Stay Ahead of Cyber Threats with Advanced Threat Detection Software

Protecting your organization from cyber threats starts with comprehensive point-of-click protection against phishing attacks, safeguarding users from malicious URLs and potential data breaches. This article explains how integrating advanced threat detection software and phishing protection solutions like TitanHQ's PhishTitan, organizations can bolster their security posture and mitigate the risks posed by the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats, in particular, the security gaps in M365 phishing prevention.

Safeguard users from phishing attacks with comprehensive point-of-click protection.

Before you can protect users and network assets from cybercrime, you must be able to detect threats when they occur accurately. Security-conscious organizations use threat detection software to monitor their networks for suspicious activity, allowing I.T. security personnel to intervene when they discover a threat.

How Does Threat Detection Software Work?

Comprehensive threat detection goes hand-in-hand with robust phishing protection. More than nine out of ten cyberattacks begin with a phishing email. That means that for most use cases and cyberattack scenarios, effective phishing protection is the core capability that advanced threat detection software must offer.

Threat detection software protects users from phishing attacks by verifying links in emails when users click on them. Malicious URL protection prevents cybercriminals from tricking users into accessing spoofed websites and giving up sensitive data and login credentials.

SpamTitan Plus Malicious URL protection works by following these steps:

• The moment an employee opens an incoming email message, threat detection software scans it for embedded links. It scans text links and hidden links that may be embedded in the email.
• The software analyzes the embedded links, comparing it to known threats and compromised servers. It does this using a combination of machine learning and up-to-date threat intelligence database access.

• If the link passes this check and the user clicks on it, the software will rewrite the URL using the appropriate system typeset. This protects against potential IDN homograph attacks that can spoof websites.

• If it determines one of the links is unsafe, it will present the user with a block page explaining the threat. Users can report the phishing attempt and use it to improve the organization’s overall security posture.

This approach provides users with comprehensive point-of-click protection that safeguards against many of the latest and most sophisticated phishing threats. Cybercriminals send an estimated 3.4 billion phishing emails per day. With this volume, even highly trained employees who understand the threat may eventually make mistakes and click on a bad link.

"More than nine out of ten cyberattacks begin with a phishing email."

Beyond Phishing: Detect and Respond to Multiple Types of Threats

While phishing is the most common primary attack vector cybercriminals use, it is not the only threat security teams must look out for. Phishing itself is almost always a gateway leading to another kind of threat. Security leaders must understand the different types of threats they’re responsible for detecting to protect users from the full spectrum of attack vectors.

Here are some of the primary attack vectors that advanced threat detection solutions must be able to detect:

1. Malware

Malware is a catch-all term for malicious software. In most cases, it describes one of three file-based attack techniques – viruses, worms, and trojans.

• Viruses are snippets of malicious code attached to legitimate applications. When users launch the application, the virus executes as well. Viruses typically spread from one device to another, activating every time a user launches the infected application and causing damage to each system it touches.

• Worms replicate themselves from device to device, similar to viruses. The main difference is that worms do not need to piggyback on top of an existing application. Instead, they are usually standalone applications that cybercriminals introduce into victims’ systems by exploiting system flaws.
• Trojan Horses are hidden pieces of malware disguised as legitimate applications. They do not replicate themselves the way viruses and worms do. Instead, they are deliberately installed to steal sensitive data or impact productivity.

2. Ransomware

Ransomware is a specific type of malware that blocks users’ access to mission-critical files and data, usually through encryption. Once the files are encrypted, the ransomware application tells users to pay for a decryption application to render their devices usable. In most cases, victims must pay using semi-anonymous cryptocurrencies.

Detecting ransomware requires a different technique than most other types of malware. Ransomware typically works by encrypting large volumes of data, so detection solutions often trigger alerts whenever a user or application starts encrypting too many files at once. Cybercriminals are aware of these detection algorithms, and some have responded by writing ransomware code that encrypts victims’ files very slowly, often over several weeks.

Threat detection solutions give organizations early warning of ransomware risks. Many cybercriminal groups use phishing attacks to trick users into downloading ransomware executables. Organizations that secure their workforce against phishing significantly reduce the risk of suffering a ransomware attack.

