AI modem to enhance APT prevention
  • Netherlands: Introduction to Performance Optimization
  • Canada: HTTPS Inspection Best Practices
• 28 October 2020: Malaysia: Identity Awareness Best Practices
• 29 October 2020:
  • Philippines: Identity Awareness Best Practices
  • Adriatics: Maintenance and Upgrades Best Practices
  • East US: Maintenance and Upgrades Best Practices
• 30 October 2020: South Central US: Spooky IT Stories of Yesteryear
• 5 November 2020: Benelux: What Are Containers and How To Secure Them
• 10 November 2020:
  • Africa: Remote Access Best Practices
  • North Central US: Machine Learning 101
• 17 November 2020:
  • Norway: Automation and Orchestration Best Practices
  • Southern US: Performance Optimization Series: SecureXL
• 19 November 2020:
  • DACH: Maintenance and Upgrade Best Practices 
  • South Central US: Remote Access Best Practices
• 24 November 2020: Caribbean: Introduction to Performance Optimization
• 26 November 2020: Romania: Next Generation Firewall - 10 Years After - Part 2 

We recently made a few changes to our active member community ranks to hopefully make them a bit easier to understand than the precious metals/stones ranks we had prevously.
They are now as follows:

• Newcomer (Everyone starts here)
• Explorer
  
• Participant
• Contributor
• Collaborator
• Specialist
• Advisor
• Leader
  
• Mentor
• Authority
• Champion
• Legend (Highest rank)

Anyone with a rank of Leader or above will have a special flair next to their name.
Note that the basic ranking formulas haven't changed and are based on time in community, posts, comments, and kudos.
That said, we have a few less levels now and combined a couple of the ranking tiers.

Note that we've maintained the existing passive community member ranks, which are still:

• Onlooker
• Bystander
• Beholder
• Spectator
• Bookworm

Welcome to "This Week in CheckMates," your weekly highlight reel for all things CheckMates!
Past and future posts will be available here: The CheckMates Blog
To have these updates show up in your preferred RSS reader add the following URL: The CheckMates Blog RSS Feed
See also our social media accounts and our podcast (RSS Feed)

CheckMates GO S02E30: Election Hacking

PhoneBoy talks with  @Tim_Otis from the Check Point Incident Response Team about threats we've seen related to elections.

Subscribe to CheckMates Go on your favorite podcast app, write a rating/review, and share with a friend/colleague! 

Community Highlights

Here's the threads to watch from the last week:

Product/Service Updates

• Automatic Policy Revision Purge
• CPU Spike Detective in R80.40 JHF 69+

Other Topics

• New CLI Commands in R81
• Updatable Objects on VSX
• VSX Upgrade from R77.30 to R80.40 on Open Server
• Easy Backup Tool

Upcoming Events

We have a number of events planned for the next several weeks:

TechTalks: R81 is Coming!

We have two TechTalks planned on the forthcoming R81 release:

• Delivering Security Consolidation Across the Enterprise with R81 on 28 October
• R81 Security Management on 2 December

TechTalk: Network Detection and Response with SandBlast/CloudGuard Now

In this TechTalk on 11 November, we will talk about the Check Point Now DEPLOY – HUNT – PREVENT paradigm for Network Detection and Response (NDR). Specifically, we'll cover:

• Sensor deployment – on premises and in the cloud
• Threat hunting using the Cyber Defence Center with the latest AI engines and advanced Now Analytics
• Threat-based defence using the Smart Intel platform

Register now!

Virtual User Group Events

Given the current and evolving situation with Coronavirus, we are planning virtual events for the time being.
While anyone is welcome to register for CheckMates Live Virtual Edition events, they are generally for a limited number of people with priority given to people in the specified geographic area.
If you don't see your area listed, please contact us and we'll be happy to arrange a session for your area!

Bookmark the CheckMates Calendar to have an up-to-date list of events at your fingertips!
If you attend CheckMates Live events, you can get CPE credit! 

