CIO OPINION
When we discuss workloads we consider virtualisation , applications and data . Virsec is a prime example of preventing that data becoming code . Stopping certain attacks from overflowing into other workloads or departments , by locking down access to users if they attempt to access unpermitted areas , is key .
It ’ s about really locking down databases , creating a purpose-built structure where the applications can ’ t go outside of their bounds .
How does Virsec help organisations to radically strengthen their security programmes , prevent attacks and eliminate dwell time with precise , continuous workload protection ? is reported every 20 minutes . That ’ s almost 27,000 vulnerabilities reported last year . Patching is extremely time consuming ; you can ’ t patch daily or even on a weekly basis . Virsec gives the capabilities of providing you a stop gap and another layer of protection until those vulnerabilities can be patched . We also don ’ t allow somebody to come in and do a remote code execution through a vulnerability as it ’ s not productive behaviour .
We offer multi-layer security , protecting against zero days , new vulnerabilities , new forms of attacks , stopping what others can ’ t and also considering memory exploit and file protection .
What is the future of cybersecurity ?
Virsec offers five different layers of protection with host and file protection at its core . By allowing whitelisting , we create a positive security model by only allowing certain applications to run and behave a certain way . Any deviation of this behaviour is stopped by our intelligence . Virsec ’ s web protection defends Java , PHP , Ruby on Rails , SQL injections , and we prevent those web applications from going rogue .
In terms of buffer overflow protections , we see that 80 % of successful ransomware attacks today come from zero days . Typically , those attacks come from vulnerabilities within remote code execution , meaning they can execute a code at the binary level , change data to code and have free rein of a system . We prevent that from happening .
We also protect daily vulnerabilities . I did an analysis recently and found that a new CVE or vulnerability
Cybersecurity needs to be adaptive . Typical security systems have adopted endpoint detection and response , as you can ’ t prevent the unknown . We must shift to a preventative model , meaning that we need to start being proactive rather than reactive , in which we wait for an attack to penetrate your systems and then react to clean and prevent the issue from going further .
We can easily prevent attacks with the newer technology available . It is critical yet simple that you ’ ve got to get in front of it and need to collaborate between security vendors by sending alerts and creating oversight . A great early warning system can offer highfidelity alerts and stop it , then continue to communicate with other platforms on the incident for investigation .
Why do you think companies don ’ t take a proactive approach ?
Right now , there are an estimated 4 – 5 million open security positions for security staff globally . In the US alone , it ’ s about 600,000 . The security staff are inundated by alerts , something we call alert fatigue , due to being constantly reactive . It ’ s common for the sector to be short-staffed which eventually results in losing security staff due to burnout and the decision to enter a less demanding field .
Also , due to there being such a shortage , companies have started ‘ stealing ’ employees by hiring away security experts from one company to another , with the promise of higher pay and better working conditions . The problem is that when your subject matter experts , who know your systems inside out , are being rehired elsewhere , they have been so busy that they haven ’ t had time to do their documentation . This then leaves you completely in the dark about what systems you have , what you must protect and even what your processes are . When they leave , they take that knowledge with them . p
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