3. Cryptojackers

Cryptojacking software works differently from many other types of malware. With cryptojackers, hackers don’t have to convince victims to download anything. Instead, cryptojacking software can run directly through a browser, using JavaScript to run illicit scripts directly.

The purpose of crptojacking isn’t necessarily to steal data or damage end-user devices. Instead, cybercriminals want to use other peoples’ CPU power to mine cryptocurrency. 

Cryptojackers enrich themselves by stealing a tiny bit of electricity from thousands of users simultaneously. As a result, organizations need to compensate for lost productivity by providing users with increasingly powerful devices and cloud services.

Detecting cryptojacking requires maintaining a comprehensive list of domains and servers known for running cryptojacking scripts. While cryptojacking services like CoinHive have disappeared, new ones constantly popping up in response.

4. DDoS Attacks

Distributed Denial of Service attacks are cybersecurity threats that can profoundly damage an organization’s productivity and reputation. These attacks overwhelm victims’ I.T. infrastructure with meaningless requests, preventing legitimate traffic.

To carry out these attacks, hackers first compromise a network of Internet-connected devices. They then control these devices as a single entity called a botnet. The botnet can then direct an enormous amount of coordinated traffic to any other Internet-connected device, forcing the device to spend time addressing every request.

Threat detection services like URL protection won’t necessarily block DDoS attacks. However, they can protect users from accidentally letting hackers take control of their devices and use them to execute DDoS attacks. 

Any Internet-connected device could be part of a botnet. Protecting against phishing helps reduce the number of bots hackers can use to carry out DDoS attacks.

5. Credential-based Attacks

Credential-based attacks occur when hackers steal and exploit legitimate login credentials from users. Since attackers log in as authorized users, they can bypass many technical security measures. Traditional firewalls, security information, and event management (SIEM) platforms won’t recognize their activities as suspicious.

Hackers often use phishing and social engineering attacks to steal users’ credentials. A common tactic involves creating a spoof login page and tricking a user into inputting their credentials. Then, instead of logging in, the web page sends those credentials directly to attackers, who then use it to log themselves in, change the password, and carry out their attack.

Malicious URL protection is vital for protecting against credential-based attacks. Users can’t always tell when a login web page is authentic. Automatically verifying these pages as users open them ensures that the login process remains secure.

Zero-Day Vulnerabilities: Why Advanced Threat Detection is Necessary

Many threat detection solutions rely on pre-built databases with information on the latest threat indicators. Often, the only way to detect an emerging threat is by comparing its activity with known examples of the same danger on other networks. 

This is especially important for zero-day threats that exploit system flaws the cybersecurity community still needs to prepare a solution for. In addition, zero-day threats can have unpredictable consequences for organizations since there are no widely available fixes for addressing the threat.

Conscientious security leaders invest in advanced threat intelligence solutions to reduce the risk of zero-day threats. Threat intelligence feeds provide accurate, curated data about emerging threat indicators, allowing security analysts to identify malicious behavior faster and more accurately.

There are two broad types of threat intelligence solutions available on the market. Generic open-source threat intelligence feeds and high-quality curated feeds.

• Generic open-source feeds contain an enormous volume of threat intelligence data but force analysts to manually query that data to find threat indicators that apply to their situation. This process takes valuable time out of the urgent incident response workflow.
• Curated feeds streamline threat intelligence data to prioritize high-severity threats that apply to analysts’ I.T. environment. As a result, vulnerabilities and exploits that don’t apply can be safely dismissed, leaving only the threats that demand immediate attention.

Organizations that invest in curated, real-time threat intelligence data can detect, analyze, and respond to emerging threats faster and more precisely than those that rely on public threat exchange feeds. When combined with powerful threat detection software, this creates a robust platform for advanced threat detection suitable for the most sophisticated attacks.

Protect Your Organization’s Data: Invest in Phishing and URL Protection

TitanHQs phishing detection and malicious URL protection solutions act as the first line of defence against cyberattacks. Organizations that adopt a robust, multi-layered security strategy rely on advanced threat detection software to reduce the risk of cyberattacks and decrease the risks associated with data breaches.

TitanHQ’s PhishTitan provides organizations with reliable point-of-click protection that improves security performance and reinforces user compliance. Book a demo to discover how our solution can help your organization optimize its security.