Identify, Locate, and Eliminate the Dangers that Threaten Your Networks
The proliferation of digital technologies has created a world of unmatched communication ease and capability. But with these advances come certain dangers; cybercriminals and other malicious actors are ever-present, targeting the digital systems and vital data businesses depend on. As such, cyber threats detection is becoming more than just a competitive differentiator; it’s a necessity for survival.
What is Cyber Threats Detection
Cyber threats detection describes the tools, processes, and tasks associated with observing and analyzing entire security ecosystems, with the goal of identifying potential threats. This includes any activities that negatively affect the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of data and systems. Once a threat has been identified, the organization’s IT response teams can move in to mitigate the danger before it can cause any damage.
The cyber threats detection process typically includes collecting and analyzing network traffic, monitoring data flows and alerting teams to unusual network activity. The information generated by threat detection systems is crucial for understanding how cyber threats work and for taking action to prevent or minimize their impact.
Cyber Threat Types
‘Cyber threat’ is a broad term that describes any actor or event that could negatively impact an organization’s assets, people, customers, or operations. Cyber threats exploit security weaknesses to gain unauthorized access to restricted networks. Most cyber threats involve different approaches that use malware, such as:
- Viruses
A virus is a kind of malware that can infect and automatically spread to adjacent systems. The virus is carried as an attached file or program hidden within another file or program and must be ‘opened’ to become active. - Worms
Worms are stand-alone forms of malware that replicate and spread like a virus, but do not need to be attached to another program or file; they do not need to be activated by a host to propagate. - Ransomware
Ransome describes malware that, once it infiltrates a system, encrypts network data so that it cannot be accessed by authorized users. The threat actor then demands payment in exchange for releasing the data (which they may or may not do once payment has been received). - Trojans
A trojan is a form of malware that presents itself as a legitimate program. Unlike viruses and worms, the trojan cannot self-replicate. It instead relies on social engineering (such as phishing tactics) to infiltrate new systems. - Cryptomining
Unlike many forms of malware, crypto mining attacks don’t usually attempt to steal or restrict data. Instead, they hijack systems to mine cryptocurrency for an outside party. This slows targeted systems to a crawl as the network’s processing power is redirected. - DoS/DDoS Attacks
Networks can only handle a finite amount of traffic at any given time. Denial-of-service (DoS) and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks flood the targeted network with requests, preventing it from being able to process normal traffic, and resulting in network downtime.
Types of Cyber Threats Detection
Cyber threats detection solutions are generally divided into four major categories:
- Modeling
Modeling is a mathematical approach that defines baseline, normal parameters for the computing environment and then detects threats by calling attention to any deviations from those parameters. Modeling is an effective approach to detecting unknown, novel threats. - Threat Behavior
Threat behavior is a form of analytics that catalogs malicious techniques, providing essential context about each, individual kind of threat based on its behavior. - Indicators
Ideal for triaging known threats, indicators are used to identify specific malicious activity to help response teams prioritize and respond effectively. - Configuration Analysis
Configuration analysis is built on an in-depth understanding of the computing environment’s architecture. Any unexpected events that change the environment’s configuration (such as changing a key switch or introducing a new device) create an alert.
Each of these approaches offers an effective strategy for countering specific threat types and must be used in conjunction to fully secure a network against known and unknown vectors.
Benefits of Advanced Threat Detection
Threat detection gives response teams the lead time they need to locate and eliminate threats quickly, mitigating and minimizing any potential damage. This allows your business to:
- Identify possible weaknesses and optimize your security ecosystems through clearer understanding of how threat actors gain access.
- Resolve infections more quickly, significantly reducing the ‘dwell time’ during which an attacker retains access to your systems.
- Reduce the risk of downtime by resolving attacks before they can lead to service disruptions.
- Protect crucial business data and essential systems, and reduce the costs associated with threat response and repair.
- Meet compliance requirements regardless of industry.
Leave Threats Nowhere to Hide, With Ontinue ION
Threat detection is the first step towards securing your networks against the evolving digital dangers of the modern world. But not every cyber threats detection solution is up to the task. Ontinue ION sets the industry standard for threat detection with advanced threat intelligence, team collaboration tools, essential investigation resources, and more. And once threats have been identified, ION goes further by providing response solutions to meet the security needs of even the most demanding businesses.
Learn more about Ontinue; request a demo today, and keep your networks safe from whatever comes their way.