• 20 October 2020:
  • Norway: Introduction to Performance Optimization
  • Greece: Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence / Infinity SOC
• 22 October 2020:
  • Sri Lanka: Identity Awareness
  • Denmark: Introduction to Performance Optimization
  • Mid-Atlantic: Machine Learning 101
• 27 October 2020:
  • Netherlands: Introduction to Performance Optimization
  • Canada: HTTPS Inspection Best Practices
• 29 October 2020:
  • Adriatics: Maintenance and Upgrades Best Practices
  • East US: Maintenance and Upgrades Best Practices
• 30 October 2020: South Central US: Spooky IT Stories of Yesteryear
• 5 November 2020: Benelux: What Are Containers and How To Secure Them

Welcome to "This Week in CheckMates," your weekly highlight reel for all things CheckMates!
Past and future posts will be available here: The CheckMates Blog
To have these updates show up in your preferred RSS reader add the following URL: The CheckMates Blog RSS Feed
See also our social media accounts and our podcast (RSS Feed)

CheckMates GO S02E29: Ransomware Recovery is Pee Chee

PhoneBoy talks with @RaymondS and @Tim_Otis from the Check Point Incident Response Team about the latest happenings in Ransomware. 

Subscribe to CheckMates Go on your favorite podcast app, write a rating/review, and share with a friend/colleague! 

Community Highlights

Here's the threads to watch from the last week:

Product/Service Updates

• R80.20 JHF GA Take 183
• SmartConsole R80.10 GA Build 183
• New in Forthcoming R81: Accelerated Policy Install

DevSecOps

• How to Integrate SHIFTLEFT with AWS CodeBuild and Scan Docker Images for Vulnerabilities
• How to Integrate CloudGuard Workload Protection (Serverless) with CICD Pipeline on AWS
• Securing Kubernetes Environments with CloudGuard
• Scripts to Onboard Kubernetes Clusters to CloudGuard CPSM
• Automate Deployment of CloudGuard IaaS using Terraform and Jenkins CICD
• AWS CodePipeline Integration with CloudGuard Workload Serverless Security
• CloudGuard ShiftLeft Preview and Integration with Jenkins

Other Topics

• Check Point's new SASE Solution Powered by Odo: Video, Slides, and Q&A
• Check Point Major versus Minor Releases
• How to Delete a Specific Entry from the Connections Table via Script
• Oneliner to Show Reserved Words Within Hostnames
• Policies Per Incoming and Outgoing Interface

Upcoming Events

We have a number of events planned for the next several weeks:

Check Point: <SECURE> Cloud

In the current world of disruption, where cloud has now become the de facto way for connecting to applications, security in the cloud has become more important than ever. Cloud transformation has enabled business to move faster, allowing businesses to be more innovative and find new ways to grow. As mission critical applications and services deploy into the cloud in an agile manner, security needs to journey into the cloud at the same speed. In this virtual event you will hear from cloud partners, and customers, giving their insights and perspective to the new cloud transformation in a modern application era.

Register now for our 14th October 2020 Virtual Event

Virtual User Group Events

Given the current and evolving situation with Coronavirus, we are planning virtual events for the time being.
While anyone is welcome to register for CheckMates Live Virtual Edition events, they are generally for a limited number of people with priority given to people in the specified geographic area.
If you don't see your area listed, please contact us and we'll be happy to arrange a session for your area!

Bookmark the CheckMates Calendar to have an up-to-date list of events at your fingertips!
If you attend CheckMates Live events, you can get CPE credit! 

• 13 October 2020: Africa: Maintenance and Upgrades Best Practices 
• 15 October 2020:
  • France: HTTPS Inspection Best Practices
  • Romania: Next Generation Firewall, 10 Years After (Part1)
• 20 October 2020:
  • Norway: Introduction to Performance Optimization
  • Greece: Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence / Infinity SOC
• 22 October 2020:
  • Denmark: Introduction to Performance Optimization
  • Mid-Atlantic: Machine Learning 101
• 27 October 2020:
  • Netherlands: Introduction to Performance Optimization
  • Canada: HTTPS Inspection Best Practices
• 29 October 2020:
  • Adriatics: Maintenance and Upgrades Best Practices
  • East US: Maintenance and Upgrades Best Practices
• 30 October 2020: South Central US: Spooky IT Stories of Yesteryear