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Emergence of Preemptive Cyber Defense: The Key to Defusing Sophisticated Attacks
Preemptive cyber defense strategies not only strengthen a company’s immediate defenses but also prepare it for the future.
Brad LaPorte, CMO, Morphisec
November 12, 2024
5 Min Read
(Credit: Cavan Images / Alamy Stock Photo)
Today, Businesses are operating in the perfect storm when it comes to cyber threats, which are more sophisticated and destructive and are occurring with greater frequency than ever. If you’re a company clinging to mitigation strategies built on traditional, static approaches to security, your fate is all but sealed. That’s why many businesses are moving from reactive security measures to more proactive and dynamic cyber defense strategies that keep ahead of attackers.
According to research, the average number of cyberattacks per organization increased 28 percent in Q1 2024 compared to Q4 2023, and there’s little doubt this activity will continue its upward trajectory. However, the frequency of attacks is only part of the problem. Perhaps the biggest concern is the sophistication of incidents. Right now, cybercriminals are using everything from AI and machine learning to polymorphic malware coupled with sophisticated psychological tactics that play off of breaking world events and geopolitical tension.
Evolving Cyber Defense from Reactive to Preemptive Security
Given current attack trends, it’s easy to see why reactive approaches are not sufficient. First, they rely on databases of known attack signatures and patterns. But what transpires in the event of a zero-day exploit that doesn’t match the information housed in these databases? Since detection and response systems are not dynamic, security teams need to update their tools with new signatures, which takes time and leaves the business exposed.
The clear limitations of these reactive systems have many businesses looking to shift away from the “one-size-fits-all” approach to more dynamic options. A great example that’s fueling this movement is the July CrowdStrike outage event, where reliance on a single solution exposed operational stability and potential security gaps for organizations worldwide. Outages such as this can also be costly. According to research from Queue-it, downtime costs the top 2,000 companies $400 billion a year.
With redundancy, security, and resiliency in mind, many companies are following the lead of government agencies and diversifying their cybersecurity investments across multiple providers. This includes the option of a preemptive cyber defense solution, which, rather than relying on a single offering, blends in three — a triad that addresses the complexities of modern cybersecurity challenges. The three include:
Automated Moving Target Defense (AMTD): The analyst community is increasingly suggesting that AMTD technology represents the future of cybersecurity. One aspect of AMTD that sets it apart is its focus on unpredictability, a characteristic we most often attribute to attackers. Leveraging polymorphic capabilities, AMTD constantly changes a business’s IT environment, making it significantly more difficult for attackers to penetrate and wreak havoc.
Automated Security Control Assessment (ASCA): ASCA is an advanced technology-driven approach that leverages non-destructive attack simulations, a comprehensive threat library, real-time insights, and more to continuously evaluate, optimize, and prioritize security controls. In doing so, it identifies configuration drifts and control deficiencies, enhancing an organization's ability to maintain robust security postures.
Continuous Threat Exposure Management (CTEM): CTEM is a program of automated tools and manual testing that focuses on preemptively reducing the company’s exposure to attacks. It delivers by continuously assessing, testing, and optimizing security controls to stay ahead of evolving threats while offering a detailed view of its security posture.
Preemptive Cyber Defense In Action
While these solutions individually deliver significant benefits, the true power rests in the synergies that exist between them. The preemptive cyber defense triad offers businesses the ultimate protection—a security ecosystem where the attack surface is constantly changing (AMTD), the security controls are always optimized (ASCA), and the overall threat exposure is continuously managed and minimized (CTEM).
Because of this, the benefits afforded to businesses are significant. They include:
Proactive Defense: This integrated approach allows organizations to go on the offensive and proactively prevent attacks, spot vulnerabilities, and more before they turn into actual attacks. As you can imagine, prevention is a far more cost-effective approach than breach recovery.
Continuous Adaptation: Thanks to new innovations such as AI and machine learning, as well as other factors such as increased financial motivation, the threat landscape is constantly evolving, and businesses are naturally struggling to keep up. Through continuous adaptation, teams have the assurance that as they are going about their day-to-day duties, their defenses are always updated and optimized.
Comprehensive Coverage: This approach covers all aspects of an organization's security needs, from the network level (AMTD) to security controls (ASCA) to overall threat management (CTEM).
Reduced Workload on Security Teams: According to a Times report titled "2023 Voice of the SOC," 63 percent of the security decision-makers and practitioners surveyed are experiencing burnout amid relentless cyberattacks, internal pressures, and limited resources. By automating many aspects of security, from defense to assessment to management, companies can remove the burden on understaffed and overworked security teams.
Improved Risk Management: With knowledge comes power. Preemptive cyber defense delivers a complete view of the threat landscape and a business’s security posture, giving teams the knowledge needed to make more informed decisions about risk management and resource allocation.
Preemptive cyber defense strategies not only strengthen a company’s immediate defenses but also prepare it for the future. This is vital as cyber threats continue to evolve and the attackers behind them remain vigilant in their hunt to unearth new methods that can allude defenses. In the end, the companies that stay out of the news will be the ones that embrace a comprehensive, preemptive approach that provides the needed defenses against the ever-changing threat landscape. This preemptive mindset and integrated strategy are key to staying ahead of the curve in today's ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape.
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