How to adapt to modern cyber attacks

Whenever we hear of emerging technologies, we tend to focus on what they can do to better our lives. News stories about artificial intelligence (AI) have certainly tended towards the positive. Around the end of 2023, stock markets around the world started to grow in value significantly, as investors started to understand its transformational potential.

Unfortunately, every advancement in technology brings new opportunities for bad actors. For endpoint security measures to truly provide any meaningful protection, they need to adapt constantly.

Recent years have witnessed a surge in volume and a transformation in the nature of cyber threats, mostly due to the rise of artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence has assisted cybercriminals in several ways:

Automated attacks

AI can be used to automate the process of scanning for vulnerabilities, launching attacks, and breaching systems. This allows cybercriminals to execute attacks at a much faster pace and with greater efficiency.

Adaptive threats

AI-powered malware can adapt its behaviour based on the target’s defences, making it more difficult to detect and mitigate. These adaptive threats can learn and evolve over time, making them particularly challenging for traditional security measures to handle.

Social engineering

AI can analyse vast amounts of data from social media, emails, and other sources to create highly targeted and convincing phishing attacks. By mimicking the writing style and behaviour of a target’s contacts, AI-powered social engineering attacks can trick even savvy users into divulging sensitive information or clicking on malicious links.

Data manipulation and deepfakes

AI techniques such as deep learning can be used to manipulate images, videos, and audio recordings with unprecedented realism. This can be exploited by cybercriminals to create convincing fake content for spreading misinformation, conducting fraud, or damaging the reputation of individuals or organisations.

Evasion of detection systems

AI can be used to develop sophisticated evasion techniques that circumvent traditional security measures such as antivirus software and intrusion detection systems. By constantly evolving their tactics based on the responses of security systems, AI-powered attacks can remain undetected for longer periods.

Enhanced reconnaissance

AI can analyse vast amounts of data to gather intelligence about potential targets, including network topology, software vulnerabilities, and employee behaviour. This information can be used to launch more targeted and effective attacks, increasing the likelihood of success for cybercriminals.

THE SHIFTING LANDSCAPE OF CYBER DEFENCE

Gone are the days when traditional antivirus software was sufficient to protect a row of machines within one building’s network. The rise of AI has necessitated a paradigm shift in cybersecurity strategies.

Major data breaches, such as those affecting large corporations and government entities, have underscored the importance of proactive endpoint security measures. High-profile incidents have demonstrated the vulnerabilities resulting from traditional security approaches, prompting organisations to seek more robust solutions to safeguard their endpoints.

TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS DRIVING CHANGE

Several technological advancements as well as AI have contributed to the evolution of endpoint security. The proliferation of cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT) and the widespread adoption of remote work have expanded the attack surface, making it challenging for organisations to maintain a secure environment. As employees access corporate networks from various locations and devices, the need for adaptive and comprehensive endpoint security solutions has become increasingly important.

Endpoint detection and response solutions have gained prominence as IT teams recognise the importance of not only preventing but also detecting and responding to threats in real time.

Faronics has been at the forefront of adapting to this evolving landscape of endpoint security. Recognising the need for a proactive and resilient response, Faronics has developed a suite of products that address the contemporary challenges faced by most companies.

DEEP FREEZE: FORTIFYING ENDPOINTS AGAINST THREATS

Deep Freeze, one of Faronics’ flagship services, has proven to be a game-changer in endpoint security. In the face of ransomware attacks that can encrypt files and cripple systems, Deep Freeze takes a unique approach. It enables IT managers to revert their endpoints to a predefined, pristine state with every restart, effectively eliminating any changes made by malicious attackers.

By providing an impenetrable barrier against unauthorised modifications, Deep Freeze ensures that endpoints remain secure, even in the event of a successful cyber attack. This supports affected industries in preventing data loss while minimising downtime and the cost of incident recovery.

EASY PATCH MANAGEMENT

Deep Freeze is only one service under the Faronics Cloud umbrella; it also offers automated patch management. Microsoft has a huge job on its hands to keep Windows users protected against known threats; when they issue a security patch, they’re doing so for a very good reason. With Faronics Cloud, there’s no reason for any delay in getting that patch live across all your devices – you can completely automate the whole process. The same applies to any third-party app update. Just get it done without even thinking about it. No hassle. No downtime.

As well as updates for both operating systems and applications, Faronics Cloud provides administrators with real-time visibility into endpoint activity, limiting opportunities for threat actors to exploit any recent loopholes. By using the insights from overview dashboards and keeping systems up-to-date, organisations can easily monitor and manage user behaviour, even with the most distributed workforce. That way, ensuring compliance and identifying potential threats becomes more manageable, giving businesses in exposed industries peace of mind.

EMBRACE THE FUTURE OF ENDPOINT SECURITY

As we reflect on the technological evolution of endpoint security over the last few years, it’s apparent that a proactive and adaptive approach is essential to addressing modern cyber threats. Faronics, with its commitment to innovation and understanding of the constantly changing threat landscape, has become a leader in providing robust endpoint security solutions to businesses of all sizes and sectors.

The switch from manual intervention and guesswork to sophisticated endpoint management tools like Faronics Cloud is the shift your organisation needs to remain resilient and prepared: a change today’s landscape demands. With Faronics Cloud, your business can embrace future technological trends without having to worry about endpoint security or data breaches. As cyber threats continue to evolve, so does Faronics. We remain dedicated to empowering your organisation to stay ahead in the ongoing battle for cybersecurity.

To find out more about how Faronics Cloud can keep you safe, register here for the accompanying webinar.

Article written by Tom Guy at Faronics. Learn more about Faronics Deploy here.