Magazine Template

Sophos Introduces Predictive Protection in Intercept X with Advanced Deep Learning

30 January 2018 - Sophos (LSE:SOPH), a global leader in network and endpoint security, today announced the availability of Intercept X with malware detection powered by advanced deep learning neural networks. Combined with new active-hacker mitigation, advanced application lockdown, and enhanced ransomware protection, this latest release of the next-generation endpoint protection delivers previously unseen levels of detection and prevention.

Deep learning is the latest evolution of machine learning. It delivers a massively scalable detection model that is able to learn the entire observable threat landscape. With the ability to process hundreds of millions of samples, deep learning can make more accurate predictions at a faster rate with far fewer false-positives when compared to traditional machine learning.

“Traditional machine learning models depend on expert threat analysts to select the attributes with which to train the model, adding a subjective human element. They also get more complex as more data is added, and these gigabyte-sized models are cumbersome and slow. These models may also have significant false positive rates which reduce IT productivity as admins try to determine what is malware and what is legitimate software,” explained Tony Palmer, senior validation analyst with the Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG). “In contrast, the deep learning neural network of Intercept X is designed to learn by experience, creating correlations between observed behavior and malware. These correlations result in a high accuracy rate for both existing and zero-day malware, and a lower false-positive rate. ESG Lab analysis reveals that this neural network model scales easily, and the more data it takes in, the smarter the model becomes. This enables aggressive detection without administrative or system performance penalty.”

This new version of Sophos Intercept X also includes innovations in anti-ransomware and exploit prevention, and active-hacker mitigations such as credential theft protection. As anti-malware has improved, attacks have increasingly focused on stealing credentials in order to move around systems and networks as a legitimate user, and Intercept X detects and prevents this behavior. Deployed through the cloud-based management platform Sophos Central, Intercept X can be installed alongside existing endpoint security software from any vendor, immediately boosting endpoint protection. When used with the Sophos XG Firewall, Intercept X can introduce synchronized security capabilities to further enhance protection.

“Predictive protection is the future of IT security. Sophos has taken a huge step forward by bringing deep learning neural networks into the industry leading exploit and ransomware protection of Intercept X,” said Dan Schiappa, senior vice president and general manager of products at Sophos. “Being able to protect against the next unknown attack instead of waiting for it to arrive will change the way IT operations in every organization can protect their users and assets. Intercept X can bring the most advanced next-generation protection to any organization, regardless of their current strategy.”

New features in Intercept X include:

Deep Learning Malware Detection

• Deep learning model detects known and unknown malware and potentially unwanted applications (PUAs) before they execute, without relying on signatures
• The model is less than 20MB and requires infrequent updates

• Credential theft protection – Preventing theft of authentication passwords and hash information from memory, registry, and persistent storage, as leveraged by such attacks as Mimikatz.
• Code cave utilization – Detects the presence of code deployed into another application, often used for persistence and antivirus avoidance
• APC protection – Detects abuse of Asynchronous Procedure Calls (APC) often used as part of the AtomBombing code injection technique and more recently used as the method of spreading the WannaCry worm and NotPetya wiper via EternalBlue and DoublePulsar (adversaries abuse these calls to get another process to execute malicious code)

New and Enhanced Exploit Prevention Techniques

• Malicious process migration – Detects remote reflective DLL injection used by adversaries to move between processes running on the system
• Process privilege escalation – Prevents a low-privilege process from being escalated to a higher privilege, a tactic used to gain elevated system access

Enhanced Application Lockdown

• Browser behavior lockdown – Intercept X prevents the malicious use of PowerShell from browsers as a basic behavior lockdown
• HTA application lockdown – HTML applications loaded by the browser will have the lockdown mitigations applied as if they were a browser

Sophos Intercept X as well as all the other Sophos solutions, along with services provided by Sophos Certified Specialists are available in UK through Simple IT, Sophos Partner in UK.

About Simple IT Distribution LTD

Simple IT Distribution LTD is backed by 10 years of experience in Value Added IT Distribution. What sets us apart from the crowd is our customer-centric approach, the quality services (consulting, implementation, training, support), and the people behind them, which are experienced and certified proffessionals. We provide sales and technical advice and deliver the solutions that best meed our customers' diverse technology needs. Our partners are hand-picked from the top vendors, and we back up their solutions with certified professionals, to give you nothing but the best.

For more information, please visit www.simpleit-distribution.co.uk .