Threat Hunting & Anomaly Detection from ISSP offers comprehensive cybersecurity solutions, including continuous monitoring of your system environment, thorough threat investigations, a combination of expert human and automated responses, and managed security operations by security experts. It is the foundation of an organization's operational cybersecurity. Special agents are installed on endpoints/servers, through which detailed information about the system and users is collected and subsequently sent to the SOC for analysis. Thus, this managed service allows the rapid identification and containment of known and unknown threats to your organization.
However, there is a belief that Threat Hunting & Anomaly Detection is a complex solution suitable only for large enterprises with high cyber risks. But this is not true. Sergiy Poiata, Chief Operations Officer at ISSP, debunks three common myths about Threat Hunting & Anomaly Detection services.
Myth #1: Threat Hunting is not a priority solution, so it is advisable to replace it with simpler services or technologies.
There is a notion that managed service should only be implemented by large companies that have reached a high level of cyber maturity. On one hand, this is true, but there is an important nuance.
No combination of preventive protection solutions (antivirus, firewall, raising staff awareness, etc.) can replace operational cybersecurity (which includes managed cybersecurity services). It addresses different tasks. A firewall is primarily aimed at preventing an attack. It is of little use when a cyberattack is already occurring.
Moreover, it is important to remember that the effectiveness of any preventive protection cannot be 100%. Accordingly, a cybercriminal only needs to make more attempts to succeed. The potential consequences of a successful cyberattack may include not only financial and reputational risks for the business but also a company bankruptcy. Let's not forget about supply chain attacks, where not only the victim but also its business partners suffer from the hackers' actions.
Only operational security processes can detect cyber threats at the earliest stages and provide an adequate response to prevent the development and realization of the attacker's goal.
Therefore, the Threat Hunting service is the basis of operational security, covering the risks mentioned above.
Analogy: Installing more reliable locks on office doors does not negate the need for an alarm system inside the premises and security service.
Myth #2: Threat Hunting is marketing. Similar technical solutions for endpoint protection are cheaper.
Threat Hunting & Anomaly Detection services are indeed often more expensive compared to similar technologies that offer subscription-based protection for endpoints or servers.
The reason is that Threat Hunting & Anomaly Detection solutions are more comprehensive and include not only software subscriptions but also additional capabilities.
In particular, they involve multiple lines of analytics and ongoing threat detection and response processes. This generates additional costs, but it also provides fundamental advantages.
Purchasing software subscriptions, the client may not always understand the need for additional resources or extra expenses. However, without them, the incident management process significantly loses effectiveness, creating an illusion of protection. Even modern technologies utilizing artificial intelligence, when applied separately, are unable to achieve the necessary results, specifically:
Processing additional context that cannot be obtained at the software level (assuming minimal communication with IT personnel).
Detecting complex attacks deliberately executed in stealth mode, where each temporally dispersed iteration (a component of a complex attack) is, at best, identified as a low-priority incident and is not combined into a single chain of attack with critical consequences.
Handling and filtering false-positive alerts, which, according to statistics, constitute the vast majority of all alerts and distract attention.
Adapting processes to the specific requirements of a particular company, taking into account its scale and staff qualification levels.
Analogy: Comparing a corporate car to a corporate taxi service or logistical transportation service.
Myth #3: It is more cost-effective and secure to build your own Threat Hunting service without involving third parties.
This approach is misguided and may only work in exceptional circumstances.
As we have already explained when debunking Myth #2, Threat Hunting & Anomaly Detection is not a technology, but a comprehensive solution that includes technology, personnel with relevant competencies, and well-developed monitoring and response processes. Therefore, building your own Threat Hunting service is not much different from developing any new business process within an organization.
Even in a simplified model, this requires:
A considerable amount of time for employee training, technology implementation, and process development could take more than a year to reach an adequate service quality level.
Significant investments in technology solutions, hardware, and most importantly – in people. You need to find, train, and retain qualified personnel with relevant cybersecurity competencies.
Management resources. This is only the way to achieve the expected results.
The conclusion is self-evident. Such substantial investments may only be justified in certain cases, for example, if a company plans to offer Threat Hunting as a commercial service to external companies. Another example would be large corporations or holdings providing services to a vast number of affiliated consumer companies.
On the other hand, purchasing Threat Hunting services from a reliable external provider, such as ISSP, significantly reduces their cost and ensures that the client receives the solution in an adapted and understandable format with guaranteed parameters and minimal risks of cyberattacks.
Analogy: Building a full-cycle in-house security service for a small IT company's needs.
In conclusion, Threat Hunting & Anomaly Detection is a critical component of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy.
By partnering with a reliable managed security services provider businesses of any size and from any industry can benefit from advanced threat detection and response capabilities, expert guidance, and support. Threat Hunting provides a proactive and effective approach to cybersecurity that helps businesses stay ahead of the evolving threat landscape.
You can learn more about ISSP SOC Incident Detection & Compliance Control service via the link.
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