Challenges
The most significant challenge identified was misconfigured separation between different parts of the internal network.
This created a situation where areas that should have been more isolated were more connected than intended. In a payment processing environment, this increases the risk that access from less critical areas could be used as a stepping stone toward more sensitive systems.
Additional weaknesses in how devices were allowed onto the network meant that physical access to certain offices could be turned into direct access to internal systems with minimal effort. This reduced the organization’s control over who could connect to important internal resources and under what conditions.
The assessment also highlighted that some internal protections designed to limit the spread and impact of an internal compromise were not consistently enforced. In particular, the presence of sensitive login information on shared locations and weaker safeguards around internal communications increased the risk that an initial foothold could quickly escalate into broader access.
Together, these issues meant the organization could not fully rely on its internal network boundaries to contain incidents or prevent unauthorized movement toward business-critical systems and data.
Objectives
The client required a clear, independent view of how the tested area looked from an attacker’s perspective.
The main objectives were:
- Understand how exposed key entry points or applications were to threats
- Whether user access and sessions could be trusted
- Which weaknesses represented the greatest risk and required urgent remediation
The company sought clarity on its real-world exposure and practical advice on prioritizing fixes.
Services Provided
The primary service provided was an internal network security assessment delivered by CyberGlobal.
The assessment focused on understanding how security weaknesses in access control, application behavior, or data exposure could be exploited. It examined the extent to which critical areas were vulnerable to external discovery or misuse and how system configurations influenced the protection of sensitive operations.
The goal was to uncover meaningful business risks, not just technical compliance issues.
Execution and Outcomes
The engagement was structured around the organization’s real attack surface inside the corporate network. CyberGlobal’s security team approached the environment as a determined insider or intruder who had gained a foothold. They examined how access to important internal functions and systems was presented and how far that access could be extended.
The team first evaluated how different parts of the network were separated from each other.
It was identified that certain areas were more exposed than intended, allowing easier movement between general corporate zones and more sensitive internal segments. This confirmed that the internal layout did not fully support the level of isolation expected for a payment processing environment.
Physical access scenarios were then explored to understand how easily devices could be connected to the internal network.
In one office, the team demonstrated that simply connecting through an existing desk device allowed direct entry into the internal environment, bypassing expected controls. This showed that office connectivity could be misused to gain unauthorized access without going through standard onboarding checks.
Once inside, the team reviewed how information was stored and shared.
It was confirmed that important login details were available on shared internal locations and could be used to reach additional systems, including databases. The team also confirmed that some internal communication protections were not fully enforced, increasing the risk that internal traffic could be intercepted or altered.
All findings were communicated in terms of their impact on control over internal access, the potential for unauthorized movement toward sensitive systems, and the risk of misuse of stored credentials.
As a result, the client gained a clearer understanding of key weaknesses in the tested area and where to focus on remediation.
Solutions
CyberGlobal recommended strengthening the separation between different parts of the internal network so that access from general corporate areas could not easily be used to reach more sensitive systems.
This included clearer boundaries between zones handling routine business activity and those supporting payment processing and other critical operations. Improved separation reduces the likelihood that an initial compromise in a lower-risk area can be leveraged to affect core services.
Stronger controls over how devices connect to the internal network were also advised.
In particular, the organization was encouraged to ensure that office ports and shared devices cannot be used as easy entry points for unapproved laptops or other equipment. Tightening these controls helps ensure that only authorized and properly validated devices can access internal resources, reducing the risk from physical access to office locations.
To address the risk from exposed login details, CyberGlobal recommended removing sensitive credentials from shared locations and adopting stricter rules on where and how such information is stored.
This reduces the chance that an intruder with limited access can quickly obtain powerful credentials and escalate access to important systems, including databases.
Finally, the organization was advised to enforce stronger protection for internal communications and file-sharing services.
Results
By addressing the identified weaknesses, the company can expect:
- A lower likelihood of unauthorized access to sensitive internal systems
- Reduced potential for attackers to move across the network
- Less risk that exposed credentials will be used to compromise critical databases and services
Overall, the internal network can better support the continuity and integrity of payment processing operations.
CyberGlobal’s internal network security assessment provided the client with a clear, business-focused view of its real exposure and practical steps to strengthen internal defenses.
Similar organizations in the FinTech and payment processing sector in the United Arab Emirates can benefit from reviewing their internal security posture with CyberGlobal by identifying comparable weaknesses and addressing them before they are exploited.