Proactive Threat Detection Can Protect Organizations from Cyberattacks

An online attack can cost a company significant amounts of money, so businesses that proactively filter out cyber threats through a process known as threat hunting can save substantial resources. The essence of this approach is that, in addition to automated solutions, a real person examines digital processes to detect threats that might bypass machine-based security checks.

Automated security tools can detect about 80% of threats, but the remaining 20% require expert attention. Manual detection is essential because this one-fifth is more likely to contain sophisticated threats that can cause severe damage to a company. Attackers can go undetected for up to 280 days, patiently gathering data and confidential information to gain further access, setting the stage for a major data breach. The longer the gap between a security breach and a response, the greater the potential financial loss for the organization. According to IBM, the average total cost of such an attack is $4.35 million, and the negative effects can last for years.

Threat hunters are trained IT security professionals who search for, log, monitor, and neutralize threats before they can cause serious problems. They look for hidden malware or attackers and identify suspicious activity patterns that a computer might miss. Additionally, they help continuously improve a company's existing security infrastructure.

A survey conducted among Team Cymru security analysts highlights the crucial role of human expertise. The results show that a poorly organized or supervised threat hunting program leaves organizations vulnerable. 59% of analysts reported that their company’s program was not effective enough, while nearly 46% of those satisfied with their threat hunting process stated that the key factor behind its success was the skilled analysts running the program.

Threat hunting is a highly valuable process that supports both prevention and damage mitigation. No company can afford to sit back and wait for hackers to find them. That’s why ViVeTech advises all its clients to proactively search for threats and stay several steps ahead of cybercriminals.

Sources: ibm.com, helpnetsecurity.com

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